The comedy team-up of John Lloyd Cruz and Toni Gonzaga in the sitcom Home Sweetie Home is clearly a result of their box-office success in My Amnesia Girl in 2010. They are playing the roles of husband and wife in the show that reflects the challenges most Filipino newlyweds face. Apart from this, the show that is aired Saturdays will also tackle other aspects of family life. There are also other members of the family to consider. The family sitcom also stars Rico J. Puno, Sandy Andolong, Jason Gainza, Miles Ocampo, Clarence Delgado, Joross Gamboa, Ketchup Eusebio, Eda Nolan, Ryan Bang, Eric Nicholas and Mitoy Yonting.
John Lloyd’s career began when he starred in the teen drama Tabing Ilog. The series was so successful that it lasted five years. His breakthrough role, however, came in 2002, when he was chosen to play Yuri in Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay where he was paired with Bea Alonzo. After this came lead roles in such teleseryes as It Might Be You, Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin, Maging Sino Ka Man and its sequel where John Lloyd won a Best Actor award.
In 2009, he was again reunited with Bea Alonzo in I Love Betty La Fea which marked their sixth TV collaboration. In 2010, Lloydie was paired with Angel Locsin in a dark-romance, fantasy-thriller series titled Imortal, a sequel to the original series Lobo. As a TV host, he has recurring appearances in the concert show, ASAP. Since he started his showbiz career in 1996, he has been a contract talent for ABS-CBN.
Toni, on the other hand, started her career with GMA then moved to ABS in 2005. She sings, acts and does a lot of hosting principally in ASAP, The Buzz, Pinoy Big Brother, and lately, The Voice of the Philippines. When she was 13 years old, Toni had already shown signs of an innate attraction to showbiz. She joined a singing competition called Tanghalan Ng Kampeon, then aired on GMA. Toni is from Taytay, the eldest daughter of Carlito and Crisanta Gonzaga. Her sister Alex Gonzaga is also an actress and TV host, and who has joined Toni at ABS.
Toni’s biggest break in the entertainment industry was her Sprite TV ad with Piolo Pascual in 2001, where she plays a big fan and shouts out “I Love You Piolo!” For months, she was aped by real fans who mimicked her whenever they would see her.
In 2009, she starred in a Valentine’s Day special episode of Maalaala Mo Kaya, the longest-running drama anthology on Philippine TV and in Asia. She was then cast in the Gideon Flame Film Festival’s Best Film, A Journey Home. A duet album with Sam Milby was released under Star Records that year.
Toni is SM Cinema’s Box Office Queen for 2010 alongside John Lloyd as the Box Office King for their movie My Amnesia Girl. This was possibly what led to their pairing in Home Sweetie Home. We are a regular follower of the comedy show. It is entertaining and at the same time serious, providing important lessons in life without being boring. We expect Home Sweetie Home to run for several more years.
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