They are the pair to reckon with. Both so serious in their profession -- John Lloyd wants to be recognized as an actor while Bea has always wanted to excel in their craft. They have a special appeal to the movie-going public," related Now That I Have You
director Laurenti Dyogi.
True enough, with the success of their movie at the tills, the John Lloyd-Bea tandem is dyanamite. Their
chemistry is so powerful that many are wondering if the roles they play onscreen extend to real life.
Let's get meet the two.
Bea Alonzo
At 16, Bea is 5'7" tall. She inherited a lot of her British father's features -- his fairness, his height and his nose. Too bad she wasn't able to see him as he left he mother while she was pregnant with Bea.
She insists though that, "I have my mom's eyes. Parehong-pareho kami, di po ba?"
As for the statuesque frame, "I am afraid I am still growing. Baka mawalan ako ng leading man pag
nagkataon..." On the contrary, because of Bea's height, she is able to play more mature roles: she in
fact played a 21-year-old call center employee in Now That I Have You. In the previous soap, too, she played the role of a lawyer.
Says Laurenti Dyogi: "Nandidiyan yung pasungki-sungki ng ngipin niya...and she can be conscious of her smile. But amazingly it is this imperfection that makes her different. Iba ang dating niya sa tao.
"It's also this imperfection that draws her to more to her fans. They can readily identify with her.
Her fame changed her somehow? John Lloyd who was seated nearby quipped: "Marunong na yang magpalda
ngayon." She was then in micro-mini maong skirt and in stilletto heels, at that indeed she was very much a lady.
She has slimmed down too.
"Before, I wasn't conscious at all with the way I look or with whatever I wear. I just wanted to concentrate
in my acting. I didn't realize that personality counts a lot in business," she relates. People teasing about her weight, "it helped me a lot. Lagi
nila akong tinutukso na mataba so I really had to exert effort to shed off my excess fat. Sa bahay kasi libangan na namin yong kumain."
Now, with her 35-24-35 shapely figure, she could easily be a candidate on the next Bb. Pilipinas tilt.
Upon hearing it though, Bea vigorously shook her head.
Beauty contests are not her cup of tea. It's acting for her, nothing else. "I was only eight years old
when I started acting before a mirror. I danced, laughed and cried. Para akong naloloka. And my mom would laugh whenever she'd catch me emoting."
It was a Santacruzan that she was discovered and prodded to audition for the ABS CBN Star Circle. And the rest is history.
She used to have her mom to be with her all the time.
"Pero ngayon, mas gusto na ng mommy ko yong nasa bahay siya. She cannot stand hours and hours of waiting during the shooting or taping. Naha-high blood siya."
Her mother brought a shih-tzu to keep her company at home. Bea confesses, however, that she doesn't like dogs. "So my mom has to keep him out of my way everytime I'm home." At that, we accidentally discovered Bea's animal phobia. "My brother and I used to have two hamsters as pets. My mother didn't like them kasi they belonged to the rat family. But we insisted and we placed them in my room. One time nakalimutan namin silang pakainin. When we were about
to feed them, I was shocked. Kinain nuong isa yong ulo ng kasama. Di ko alam na carnivorous pala sila. Since that time I've never wanted to raise any animals."
As for her career, the soap It Might Be You has consistently maintained its high ratings. Their
movie, Now That I Have You earned 8 million on its first day. Not bad.
But success has not gone to Bea's head. "Maraming nabago sa buhay ko. I miss riding jeepneys. Bibihira
ko na ring makalaro ang younger brother ko. These days, I only go home to sleep, sleep and eat. So
we're just satisfied with sending picture messages to each other."
When she enumerates the blessings that have come her family's way, Bea face lights up. "Finally I was able
to buy a townhouse for my family. I also have a car for my personal use. And now we can buy everything that we need. Food and clothes that we like. Noon I used to pray hard na sana maging stable din naman kami financially so now I have no reason to complain."
Bea doesn't mind having worked at such an early age. She auditioned for Star Circle when she was only 13.
"If I ever missed out something, people of my age outside this profession also have not experienced what I have been through. It's a process of growing up too, only in a different way. And besides talaga
naman gusto kong maging artista."
And her relationship with John Lloyd? "I am more comfortable with him now. We discuss things during
break time." In fact, she has just finished reading a book lent to her by her leading man. "It's Tuesdays
with Morrie. I like the book. Right now, I have just started on the Da Vinci Code."
Wasn't she affected at all by the fact that John Lloyd -- who isn't her boyfriend at all -- was her first kiss. Bea pauses, then she lets out a grin, "For me that was part of learning process. After the kissing
scene, we dubbed and then I fell asleep. You can't help thinking about it. But then there's a positive side of me which says na at least yung naka-first kiss ko didn't take advantage of me at all."
As for love between them: "During our Kay Tagal time, we each have our own worlds. Ngayong nagsisimula
palang yung foundation ng friendship namin. We have discovered so many things about ourselves, common things about us and we are happy that we get to understand each other more. We take time to enjoy and smell the flowers. Hanggang doon lang muna kami."
Bea doesn't think much of falling in love. Not yet anyway. In a sense, she's unaffected by the world of
showbiz. Instead of aiming for a great role she sees herself, "Taking up painting lessons. How I wish I could jold a brush and lift a beautiful sunset before me and carefully put it on canvass. How I'd love to do that. Just to be able to come up with a sketch with my own hands would satisfy me."
Come October, the young actress will be 17. But instead of spending money for a grand debut on her 18th
birthday in 2005, what Bea wants is to go places.
"With my family, of course. I want to give this as a gift to them. But given the chance to travel alone,
the first country i would visit is Tibet. I am interested in Buddhism. I am fascinated by the different religions I have read about."
One can't help but feel admiration for this pretty young girl who is reaping success at a very young age.
She's got not only charm and gentleness and she's not only talented, she's very intelligent as well.
Article by: Len Llanes
John Lloyd Cruz
He is so adorable -- whoever says otherwise must either be blind or a little afraid to be branded juvenile.
But then John Lloyd Cruz could not help but look a dream, not only because of his good looks but also
because his roles play up his being such a catch.
Thanks to his chemistry with screen partner Bea Alonzo, too, he's becoming just too darn irresistable.
For all his appeal to women though, the guy's proudly single.
"Medyo na-traumatize ako," he quips, alluding his failed romance with actress Ciara Sotto. He intimates that he's taking a breather from love and is now completely focused on his career. He does not deny the fact, too, that his recent relationship made his wary of giving his heart again. "Hindi ko muna
iniisip, I want to enjoy my time with my family, with friends."
"Maingat ako ngayon," he reveals about his feelings on romance. "Nakasakit ako, (kahit) hindi ko naman ginusto. Mahirap makasakit pero wala akong nagawa. So I'll make sure next time, pagiingatan ko na."
Armed with learned lessons, the "new" John Lloyd is not only more focused on his acting prowess but also
on his financial status. "Kasi hindi mo masasabi di ba? Right now I'm thinking of investing in real estate." And slowly, he would be able to buy all the surrounding land area near his house he kidded.
"Hindi naman...but I'm planning on selling one of my cars to buy a property."
He reveals that because of all that has happened in his personal life, it drew him closer to his mom.
"And now I spend more time with her."
But of course, the concept of "time" is relative. To John Lloyd, it means the period after his shootings, his out-of-town sorties, his mall shows to promote his latest movie and his wrap-up work for his and Bea's soap, It Might Be You.
Indeed, the guy's successful and mighty busy. Does he even have time for play?
He grins and mouths, "Wala...buti na lang may Bea -- nakakausap, nangungulit."
Aha!
Without sounding too cheesy, John Lloyd and Bea's team up onscreen is just too sweet that somehow one wishes
that their acting parallels with that's real. They look great together, they look swell, look marvelous, it's a little dreadful to think that they are not really an item off screen.
Bea, for her part, admits that her friendship with John Lloyd blossomed after they did Now That I Have You. "Nag-uusap na kami, mas close na." as compared to their previous to their previous projects when, after the director shouted 'cut', at one end would be Bea and at the another far end, John Lloyd. They weren't talking buddies. They weren't even co-workers
who shared a laugh.
Unlike now.
Kibitzers comment that the change between the two is one of the by-products of John Lloyd's "single
status". Maybe it's his not being tied to a girl which makes him more easy going with other, er, girls?
With his eyes "twinkling", John Lloyd reveals: "I like the way she brings out the kid in me. I like her
unawareness, her being very sincere."
"Oo naman," he reveals, when asked if he found Bea attractive. "But I find a lot of girls attractive."
"As attractive as Bea?" He was asked to which he smiled, paused, grinned and grudgingly admitted: "Hindi."
"Di pa ako ready," he insists, moving back to his original premise on relationships. Afterwhich he mutters a telling: "Bea not now" statement.
One of ABS-CBN's discoveries, John Lloyd Cruz has indeed come a long way. From his young days as part
of the trio of youthful boys, to his team up with Kaye Abad, to now -- half of the popular love team and an
actor who can carry a scene with the best of 'em.
"Dream ko rin actually to get darker roles to hone my craft," he admits. "yung tipong roles ni Johnny
Delgado or ni Pen Medina."
"Hindi ako sexy eh." he jests when somebody asked if he would want to tackle bolder roles. "I'm working on
working out."
Basically, his career may take a flying leap towards more serious roles and John Lloyd would not mind as he
entertains any good change that might propel him to better his craft. What he would mind though is if somebody rocked his world and made him fall in
love...again.
"Mahirap," he insists. He refuses to entertain the possibility that he might just be falling for his favorite partner. "Right now, ako yung parang
naga-advise sa kanya about things, yung about love at mga nanliligaw sa kanya..."
He amongst them?
"Very transparent naman ako. Kung meron kaming relationship, halata naman. If i court a girl yung
usual -- flowers and chocolates," he relates. (And for the record, John Lloyd has admitted to giving Bea
chocolates.)
If only imagined, one could say that John Lloyd and Bea tandem has a potential to crossover to reality.
From his mere retelling of what he felt when they did their kissing scene, one might say that there is
something there. If yet undefined.
"At first i couldn't open my lips, naiilang ako...but" he starts. "Basta wala na akong maalala. After the kiss, nakatingin lang ako sa Edsa (where the shooting was held) tapos di ko alam na nakangiti pala ako. 'Yung isang kasama ko namin sa pelikula, si Jojit Lorenzo, tinuro ako tapos tumatawa siya. Dun ko lang
na-realize na nakangiti ako."
Some call it silly grin. It usually happens to people silly in love, too.
John Lloyd and Bea sported his and hers bracelet during the interview -- a thing that makes you wonder. But 21-year-old John Lloyd insists that he's
not ready. Then again, Bea's just 16.
You might say they have lots of time to ponder on what's really happening between them.
Article by: jlr
Source: Mr & Ms Magazine, September 7 2004 issue
Submitted by: Emilie
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