Miles Ocampo, Cedrick Juan rise above stacked MMFF rosters for breakthrough wins
Miles Ocampo poses with her best supporting
actress trophy. [L] and Cedrick Juan | PHOTOS: Facebook, Crown Artist Management
After 20 and 10 years in show biz, respectively, Miles Ocampo and Cedrick Juan finally won their first major acting trophies at the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). And they did so in emphatic fashion, rising above fields stacked with veteran artists.
“This is such a big deal for me. I can’t believe it. When my name was called, I felt like I was sinking into my seat, because I was very nervous,” Miles, hailed best supporting actress, told the Inquirer at the MMFF awards ceremony or the Gabi ng Parangal. “There are so many actors now, especially from my generation, so this is important.”
Miles, who stars in the drama film “Family of Two,” bested Alessandra de Rossi, Agot Isidro, Janella Salvador and Gloria Diaz.
“I started in the industry when I was 6. I turn 27 next year. This is the first time I have been given an award. Ganito po pala ang feeling ng mga artista (so this is how it feels to be an actor)!” she said in her speech.
“This is something I just have to practice. Now, we have an actual award,” added the former child star.
It has been a trying year for the actress, who had to overcome health and personal issues. In March, she underwent thyroidectomy, after being diagnosed with thyroid cancer. And just last month, news broke that she and her boyfriend Elijah Canlas had broken up.
“I really had to think about whether or not I should accept the offer to do ‘Family of Two,’ because I had just undergone surgery … People might say I look like the mother of Alden (Richards, her costar and partner in the movie),” she joked.
Thankfully, she took the plunge. And now, she holds the best Christmas gift she could ever have. “With the things I went through with my health and all, I would say that this is my Christmas gift—and New Year’s and birthday gift. Lahat na. Happy fiesta!” she told the Inquirer. “Ang daming nangyari (a lot of things happened), so thank you.”
Where does she plan to display her trophy? “I will probably put it beside me while I sleep!” she said, laughing. “It’s a reminder for me to always do better and hone my craft. I have to do my best because there are still people who believe in me … I hope to do more movies next year.”
Contributed to history
Like Miles, Cedrick went up against industry icons and front-runners like Christopher de Leon, Piolo Pascual, Dingdong Dantes, Alden Richards and Derek Ramsay. But it was his performance as the martyred priest Padre Jose Burgos in “GomBurZa” that prevailed in the best actor category.
“It was a big honor to be in the same category with my fellow nominees. I didn’t expect it,” he told the Inquirer.
While his win came as a surprise to some, those who have seen most of the entries knew that Cedrick was a dark horse for the award. “But perhaps it’s true that nothing is impossible if you put your heart into it. That’s what I did. I gave this role my heart and soul.
“I knew this project is bigger than me and any personal agenda,” he said of “GomBurZa,” which took home six trophies, including second best picture and best director for Pepe Diokno. “I couldn’t be more grateful to Direk Pepe for taking a chance on me.”
As a theater-grown artist, Cedrick doesn’t act with the intention of winning awards, he said. “I don’t expect anything. I know that I will end up changing my process as an actor if I make winning awards my goal. I don’t want to be distracted by that.”
But still, the trophy was a nice pat on the back for all the hard work that he and the “GomBurZa” team put into the film. “It made us feel like all our efforts had paid off. This is a bonus as an actor. But the best thing of all is seeing so many people back in the cinemas and watching Filipino films,” he said.
Throughout his career, Cedrick has proven his mettle in such theater plays as Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas’ “Adarna” and “Porvir”; and in films like “Die Beautiful” and “Oro,” which earned him his first MMFF nomination. But with “GomBurZa,” Cedrick can finally, and confidently, say that he has made a valuable contribution to the local industry.
“Kapag dumating na sa punto ng aking huling hininga (before I take my last breath), I can say that I have contributed something to our history as a Filipinos,” he said. INQ
