John Lloyd: Awards are subjective

If John Lloyd Cruz had his way, he said he would not give this year’s Urian best actor award to himself.

John Lloyd (or Lloydie, for short) won the top acting award at the 39th Gawad Urian ceremony on Wednesday night for his performance in Erik Matti’s action-drama, “Honor Thy Father.”

JOHN Lloyd Cruz

“I really thought Kuya John (Arcilla) would win it. I saw what he did (in the historical film, ‘Heneral Luna’)—and it was breathtaking,” he told the Inquirer shortly after he received the award from the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino at the Kia Theatre in Quezon City.

He said he was never comfortable with receiving awards “because I find it to be very subjective.” To this, he meant that winning an award was always dependent on the jury members’ preferences.

“It’s the honor that goes with the award that’s more important to me. What we should highlight are the patience and hard work that an artist puts into a particular project,” Lloydie said. “I’ve waited for this for a long time. This is the sum of my journey as an actor.”

The actor is scheduled to receive another trophy, this time from the 15th New York Asian Film Festival, which is ongoing until July 9. He will be awarded the 2016 Star Asia award alongside Hong Kong’s Miriam Yeung and South Korea’s Lee Byung-hun.

“I don’t know how it all got to this. I’ve never stopped making films. I just became more careful with my choices. I took a risk. I never thought I’d get something really good for taking it,” Lloydie said.

LJ to choose more wisely

Meanwhile, LJ Reyes, who won the best actress award for Jun Robles Lana’s “Anino sa Likod ng Buwan,” said she would also “choose projects more wisely now.”

She added that her work in the dramatic film that also features Luis Alandy and Anthony Falcon, “would be my last daring performance.”

LJ Reyes. PHOTO BY ROMY HOMILLADA

The actress explained that this was because her 5-year-old son Ethan Akio “is growing up fast. He is starting to understand what his mother does for a living.”

Another reason was that she was baptized as a Christian recently. “But this doesn’t mean I will stop doing projects that will challenge me as an actor,” LJ declared.

She attended the awards ceremony with current boyfriend Paolo Contis. “I asked him to escort me to the stage, because I was afraid of stepping on my gown and falling down. The walk to the stage was all a blur,” she recalled. “It was an effort not to cry onstage. When I was there, I just kept thinking of Aki (her son’s nickname). I never thought I’d win the award.”

LJ won against Nora Aunor (“Taklub”), Annicka Dolonius (“Apocalypse Child”), Angeli Bayani (“Iisa”), Alessandra de Rossi (“Bambanti”), Ces Quesada (“Imbisibol”), Jennylyn Mercado (“#Walang Forever”) and Mercedes Cabral (“Da Dog Show”).

Brillante Ma. Mendoza, whose “Taklub” won best film, was not able to personally accept the trophy. Jerrold Tarog, however, was around to receive both his best director and best editor awards for “Heneral Luna.”

36-year wait for Bernardo

Bernardo Bernardo bagged the best supporting actor award for his performance in the Lawrence Fajardo film, “Imbisibol.” He said he waited for 36 years to bring home another Urian trophy. He won Urian best actor for “City After Dark” in 1980.

“It’s never too late…Senior citizens are still the priority,” he quipped, referring to the practice of letting senior citizens get ahead of long queues.

He dedicated the award to overseas Filipino workers “who are considered modern-day heroes. They’re working hard to improve the lives of their loved ones.”

Other awardees included: Ana Abad Santos, best supporting actress for her role in “Apocalypse Child”; Robby Tantingco, best screenplay, and Jake Abella, best music, both for “Ari: My Life with a King”; Mikko Quizon, best sound for “Heneral Luna”; Ben Payumo, best production design for “Water Lemon”; Angelie Mae Macalanda, best short film award for “Wawa”; Sheron Dayoc, best documentary award for “The Crescent Rising,” and cinematographer Romy Vitug, Natatanging Gawad Urian recipient.

Jonah, Morissette, Sheryn Regis and Daryl Ong performed during the ceremony that was aired on the cable channel Cinema One on June 22. Iza Calzado shared hosting chores with Zoren Legaspi and Manunuri member Butch Francisco.