SCENE STEALERS

In recent years, the landscape of local cinema has changed dramatically with an influx of new and talented actors. Meet three Filipino leads rewriting the script, ushering in a new era across all facets of filmmaking.

- GABRIEL YAP

CEDRICK JUAN

Some artists earn their stripes in the crucibles of theater. For Cedrick Juan, the transition from being on-stage to the silver screen was almost natural. Initially, he had begun his acting career as a member of theatrical groups, including Dulaang UP at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, and at the FEUArt Theatre Clinique of the Far Eastern University respectively. “When you start in theater, you’ll always try to look for it again and again,” he says. “You’ll always come back to train again, to be open, to be more vulnerable.”

Despite constant barrage of rehearsals and performances, Cedrick still feel at peace and in his element. The stage, whether in an auditorium or on a film set, is a safe haven where he could truly be in touch with his innermost self. “Acting itself trains you to be vulnerable.” It is in this vulnerability that allows him to truly flesh out the various roles he has to portray, with an acting style that is both dynamic and unscripted. “I just need to go with the flow, trust my co-actors and the energy around me,” the actor explains. “It’s about being mentally open, but emotionally ready for everything that comes my [way].”

He brings these elements toward his breakout role in the film GomBurZa, which he attributes as his crowning achievement throughout his career so far. The historical picture has received the most attention during its run at the most recent Metro Manila Film Festival, garnering multiple awards and nominations in its wake. Here, Cedrick won the Best Actor for his role as Father Jose Burgos, and has since then expanded his reach across all facets of media and entertainment.