The long wait is over and it’s official: actor John Lloyd Cruz is still Bea Alonzo’s leading man for ABS-CBN’s upcoming television show “I Love Betty La Fea.”
 
In an exclusive report of Kapamilya’s weekly entertainment show “The Buzz,” Cruz said that he is really happy to be part of the series and to work again with his long-time showbiz love partner Alonzo.
 
“Nangangapa tayo but I’m very happy more than happy to be working again with Bea,” Cruz said.
 
In a previous interview with abs-cbnNEWS.com, Cruz admitted that he’s on the shortlist being considered for the role of Armando, Betty’s love interest.
 
In the said interview, Cruz was not yet sure if he will get the role but thanked the Kapamilya network that he was being considered to be part of the series.
 
Now that he has been chosen for the part, Cruz described his character Armando as a playful and adventurous man who is really his opposite in real life.
 
“Si Armando ay isang mapaglarong nilalang… hindi yata ako adventurous, si Armando adventurous pagdating sa sports--somehow sa mga babae, ako hindi,” explains Cruz.
 
“Hindi ako ito, siguro may ibang babaeng magsasabing ako ito pero ewan ko abangan niyo po malapit niyo na akong makasama sa pimetime kasama ng aking partner na si Bea,” the actor added.
 
 
No pretenses
Cruz who’d been Alonzo’s love team for almost six years said that courting her in real life never entered the picture.
 
“It just didn’t happen, ayaw ko silang (the fans) lokohin Magmula ng nagsimula ang team up namin ni Bea walang pretention. May girlfriend ako nang magsimula kami ng team up. Lahat ‘yon alam,” Cruz said.
 
The actor believes that their partnership is getting stronger because they’re not fooling their supporters into believe that they are a couple off-screen.
 
“Hindi namin niloko ang audience. Hindi  namin sila pinaniwala sa hindi nila dapat paniwalalaan. Kaya siguro  tumagal kami ng  ganito katagal pero alam namin kung paano sila pasiyahin,” explains Cruz.
 
He also admitted that there are people who doubted his capability as an actor, should his love team with Alonzo end.
 
Cruz proved those detractors wrong, however, when his film "A Very Special Love" became a box-office hit even though he was partnered with  pop princess Sarah Geronimo.
 
“Siyempre kasi six years kaming magkasama ni Bea, kami at kami lang. Ito sa ‘Very Special Love’ aaminin ko na sumugal ako hindi lang para patunayan na I can stand alone. Simple lang, gusto ko lang malaman,” he said.
 
Cruz , who is considered one of the country's most promising young dramatic actors also admitted that he has changed as a person, but said that it’s for the better.
 
“It’s inevitable kailangan naming magbago kasi tao kami lagi ko lang chini-check ang sarili ko when I’m alone,” he said.
 
Cruz said that aside from being happy in love, he also finds his happiness every Sundays when he eats lunch with his family.
 
“Sunday lunch kainan sa dahon with my old family. Kainan,  tawanan catching up,” he said.
 
He started his career as a teen star, appearing in "Gimik" and "Tabing Ilog" as Kaye Abad's love team.
 
Cruz is a member of ABS-CBN's Star Magic. His other television credits include "Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay," "It Might Be You",and currently "Maging Sino Ka Man."
 
He starred in the movies "Nagbibinata," "Mahal na Kung Mahal," "My First Romance," "Now That I Have You," " Dubai ," "Close To You," "All About Love" and "One More Chance."