“When they see me in public, alam nilang si John Arcilla ako,” he says. “But when I put on my Heneral Luna moustache, doon talaga sila nagugulat. The movie brought me to several countries where it had special screenings. Kunsaan-saan talaga ang invitations ko.”
John started his acting career on theater at plays staged at the CCP. But he first came into public consciousness for that TV commercial where he says nothing but “Coffee na lang, Dear”. He then started appearing in movies and on TV. He won best supporting actor awards for films like “Mulanay” and “Ligaya ang Itawag Mo sa Akin”. But it’s his being “Heneral Luna” that made him popular even to young people. “Now, even children and students, millennials, nakikilala ako,” he beams.
He’s been appearing in mostly ABS-CBN shows for the past several years, like “Oh My G”, “Pure Love”, “Hiyas”, “Beautiful Affair” and “Apoy Sa Dagat”. But now, he plays Donita Rose’s husband and Barbie Forteza’s stepdad in GMA-7’s new hit on primetime, “That’s My Amboy”.
“After ‘Heneral Luna’ na serious drama at sobrang bigat, where I was brutally murdered, it’s nice to do something light like ‘That’s My Amboy’. It’s nice working with both Donita and Barbie, and also with our director, Joyce Bernal. Nag-click kami agad lahat sa set. Si Barbie, ang galing mag-adlib. Kahit wala sa script, tuloy-tuloy lang ang eksena namin. Nakakatuwa siya. Sobrang spontaneous.”
