For five straight years, actor Cedrick Juan had sported long hair but had to have it shorn last year for a stage musical role.
“It was for ‘Mula sa Buwan.’ I played a soldier during World War II, so they said it’s important that I cut it,” he explained. “In the beginning, I was scared to do it because, somehow, I was able to build my identity with it. However, I wanted some new energy. It also felt like I was graduating since I was already parting ways with IdeaFirst Company.”
The production company run by Perci Intalan and Jun Robles Lana had opted to release all the artists whose careers it had managed for years. Cedrick was one of them. “Also, for five years I missed having that ‘new energy.’ Now, I want to find opportunities, be more open to other things. In a way, I needed to cut my hair to signify a change in me,” he pointed out, adding that he has decided to go freelance for the time being.
Prioritizing health
The change was also related to what happened to him during the pandemic lockdowns, which caused most of the work in the entertainment industry to stop. “I kept thinking of the significance of actors during that time. I was asking, ‘Are we considered a necessity?’ Whenever we feel anything, either negative or something celebratory, what do we do? We dance. We sing. We watch movies—that’s artistry. But I guess we needed that pause first because we had to prioritize our health. We were constantly thinking and waiting who among our loved ones we would lose next,” he began.
Being an actor during the lockdowns was a struggle, said Cedrick. “I only had to focus on the necessities. Our experience then made me realize that we only needed a few things in order to survive, that we should focus only on acquiring food and shelter, securing our family and pets, and of course, love.” INQ