It’s been around three years since John Lloyd Cruz shocked everyone when he went on an indefinite leave in show business due to personal reasons, thus, his fervent admirers were delighted every time there were sightings of him anywhere.
And now that he’s seemingly slowly making a comeback in the scene through his various media appearances, not to mention his surprise presence in his perennial loveteam Bea Alonzo’s Instagram Live last April 27, we couldn’t help but wonder if he’s finally going back to the limelight.
As we anticipate that truly exhilarating moment, let’s first take a trip down memory lane and take a look back on his awe-inspiring, glorious, and colourful two-decade journey in the industry.
Just like some of the stars we admire up to this day, John Lloyd began his career at a very young age. Fuelled by his determination to help his family recover from their financial problems, he accepted a talent scouts offer for him to enter showbiz and had his debut in the ABS-CBN crime and investigative series Calvento Files. It spawned to several guestings and shows, until he became an alumnus of Star Magic Batch 5, alongside his fellow “Koolits” members Baron Geisler and Marc Solis.
He took part in two 1998 television series, namely, Sa Sandaling Kailangan Mo Ako and Gimik before snagging his first-ever starring role in the iconic, long-running teen drama Tabing Ilog as Rovic Mercado, which was followed by his stint in Sa Puso Ko Iingatan Ka.
His formidable tandem with then-newbie actress Bea Alonzo began in the teleserye Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay (2002), and was succeeded by It Might Be You (2003), Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin (2005), Maging Sino Ka Man (2006), Maging Sino Ka Man: Ang Pagbabalik (2007), and I Love Betty La Fea (2008).
They went on to do separate projects after that, with Lloydie, as what his fans and close friends fondly calls him, being paired to Angel Locsin in the 2010 fantasy drama Imortal. He got reunited with Bea on-screen in 2012 through the romance drama A Beautiful Affair, in celebration of their 10th anniversary as a loveteam.
The weekly sitcom Home Sweetie Home became his steady gig, wherein he was paired with Ultimate Media Star Toni Gonzaga.
He also had special participations in the teleseryes 100 Days To Heaven (2011), Nathaniel (2015), and La Luna Sangre (2017), and appeared in nine Maalaala Mo Kaya episodes.
John Lloyd was also able to showcase his comedic side as well on television through his ASAP stints as part of the popular all-male parody group “Kanto Boys”, alongside Vhong Navarro, Billy Crawford, and Luis Manzano.
As we all know, it was not only in TV where he was able to display his versatility and brilliance for he has also been widely recognized in his performances in the film industry.
His first-ever starring role in a movie was through the coming-of-age 1999 Star Cinema production “Oo Na, Mahal Na Kung Mahal.” On that same year, he was included in the cast of “Gimik: The Reunion,” reprising his character in the series.
He and Bea brought the kilig of their team-up on the silver screen through the slew of romance flicks they starred in – “My First Romance” (2003), “Now That I Have You” (2004), “Close To You” (2006), “All About Love” (2006), the legendary “One More Chance” (2007), “Miss You Like Crazy” (2010), “The Mistress” (2012), and the top-grossing film “A Second Chance” (2015).
The 36-year-old award-winning actor was also paired with various actresses, namely, Angelica Panganiban in “24/7 In Love” (2012), Toni Gonzaga in “My Amnesia Girl” (2010), Angel Locsin in “Unofficially Yours” (2012), Jennylyn Mercado in “Just The Three Of Us” (2016), and Sarah Geronimo in “A Very Special Love (2008),” “You Changed My Life” (2009), “It Takes A Man And A Woman” (2013), and “Finally Found Someone” (2017).