With first acting award, Jon Lucas fulfills promise to late parents

Jon Lucas in a scene from “Black Rider” —GMA PUBLIC AFFAIRS

The final social media post the father of “Black Rider” star Jon Lucas made was a congratulatory message for his son who received a best supporting television actor nomination last January.

Jon did end up winning the category four months later at the fifth VP Choice Awards ceremony. Unfortunately, his father, Art, didn’t get to see him accept the trophy.

“Two days after his post about my nomination, he passed away,” Jon told the Inquirer and another media outlet in a recent virtual interview. “It was something I promised my parents when they were still with us. After receiving the award that night, I got home, spent some time alone and cried.”

“You envision yourself accepting an award and seeing your parents sitting in front of you. Pero ’di natin hawak ang buhay natin. They were no longer able to wait. But at least my father saw my performance and knew that I got a nomination,” said the Kapuso actor, whose mother, on the other hand, died seven years earlier.

Despite it all, Jon feels proud of what he has achieved and takes solace knowing his parents are proud of him. “After 11 years in show biz, I finally won an award. I also want to dedicate the award to my wife, my kids and all the people behind ‘Black Rider,’” he said.

For Father’s Day, Jon plans to visit his father’s grave to pay his respects. “He wasn’t the adventurous type, but he was happy just being around his kids and grandkids at home. We would watch television together and crack jokes,” he related.

When he transferred to GMA 7 in 2020, Jon—a former member of the male dance group Hashtags—said his top priority was to steer his career back on track after a series of wasted opportunities. While he did land roles in teleseryes here and there, the feeling of uncertainty still lingered.

“Last year, around March, April, I told myself that I would have to start looking for other ways to earn money,” said Jon, who has two kids—son Brycen and daughter Brionna—with his wife, Shy Ferras.

“I have a family and I’m the provider. I started entertaining thoughts of borrowing money from friends to start a business just so I could ease the weight I was feeling… the weight that comes from me thinking, ‘May maganda pa bang pupuntahan ang career ko?’” he said.

That’s why he couldn’t have been more excited when he scored what he believes is his career’s biggest break yet. GMA Public Affairs offered him the role of Calvin, one of the main villains and nemesis of Elias (Ruru Madrid) in the primetime action series “Black Rider.”

“I wasted opportunities back then but now I have the right mindset. I know what matters most. I intend to make the most out of them. GMA 7 trusted me when I didn’t have trust in myself. ‘Black Rider’ saved my dwindling hope. It came at a time when I was about to lose my confidence,” he said.

“I realized then that perseverance and patience do pay off. The blessings will follow at the right time,” he said. Calvin has become one the most hated characters on television today, primarily because of his insatiable greed—exacerbated by his discovery that he’s not a real son of the Golden Scorpion leader Edgardo (Raymond Bagatsing). As such, Calvin doesn’t stand to inherit the crime syndicate.

“He was deprived of power when he was young, so he always has something to prove. And when he found out he’s not the real heir, he thought that if he can’t have it, then no one else will. Lives are lost in his desire to show off and prove himself,” he said.

Calvin said some fans make sure to vent their anger and showed us some of the hilarious, expletive-filled messages he gets on Twitter because of his portrayal.

‘Villains’

“I enjoy playing villains, which help bring out the things I have learned. I draw inspiration and knowledge from the veteran actors I work with like Raymond, Roi Vinzon and Jestoni Alarcon. And through the audience’s comments, I feel like I’m doing the right thing. At least my performance is effective!” he said.

There was a moment when things got physical, he added. But nothing really serious—just a middle-aged lady who couldn’t help but give Jon a slight pinch on the arm. “A tita recognized me at a mall. She pinched me and said, ‘Ikaw, ang sama-sama mo… ayaw mong tumigil!’ But then, she laughed after. I knew that it wasn’t coming from anger,” Jon related.

Does he let his kids watch the show? “Yes, my 6-year-old son and I play around, recreating the fight scenes. He pretends to be Elias and recites the lines. At first, he would ask, ‘Bakit may baril? Bakit sinuntok?’ But of course, I explain to him that it’s not real, that it’s just a job and the things Calvin does on television, I don’t do in real life,” he said.

With his career on the upswing, all Jon could wish for is to sustain the momentum and play roles he has yet to try.

“My dream is to do a true-to-life story or a historical film…But 11 years in, I’m happy with how my career is going. I had the chance to show off my dancing and performing skills. Now I’m getting big roles. I’m thankful because there are a lot of aspirants out there hoping for a chance to do what I do,” he said.

And while there are still things to learn and prove, Jon can always look back and say, “Malayo pa pero malayo na rin [ang aking narating],” he said.