Rodjun Cruz, inspired by firstborn, tackles first lead role

Rodjun with Baby Joaquin

For Rodjun Cruz, having a child has been one of his life’s “greatest blessings” and “inspirations.”

“I’m so thankful to the Lord. Things really change the moment you have a kid. You feel more inspired and you get more driven to work harder because you want your child to be proud of you someday. That’s why I’m trying to give my best in every project I do,” he said at a virtual conference for his recent contract renewal with GMA Artist Center.

While excited, the actor-dancer, who welcomed a baby boy named Joaquin with his wife, Dianne Medina, in September 2020, admitted that he did have his worries when it finally sank in that he was going to be a father.

“It was hard because of the pandemic … When Dianne gave birth, I had to just wait in another room. It was because we couldn’t be with our families because safety was our priority. Usually, when you have a newborn, your family can come over to help you or you can bring the baby out. But in our case, Dianne and I really had to figure things out ourselves,” he said.

Family connection

But the connection he has formed with Baby Joaquin made everything worth it.

“We love going out during sunrise and sunset. I play music for him and he would dance—I think he was already dancing before he learned how to walk. He must have gotten it from us!” He said of his son, who turned 1 this year. “He has become malambing; he’s always smiling.”

“The bond you have with your child really is different,” the 34-year-old Kapuso artist added. “It makes you feel like you will do everything for him. I appreciated my parents even more.”

And just when Rodjun thought he couldn’t love and respect his wife more, he saw how much of a doting mother Dianne is. “I loved her even more, especially after seeing her the first few months of having our baby … how she would stay up late to feed our baby despite working hard all day,” he related.

“Our connection has grown stronger … We’re not perfect, but we learn from our experiences together,” he added. “We continue to pray because we know that we will be able to weather life’s challenges with God at the center of our relationship.”

Answered prayer

For most of his acting career, Rodjun was relegated to supporting or villain roles. But this time, in the upcoming GMA 7 series “Little Princess,” he gets to play lead along with Jo Berry.

“I was so happy and I couldn’t contain it. I’m very grateful. I prayed for this kind of opportunity to show my talent. And this is an answered prayer. I will give my 100 percent,” said Rodjun, who would also love to do a film that can be considered an acting piece. “That’s also a dream. I used to get roles I didn’t have confidence to do. But I kept my faith and did them with the help of people around me.”

Working on “Little Princess,” he couldn’t help but be in awe of Jo, who managed to power through taping despite losing three loved ones due to COVID-19.

“She opened up to me and what she’s going through is no joke. But she still manages to smile as she gives her best to her work. Nakakabilib,” Rodjun said. “I tell her that her father, brother and grandfather are all proud of her, and they’re watching her from above. We’re doing this for them.”

Of course, dancing and performing will always be a big part of his career. “I’m thankful that I’m able to do acting projects and perform at the same time. Aside from soaps, I get to make people happy in variety shows like ‘All-Out Sundays,’” he said.

Another dream of his is starring in a TV series with his younger brother, Rayver, who’s now a Kapuso artist as well.

“We started out at such a young age and we’re still doing what we love. We’re blessed that we still get to showcase our talents, and entertain viewers. He’s humble and generous. We support each other, and I hope we can do one together someday,” he said. INQ