A scene from Star Cinema’s “A Second Chance”.
FIFTEEN years as a loveteam and still there’s a collective sigh when Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz walk inside the room. It’s a curious effect, and one that is a direct result of one, if not all of these: a) goofy and happy-go-lucky guy paired with a soft-spoken lady with an air of elegance; b) the way they transition from
on-screen partners to bankable actors; c) two names, blockbuster recall: Popoy and Basha.
Grossing P43.3 million on its first day of showing, their newest film, “A Second Chance” has proven once and again their mettle as a highly bankable tandem eight years after their phenomenal hit, “One More Chance.”
By the looks of the enormous and evolving screen hyphenates, their love team isn’t what you call the typically striking pair—not in “the sexy and the macho” vein of
yesterday’s cinema.
Instead, John Lloyd and Bea represent the modern wave of a screen couple—a more relatable, honest, hard to pin down sort that carefully tread their individual path—mindful and professional of their chosen craft. To this we say, here’s to more chances. Please. (NRG)
Special thanks : Josie Pereyra (JSP Ads and Promotions)
It’s been eight years since the last movie. What has changed and what has not changed?
Bea: A lot has changed, we got closer now and I think we are now more mature. Kung dati nagka-kapikunan pa kami sa mga jokes, ngayon ay
hindi na. Siguro ngayon mas lalong lumalim ‘yung familiarity namin.
John Lloyd: At times you just realize na some things never change pero actually they do. Maraming nagbago pero at the same time parang parehong-pareho pa rin kami, gaya pa rin ng dati. In the movie naman, definitely marami kayong makikitang bago because we are talking about an eight- year gap and we really have to show the in-between, ‘yun talaga ang ita-tackle namin. In terms of changes sa characters, malaking ipinagbago sa amin because sa walong taon na ‘yun marami kaming nagawa individually as well as marami kaming nagawa as a team. ‘Yung core is malaki ang ipinagbago. Bea has changed
a lot as an actress and marami ang mag-a-agree sa akin.
Is it necessary for people to watch “One More Chance” first before watching this?
John Lloyd: Not necessarily pero mas maganda if mapanood nila ang “One More Chance.” Pero based on what I’ve seen so far parang di naman kailangan. Yun nga iba pa rin if you’re familiar with the first part. I think depende lang talaga sa viewer.
Bea, what surprises did John Lloyd have for you in this movie?
Si John Lloyd naman kasi parang expected naman na he would give his full passion and dedication every time I get to work with him. Pero for this one project parang special siya since malapit siya sa puso namin kaya mas tinuunan siya ng pansin. And nakikita ko ‘yun in him kasi kasama kami as we grew up. So parang mas nakaka-relate na kami on some relationship issues. And also once he arrives sa set, he has already become Popoy. Hindi mo na siya makikita as John Lloyd. So you will do this for a time and being an actor nakakapagod ‘yun ha. For you to work on your character for 24 hours and for a movie this heavy. John Lloyd seems to pull it this easy.
In terms of dramatic scenes, how heavy is this film going to be?
John Lloyd: Because dito sa “A Second Chance” ‘yung issues na hinaharap nila totoong-totoo. ‘Yung marital issues nila as a couple and as an individuals . . . but we tried to make it big and real as possible. Medyo malayo siya sa “One More Chance” in terms of issues na itina-tackle pero hindi naman siya napakabigat na pelikula na parang paglabas mo sa sinehan ay luhang-luha ka na, hindi naman ganun. Without going into details dahil maging preemptive pero just
expect a totally different storytelling, there will also be different characters. I’m hoping na sa paraan ng aming director, Cathy Garcia-Molina na maging balanse ‘yung storytelling.
SCENES from the movie “A Second Chance” (Photos courtesy of Star Cinema)
Since you’re playing a married couple, will there be love scenes?
John Lloyd: Marami namang love, eh.
Bea: Madaming love scenes.
John Lloyd: Of course meron, siguro sa pagiging romantic ng aming director at saka mga writers, hindi talaga siya mawawala ‘yung mga klaseng eksena. Pero like I said, this is marriage so iba na siya.
What can you say about perceptions that the number of John Lloyd-Bea fans have dwindled because of emerging young love teams?
John Lloyd: That’s making me sad. Pero kidding aside with this movie parang madadag-dagan ‘eh, para sa akin lang and not banking on my confidence since we are dealing with matters close to the heart of most couples.
Bea: And it’s also exciting to know if nag-grow na din ba ‘yung followers ni Popoy and Basha na after eight years ma-a-appreciate ba nila ‘yung maturity ng dalawa.
I am excited to see na makaka-relate ba sila sa dalawa dahil right now siguro posible na ‘yung audience namin noon married na ngayon and posibleng pinagdadaanan nila yung mga pinagdadaanan ng mga couple ngayon. And one more thing too is that the reason why we came out with the book is because there was a clamor for “One More Chance” sa younger generations. At natutuwa kami na na-a-appreciate nila ‘yun and I am positive and optimistic na magugustuhan nila.
John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo (CDN PHOTO/ EDD BUENAVIAJE)
Much is expected from you in this movie. Does the pressure somehow get into you?
John Lloyd: Mahirap kasi we are both managing expectations from the audience, that’s for sure. Kasi we are talking about two characters and a story that’s familiar to many, if not all with “One More Chance.” There is always a question from the audience as to what happened after the first film, meron silang mga versions, and from our end naman ang gusto lang namin ihingi sa mga audience na before sila pumasok sa mga sinehan is just to have an open mind and just enjoy it. If the audience came up with possibilities as to what happened to the characters after sa first film, what more sa mga creators nito dahil pinagtuunan talaga ng pansin ng aming mga writers and director ang movie na ito. And also kasama din kami sa process, kami at ng buong barkada. In terms of collaboration, we are involved sa process.
Where do you want Popoy and Basha to go after this? Do you see this film as something like the “Before Sunrise” trilogy?
John Lloyd: When we did “One More Chance” hindi talaga namin inasahan na aabot dito, na after eight years magkakaroon ng part two.
Bea: Fan din kami ng “Before Sunrise” tsaka “Before Sunset” and we only hope na magkaroon din ng kagayang success ang “A Second Chance” tulad nila. We are really working very hard and sana nga magkaroon ng third because after working on this film, gusto ko talaga ng follow up. Unlike nung ginawa pa naming yung first na ayaw na naming galawin. Pero after ginawa namin itong “A Second Chance” nabuksan ‘yung puso mo na ang dami palang mangyari, ang daming posibilidad.
Bea and John at the Cebu press conference promoting their latest movie “A Second Chance”. (CDN/ PHOTO EDD BUENAVIAJE)
Why do you think you didn’t becomea couple in real life, especially at the peak of your love team?
Bea (turning to John Lloyd): Ay, ikaw na lang ang sumagot!
John Lloyd: Mga ganyang tanong ang babae dapat ang sumagot. Hahaha! Unang una sa lahat, it’s a very personal question. Ang hirap talagang ipaliwanag pero we can’t really much say about it the same way na we can say a lot about it. There are things na hindi naipaliwanag, hindi naisulat, siguro it’s the timing. Ang dami ‘eh. Kami naman wala namang pressure. Hindi naman namin nasabi na sige nga, try natin baka possible. It really never bothered us.
Bea: ‘Yun nga. Ang hirap ipaliwanag ‘eh at saka tao nga lang kami, na there are things lang talaga na ang hirap maipaliwanag.
Fifteen years as love team. Is there a formula for staying this strong?
John Lloyd: Huwag mo lang haluan ng gatas dahil ang bilis masira eh! (laughs) Kidding aside, siguro since day one kami naman individually we always offer
sincerity on our performance and as a team. Hindi kami sumakay sa hype or kung anuman ang mga nangyayari sa iba. Siguro malaking bagay na naniniwala ako na kung ano man ang ibibigay mo sa audience mo, ang sincerity mo, ‘yun din ang ibibigay nila sa iyo.
Bea: Siguro for me it’s because we have the same respect for the industry and for our craft. More than being celebrities,
siguro na fall kami as actors and that we are always enriching our craft.
“One More Chance” was an anatomy of a break-up. “A Second Chance” focuses more on marriage. Were there things that you learned from this film that will make you cautious in your respective marriages in the future?
Bea: Yes. Na-realize ko na pag married ka na, ibang klaseng commitment ang ibibigay mo, ibang klaseng pangako ang bibitawan mo and there’s no turning back. ‘Yung learning ko dito na pag magbibigay ka ng pangako at pakakasalan mo yung tao, hinding hindi mo malalaman kung magiging loveable pa ba siya in the future. You just have to face the fact that he is a changing person and you just have to evolve with that person as well.
John Lloyd: Anatomy siya ng marriage between Popoy and Basha and we don’t want them, for these two characters, to be a representative of marriage. Pero ‘yung issues na itina-tackle nitong dalawa are very common among real-life couples and individuals. Ang gusto ko lang i-add is kung sa part one is more on the viewpoint of the guy that makes it unique, this time here sa “A Second Chance,” there is a balance sa execution ni Direk Cathy. Kung anatomy of a marriage . . . I don’t know I think it would depend on paano mo siya mapapanood or paano mo siya ma-a-a-appreciate. And kung ako ang tatanungin mo on how will I see marriage from this movie—wala. Wala because I strongly believe that nothing can prepare you from things such as marriage. Parang feeling ko mabubura lahat yata. Maybe (after getting married), I can watch “A Second Chance” again at baka mayroon na akong makukuha. I believe nothing can prepare you for that chapter in your life.
Popoy (John Lloyd Cruz) and Basha (Bea Alonzo). (Photo courtesy of Star Cinema)
In an interview with director Cathy Garcia-Molina, she said you can give in until the fourth chance. What’s your take on this?
Bea: I don’t know. Siguro naman lahat ng tao deserve ng fourth or fifth chance, pero siguro din unahin muna ’yung pagpapatawad dahil kung
bigay ka lang ng bigay ng chances pero ikaw mismo ay hindi nakakalimot sa mga pinagdadaanan ninyo or sa anumang nagawang mali . . . Siguro
dapat may natutunan kayo sa mga nagawang ninyong mali at saka kasi kung walang forgiveness, wala din point.
John Lloyd: For me, hindi ko din masasabi dahil it’s not a question of forgiveness—it’s a question of how much you love the person. Kung kaya mo siyang patawarin dahil sa laki ng pagmamahal mo, well and good. And di ba mahirap din magsabi
because we can only find out if marating na natin ‘yung sitwasyon. Ako mas gusto kong malaman kung gaano ko siya kamahal kesa sa pagpapatawad.
John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo (CDN PHOTO/ EDD BUENAVIAJE)
