“He was just letting off some steam.”
So said Star Magic's Johnny Manahan about Star Magic talent John Lloyd Cruz.
Videos taken of John Lloyd—aka JL, Lloydie—on a recent vacation getaway in Cebu had gone viral on social media.
In the videos he is seen having a playful time with Kapamilya star, Ellen Adarna, and their friends.
The videos that made the rounds online showed ABS-CBN's premier TV-and-movie actor and celebrity endorser singing and dancing, and doing things seemingly without a care in the world, including hiding beneath a kitchen stove while Ellen is busy pouring drinks.
Some netizens questioned the behavior of the 34-year-old actor—who, of recent years, has cultivated a private, serious, brooding image—saying he was acting oddly at worst and differently at best.
Tonight, Johnny Manahan, chairman emeritus of Star Magic, talent-management arm of ABS-CBN, issued a short statement in defense of John Lloyd.
Manahan, better known in the entertainment industry as Mr. M, said the star was just getting some very deserved time out of work.
Below is Manahan’s full statement, issued through the ABS-CBN primetime newscast, TV Patrol, tonight, September 11:
“John Lloyd Cruz works hard as an actor. 18 hour days at a stretch.
“He was just letting off some steam.
“In this age of an all pervasive social media, what is ok and innocent in private becomes worthlessly controversial in public.
“He will have learned his lesson and be more careful in the future.”
Earlier, John Lloyd himself took to Instagram to apologize for causing a stir with his viral videos.
He also said that he had learned his lesson, but that he has "no regrets" about making the most of his vacation.