What John Arcilla feels about receiving big awards, portraying Carlos in “Dirty Linen” 

Liezel dela Cruz

With his prestigious accolades and remarkable characters in the past years, add to that the praises for a hell of a performance in his current series <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/dirtylinen" target="_blank">Dirty Linen</a>, we can say that John Arcilla has reached the pinnacle of his acting career. But he’s only eager to do more. In this episode of Kapamilya Chat, John meditated on the honor and prestige of being a world-renowned actor, his love for his craft and people, and taking part in a show that’s changing the local teleserye landscape. The interview opened with a little reminiscing of his biggest pride – becoming the first Filipino to win the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice International Film Festival, lining his name up beside other past recipients including Ben Affleck, Brad Pitt, Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant, and Sean Penn. <figure><ivs-player data-ivs-key="06b9cac5decc13edae3497a22831561a" data-ivs-spid="3001384" data-ivs-vid="2505985"></ivs-player></figure><figure><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js" type="text/javascript"></script></figure>A year after winning, John said everything still feels surreal. He takes the recognition as a blessing not just for himself but for his homeland, and a validation of Filipino talent in the field of cinema. “Napaka-surreal pero nakakapag-affirm sa’yo na ‘yung ginagawa mo is naa-appreciate na ng mas malawak na audience, ‘yun ang number one na nakakatuwa. And hindi ka lang naging successful para sa sarili mo kundi nagbigay ka ng karangalan at kaligayahan sa mga kababayan mo,” he reflected on the victory of his film “On The Job: The Missing Eight,” further crediting the teamwork behind the scenes and his rapport with director Erik Matti. A trophy is a symbol of prestige and hitting the standard and principles of these award-giving bodies. It means he impressed the screening committee in terms of his thesis craftsmanship. But through it all, his main motivation is to be a good human being. That’s why even while raising the flag and soaring high as an actor, John has remained grounded, keeping the slope to success hinged on kindness and empathy. “Para sa akin, ang pinakaimportante ay kung naging mabuti ka bang tao. Pwede kasi magaling ka lang na artista o magaling kang engineer, mahusay kang doktor, at the end of the day, you have to ask yourself, ‘Naging maayos ba ako sa aking kapwa-tao?’” For John, the stage and screen are just his platforms to express his bigger dreams for his country and the world. “It will always come back to you, ‘Ano bang nashe-share ko aside from being an actor? Meron ba akong nashe-share sa kapwa ko na matututo rin silang pagandahin ang ating mundo?’”He continued, “Ang pinakapangarap ko sa lahat hindi lang simpleng makilala or makapag-entertain kundi sana may magawa ako sa kapwa ko tao.”Then he talked about <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/dirtylinen" target="_blank">Dirty Linen</a>, which is lauded for its gripping narrative and acting spectacle. People call it a game-changer, and for John, it’s because the characters are flawed human beings. The protagonists are scarred and the villains have weaknesses. “Kaya kitang-kita mo ‘yung sarili mo bilang audience. Hindi siya ‘yung pangkaraniwang caricature na mga characters.” He added that the crowd loves it for its unpredictable pacing, as well as the subtle connotations of real-life issues. <figure><ivs-player data-ivs-key="06b9cac5decc13edae3497a22831561a" data-ivs-spid="3001384" data-ivs-vid="2505998"></ivs-player></figure><figure><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js" type="text/javascript"></script></figure>John portrays Carlos Fiero, who feels unloved and insecure beneath his arrogant and powerful façade. “Bakit siya mayabang? Kasi para siyang isang basyo ng bote – wala siyang laman. Tanggalin mo ang kanyang kayamanan, tanggalin mo ang kanyang apelyido, wala siyang laman,” he explained. “Isa siyang weakling na tao. Kaya ‘pag nakakita siya ng isang tao na tumitingala sa kanya, ‘Uy, may mas mababa pala sa akin, tatapakan ko.’ Kasi ang tingin niya sa sarili niya ay walang kwenta kasi gano’n ang paglaki niya sa kanyang pamilya. Pero pagdating niya sa labas, kasi may apelyido kami, binibitbit niya ‘yun. ‘Pag nakakita siya ng kapantay niya o mas mataas sa kanya, gagamitan niya ng kapangyarihan at pera.”Coming from his portrayal in <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/angprobinsyano" target="_blank">FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano</a>, John decided to take a break from ‘kontrabida’ roles and almost didn’t accept <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/dirtylinen" target="_blank">Dirty Linen</a>. But when the creatives pitched the story, he got interested in Carlos’ complex character. Thankfully, he doesn’t get hate comments about Carlos, unlike in the past when he would receive death threats due to his effective portrayal of Renato Hipolito in FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano. To recall, he posted screenshots of those threatening text messages just so people would be aware that they were getting below the belt. Catch John as Carlos Fiero in <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/dirtylinen" target="_blank">Dirty Linen</a>, weeknights, on <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-kapamilya-channel-12340" target="_blank">Kapamilya Channel</a>, <a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-news/abs-cbn-goes-full-blast-on-digital-launches-kapamilya-online-live-on-youtube-and-facebook-12718" target="_blank">Kapamilya Online Live</a>, TV5 and A2Z.

John Arcilla relives his most prestigious achievement as an actor and describes his “Dirty Linen” co-stars. 

What John Arcilla feels about receiving big awards, portraying Carlos in “Dirty Linen” | ABS-CBN

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What John Arcilla feels about receiving big awards, portraying Carlos in “Dirty Linen”

Liezel dela Cruz

Published Mar 20, 2023 08:26 AM PHT

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Updated Mar 20, 2023 09:13 AM PHT

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