JOHN LLOYD CRUZ CONSIDERS 'MONEYSLAPPER' ROLE HIS 'MOST SPECIAL' YET

Contrary to perhaps popular belief, John Lloyd Cruz isn't opposed to doing "mainstream" movies.

- By NATHALIE M. TOMADA

"Wala ba itong commercial appeal?" he jokingly responded, pointing to his new film "Moneyslapper," a dark comedy directed by Bor Ocampo, which is being showcased at the ongoing QCinema.

The STAR and two other press outlets got to interview John Lloyd during a roundtable chat on the Radyo Katipunan show "Level Up" of talent manager and Metro Manila filmfest spokesperson Noel Ferrer.

The leading man in some of the biggest box-office romance films in the country, John Lloyd hinted that he's actually been quietly exploring such projects and never really stopped searching for the right material. But it seems the stars have not aligned yet.

"You know, I haven't really stopped. We've been developing things for years now — I don't want to say it because it might be preemptive. Talaga wala lang siguro, sila din yung mga ka-jamming ko. I wish I could tell you more. I don't want to name names, but one project is already on its third draft, and we've been brainstorming on another for almost two years," he said.

"Maybe that's why I've ended up doing more serious films, yung branding na hindi mainstream... kasi itong stage kong ito ngayon, actually, it's more difficult to make a film. For example, me and Sarah (Geronimo), if we make a film now, it's going to be more difficult.

"So it's like, if we don't welcome or embrace that challenge... ako nga gusto ko isama yun, yung ano pa yung gagawin natin. But hindi pa nagtutugma yung mga utak namin. It's not about scheduling. Sila rin kasi, my co-actors, parang gusto na rin nila kutkutin."

John Lloyd also qualified that the concept of mainstream nowadays is not clear cut but rather changing.

"You don't know what's mainstream now. When I watched 'Past Lives,' (naisip ko) yan ang pwede!

That could be done," he said.