Bodie Cruz: Contravida roles for me

MANILA, Philippines - You might say that Elmo Jeremiah “Bodie” Cruz — actor, singer and commercial model — has led a charmed life, free from the hassles and hang-ups usually associated with children of showbiz parents.

Bodie, 23, is the second of three children (the others are TJ, 30, and Djanin, 20) born to actor Tirso “Pip” Cruz III and Lynn Ynchausti. His mother gave up a promising career in modeling and acting to become a full-time manager of his father.

“We were blessed with hard-working parents,” Bodie recalls. “We grew up normally. It was a happy childhood. No drama for me; it was normal. Nakatulong din na friends namin yung mga anak ng friends ng parents ko like Tita Gina Alajar and Tito Michael de Mesa.”

Not surprisingly, the children of Pip and Lynn were drawn to showbiz at an early age but, unfortunately, their studies suffered. So the parents laid down the rule: They should finish their studies first. Bodie attended Born-Again Christian schools and later obtained a degree in Computer Science from De La Salle University.

Then followed a string of roles in TV shows like Pinoy Big Brother, Zorro, Gagambino and Blusang Itim. He switched from ABS-CBN to GMA 7 until finally becoming a contract star for the latter network. Here, with his matinée-idol looks, he was given goody-goody roles in teleserye that bored him to death.

The artist in Bodie longed for more meaty roles.

An opportunity arose in another medium — the legitimate stage. During an acting workshop at GMA 7, workshop director and actor Nanding Josef (artistic director of Tanghalang Pilipino) took note of the young performer’s potential, and recommended him for an important role on a TP play that was being prepared.

The play, Sierra Lakes, was written by acclaimed playwright Tony Perez and directed by Tess Jamias. It is an intimate sort of production, set in the balcony of a resort, with the four actors (two young couples) close to the audience.

The characters are all looking for love, but only two find it. Jusel, the character played by Bodie, is not one of them. In one scene, he turns to drugs; in another, he gets drunk. All in all, considering it was his stage debut, Bodie turned in a remarkable performance.

“Sobrang enjoy ako sa theater,” he enthuses.

Another challenge materialized in the hit movie Praybeyt Benjamin in which he played an army bully, one of the tormentors of Vice Ganda. Here was the contravida role he was longing for. “I want to focus on being a contravida,” he asserts. “I woudn’t mind maging contravida; mas enjoy ako dyan. Gusto ko talaga mag-focus dyan.

In fact, Viva Films wants to cast him in another movie, but this needs the consent of GMA 7.

Bodie hopes for better, more serious and challenging roles in the future: “I want to prove na actor talaga ako.” Like his father, one might add.

His strongest influences are his parents: “They instilled in us a relationship with God, and to always be positive, and not to be affected by bad comments from people you don’t know. Maganda ang pagtuturo nila. They told us that, especially in this business, we should surround ourselves with people who are really good.”