Why ‘extraterrestrial’ Gil Cuerva refuses to ‘feed into the hate’

Gil Cuerva

Gil Cuerva has, in the past, gotten himself in heated exchanges with people in social media because of his opinion on certain topics like politics.

Now that he’s a public figure—a newcomer debuting in a primetime television series—everything he says will be under even more scrutiny.

That is why the 21-year-old model-turned-actor has taken it upon himself to be more mindful in expressing his views, especially in public platforms.

“I used to get swayed by my emotions and let them get the better of me. I’d reply to the people who initiated the bashing without realizing that I was only feeding into the hate. But I have learned from my mistakes,” Gil said in a group interview for “My Love from the Star,” which he topbills with Jennylyn Mercardo.

For instance, in a tweet last year, Gil described people engaged in impassioned political commentary in social media as “pretentious idiots talking about politics as if they were political science majors.”

Needless to say, it didn’t sit well with netizens—and the backlash was swift and hard.

“When I was attacked for my political opinion, I learned that there were things you should not talk too much about. Politics is a delicate matter. But on everything else, I prefer to keep it real,” said Gil, who is being dismissed by some people as “a budget Borgy Manotoc.”

“I do not let that affect me,” said Gil, adding that dealing with critics is a constant test of composure. “Now, I just want to work. I want to block out everything that is negative, so I could focus on improving myself.”

Gil is also well aware that being prodded about his personal life and romantic relationship is par for the course in local show biz.
“If the questions are not too personal, I’m fine with them. And I guess, later on, I’d have a better sense of which questions are better left unanswered,” Gil said. “Of course, I would like to spare my family and girlfriend from the intrigues.”

In “My Love,” a local adaptation of the popular Korean television series of the same title, Gil plays the lead male role, Matteo Domingo—an extraterrestrial who gets stuck on Earth, and falls in love with hubristic actress Steffi Chavez (Jennylyn).

Yes, he’s feeling the pressure of an acting job this big, the actor admitted. And while he is bent on proving his worth, he’s also setting realistic expectations.

“I am new and raw—the skill and experience are not there. I wouldn’t turn into a good actor from the get-go; I fully understand that these things do not happen overnight,” he said.

“So now, I’m embracing the process. I’m trying not to get frustrated or too hard on myself when I mess up. All I can do is keep working hard,” added Gil, whose long locks and androgynous good looks had landed him regular modeling gigs in Hong Kong and Thailand.

Gil, who looks up to actors like Eddie Redmayne, Tom Cruise and George Clooney, sees himself taking his career in show biz seriously. Asked if he has any dream projects or roles, Gil said he did not want to look that far ahead.

“I want to establish myself as a leading man first,” the Kapuso talent said. “Once my acting talent becomes at par with my expectations, only then would I start thinking of what other roles would suit me.”