Philippine Daily Inquirer
by: Pam Pastor
August 3, 2007
JOHN LLOYD CRUZ DOESN'T think he's sexy. In fact, Bench's offer to make the 24-year-old actor their next big endorser came as a surprise to him.
"Sa tingin ko lahat ng Bench models may common denominator. They ooze with sex appeal, which I don't have."
The countless camera-armed fans who mobbed the huge Bench store in TriNoma, where this photo shoot was held, obviously don't agree.
But Cruz may have a point. After all, he has been picked to be the face of Bench's new campaign: "Good Boys Wear Bench."
"See?" he says, laughing.
Bench's big boss Ben Chan explains, "John Lloyd was chosen specifically for our clothing line and another product which we are set to reveal later. John is good-looking. He is a matinee idol and a wonderful dramatic actor. More importantly though, he has a clean image that embodies the good qualities of a Bench endorser."
Lifestyle brand
Cruz is happy about this new endorsement. "They treat you like family," he says of bench. But more than that, he has total confidence in the brand. It is not just a clothing brand anymore, he acknowledges, but a lifestyle brand. "They have food, even wipes. Lahat ng kailangan ko as an artista mahahanap ko dito sa store nila, which is great. And hindi nagsa-suffer yung quality ng products nila. Yung clothes maganda ang quality and style, very updated. Magaling."
The actor is a fan of Bench's pique shirts, which he feels fits his taste for basic and classic clothes. "A lot of times, you'll see me wearing preppy clothes. I'm very comfortable with that style."
But he has no problems experimenting with color and style either. "It all depends on my mood. I believe pink is also for men. My style can be provocative, I like to challenge rules. I love skinny jeans and I love neon colors. Through the years, na-liberate yung fashion sense ko."
Soon, images of Cruz will be plastered all over Bench stores in malls around the country ---a full circle moment for the actor whose road to stardom started inside a shopping mall, too.
Flashback
It was 10 years ago when an agent first spotted John Lloyd in a mall where the then 14-year-old was about to watch a movie with two friends. Because this was during the time the very controversial story of a manager who took advantage of his talents was circulating, Cruz tried avoiding him at first.
The talent scout's persistence paid off. Cruz's acting career took off, and with enough hard work he was soon a household name. He has made a number of movies, has raked in acting awards and his soap operas have kept viewers glued to their television screens.
There are many, many things he loves about being an actor -- but you might be surprised what they are. "Fame comes last," says Cruz. "Di mo na iisipin yan eh. I love studying people, human emotions and human interaction. Kung hindi ako naging artista, hindi ko made-develop yun."
Although he expresses frustration with some of the things he has to deal with in the movie world, like people who have no respect for his privacy ("Sana lang mas maging open-minded yung mga tao na kahit artista kami, we're human. We deserve our privacy. It's our right and priviledge to be human beings.") and how he's had to sacrifice time with his family ("Having time to be with my family has become a luxury for me, but they understand"), Cruz remains grateful. After all, the good things outweigh the bad.He is thankful that he's in an industry that allows him to touch people.
No matter what a big star you are, he notes, you're this small. He holds his thumb and forefinger half an inch apart. When seen you in the global context, you're just a tiny speck, he says. But what amazes him is that as a movie star, he is able to reach people in a special way. When the going gets rough, when he's dead tired, he says, he relives those moments and he is refreshed.
He recalls one unforgettable moment in San Francisco.
"A woman who was probably in her 40s approached me at the ABS-CBN International Head Office in San Francisco. Hindi sya makasalita, nakatingin lang sya sa 'kin, tuwang-tuwa sya, hanggang maiyak sya. Pati ako muntik maiyak. First time mangyari sa akin yung ganun."
Cruz is such a hot star ABS-CBN has cast him in another soap opera called "Maging Sino Ka Man Book 2" with Bea Alonzo, who is co-starring with him in another movie.
"It's a light romance. Ang dami na naming nagawang movie ni Bea. With this one, we're trying to aim for a different approach. I'm excited but at the same time I know it will be challenging. After doing so many soap operas and four movies with Bea, ano pang maibibigay ko?"
Leaving a mark
Perhaps that's one thing that sets Cruz apart from other actors his age. While others are enjoying the fame and the perks of being a celebrity, he is constantly questioning himself, his industry and his abilities.
He says he wants to make movies that will show what is beautiful and what is ugly in this world. He's not content to make movies that merely make people laugh. "You can always do more," he says. "Yung pag lumabas sila ng sinehan, parang nag-leave ng mark yung movie mo. Parang gusto nilang may gawin dahil sa pelikula mo. Hindi mo naman mapipilit lahat ng tao to do something. But one out of ten would be good enough."
It is Cruz's desire to give more meaning to his acting career. "Sana mas mabigyan ko pa ng much more sense yung reason kung bakit ako nandito. Hindi lang yung artista ka, sikat ka, gawa ka ng movie, gawa ka ng album."
You only live once and you're only an actor, he adds, so he wants to be given the chance to do as much as he can. Not merely to earn millions, he points out. He says he wants to leave a mark, to make a difference in the lives of as many people as possible. "I want to change the world," he says. And this might sound cheesy coming from any other person, but his next words were rife with sincerity.
"I want to be more involved with life, to share what's good, to travel doing that. I want to go to the most depressed areas. That's where you'll feel your purpose. I want to do more good things for other people. That's how you pay your rent here on earth. Sabi nila every time you're helping, you're touching people's lives. Pero meron pa akong gustong ma-achieve. Kung kaya naman, bakit hindi?"
In the meantime, Cruz will keep doing what he's been doing --touching people with with his movies and television shows, spending free days relaxing at malls and devoting time to his family.
"You get impatient sometimes. But in my mind, I know there's something very beautiful at the end of the line and gusto kong umabot dun," he says.
If Bench can put this good boy's outlook in a bottle and sell it, then the real world-changing can begin.
To view photos of John Lloyd's Bench endorsements, go to gallery.
Photos scanned by: schoolmarm
Article originally posted by: gefjon
