JERRY OLEA:
Nabili na ng GMA Network ang pelikulang Tomacruz… Sa Puso ng Isang Anak na bida si John Rendez.
Executive producer ng nasabing action-drama film ang National Artist na si Nora Aunor, sa ilalim ng NA Film Productions.
“We were hoping that we could probably get it on Netflix or some platform,” lahad ni John nitong Agosto 12, 2023, Sabado ng hapon, sa studio ni Edward de la Cuesta sa Sct. Tuason St., Brgy. Laging Handa, Quezon City.
“But the waiting line and the people trying to get in, so many! So we decided to release it na lang sa GMA.
“So they’ll probably release by October.”
Co-stars ni John sa Tomacruz sina Matet de Leon at Ian de Leon, ganundin sina Snooky Serna, Bembol Roco, Irma Adlawan, Winwyn Marquez, Dexter Doria, Beverly Salviejo, at Kenneth de Leon.
Ang direktor ay si Eric Tilos Joven.
Kumusta ang pakikipagtrabaho ni John kina Ian at Matet?
Read: Nora Aunor, ipinakiusap sa mga anak na mahalin si John Rendez
“They’re familiar faces. We worked along so well. It’s just like a well-oiled machinery,” tugon ng 52-anyos na rapper-actor.
“Hindi na kailangan to worry about, ‘Can he carry that scene?’ Because they’re professional. Mabibigat na mga pangalan yan, di ba?”
Hitman na may daddy issue ang Tomacruz. Mas lamang ba ang aksyon dito kesa sa drama?
“There’s action involved, but it’s not pure action… it’s action-drama. Pinakikinabangan namin yung mga big-star names,” sambit ni John.
“We want to have impact in their roles. Hindi lang sila basta filler. They’re the ones carrying the movie. And just I feel they’re helping me.”
Nakatrabaho ni John sa previous movies sina Ian, Matet, at Dexter.
“I already know Tita Dex from Pacita M before. So ahhh… there are times working with other people is very ahhmm mahirap,” pagtatapat ni John.
“But this one is not. It’s very, very smooth. Parang walang ego. Walang ano, we just wanna get the job done.
“Kung may ego-ego lang, dun sa mga crew, yung mga staff. Sila-sila ang nag-aaway!” natatawang sabi ni John.
Kumusta ang suporta ng executive producer ng movie?
Napangiti si John, “Hindi na kailangang tanungin! That’s a given, 100 percent yan. Ever since, ever is, and ever will!”
Ano ang advice sa kanya ng manager niyang si Ate Guy pagdating sa akting?
“Slow down, OK, and yung mga ano lang… yung mga mannerisms. Kasi minsan pag nag-speak ako, parang ihhhh, ihhhh,” pagmumuwestra ni John.
“Cinematic performance ang natutunan ko, hindi yung acting method. I don’t have to be looking good on the screen.”
Kasama rin si John sa cast horror movie na Ligalig, na tampok sina Nora Aunor, Allen Dizon, at Snooky Serna, sa direksiyon ni Topel Lee.
May bagong single na ire-release si John next month, ang pop/R&B single na "Why Can’t We Ever Get Along."
Si John mismo ang sumulat ng lyrics, at si Jonathan Manalo ang nag-areglo. Ire-release ito sa ilalim ng Star Music.
Sa Oktubre 30 ay awardee si John sa World Class Excellence Japan (WCEJA) sa New Otan Hotel ng Fukuoka, Japan.
Read: John Rendez on Nora Aunor: "We respect each other's talents."
NOEL FERRER:
Disiotso anyos pa lang si John nang i-manage ni Ate Guy ang kanyang career. Bale 34 years na ang kanilang friendship.
Lumabas din noon si John sa ilang action movies ni Ronnie Ricketts. Sa ngayon, is he more of an actor, or singer pa rin?
“I’m a little bit of everything. Kasi when you’re an actor, coz you don’t have a role, you’re not doing anything, does that mean you’re no longer an actor?” sambit ni John.
“Like a lawyer, kahit wala kang kliyente, lawyer ka pa rin. So people like actors, I think they’re actors for life. For singers, singers for life. Even if you don’t have a project.
“But this I just wanted to prove to whoever that I’m an artist. So that’s what I do, I’m trying to do, to work and showcase my talent.”
Nagdi-digital painting din si John sa iPad.
“I’ve been drawing all my life. When I was a baby I was drawing on the wall.”
Anu-ano ang tema ng drawings niya?
“Pop art like superheroes, the macho, the gods, the dragons, all that stuff.”
Hindi pa nakakapag-art exhibit si John. Ibebenta ba niya ang kanyang artworks, o pam-personal collection lang?
“That’s what I do. Pag nakabuo ka ng ganyan, para kang tumama ng jackpot sa casino, yung feeling of endorphins na na-release.”
GORGY RULA:
Alin ang pinakanae-enjoy niya — singing, acting or drawing?
“Of course I like to draw but I’m not that good. I like to sing and I’m alright. I like to act,” tugon ni John.
May iba pa siyang interest?
“At the moment? OK, actually my regular routine is I usually ride a bike everwhere,” saad ni John.
“I usually bike past 12:00 o’clock midnight, later pag walang traffic, para tuluy-tuloy rin na when I get home, it’s like past 6:00 o’clock in the morning.
“I sleep, wake up at 11:00 o’clock, do my thing till it’s time to bike again. My route is C5, Aurora to Marikina, from the Katipunan area, ikut-ikot ako diyan.
“I go to Eastwood and come back through Corinthians all the way to C5 and through Katipunan.”
Malalim ang hugot sa bagong kanta niyang "Why Can’t We Ever Get Along." Natutunan ba niya iyon from somebody?
Mabilis na pagsang-ayon ni John, “Sure, sure, sure. I've seen something that happened in my dark past that I blocked out. But it comes to, you know, so many of us have that experience.
“It's hard to talk about things that didn't come from the heart, di ba? But I don't want to go into details.
“I try not to have any feelings but sometimes it shows, I do have feelings.”
Iyong sinabi niyang dark past, noon bang panahon ba ng pandemya ay dumanas din siya ng depression o anxiety? Parang lahat ay dumaan sa mental health problem...
Pagtatapat ni John, “Kasi I started drinking a lot. So that helped me, that helped me get through the depression.
“I'm not saying for everyone to drink but for me, even to this day, I'm still drinking. Ha! Ha! Ha!
“I drink, I smoke, and I ride a bike. So it helped me, di ba? I sing, I dance, and I clap my hands out.”
Pagdating sa singing, ano naman ang advice sa kanya ni Ate Guy? She's a good singer.
“Yeah, but you know, as a singer, sometimes we have to develop our own style, you know,” pahayag ni John.
“You can be plakado, you can be aral and everything, but it won't have a spirit.
“But sometimes the people want to feel that kind of soul, the connection in the song. And that's what I try to do.
“I don't try to be a generic singer. So my voice is not perfect but I think it has soul, character.
“So that's the reason why I've been able to get away with winning some of these awards. Ha! Ha! Ha!”