Philippine Cinema 2015: Best Lead Performances

Edgar in Honor Thy Father and the titular character in Heneral Luna are two of last year’s juiciest roles. Thankfully, John Lloyd Cruz and John Arcilla, respectively, were more than up to the task in fleshing out these conflicted characters, infusing them with a quiet dignity but also chutzpah when needed. It’s just as well that the two actors landed the top two spots in the Best Lead Performance poll.

It does not mean though that there was a dearth of choice lead roles in 2015. In fact, the poll participants named a total of 52 lead roles as worth citing. Below are the top 20:

1 – John Lloyd Cruz, Honor Thy Father (126 points)

2 – John Arcilla, Heneral Luna (100 points)

3 – LJ Reyes, Anino sa Likod ng Buwan (71 points)

4 – Alessandra de Rossi, Bambanti (58 points)

5 – Raymond Bagatsing, Dahling Nick (47 points)

6 – Nora  Aunor, Taklub (39.5 points)

7 – Sid Lucero, Toto (38.5 points)

8 – Sid Lucero, Apocalypse Child (37 points)

9 – JunJun Quintana, Water Lemon (35 points)

10 – Jericho Rosales, Walang Forever (33.5 points)

11 – Dino Pastrano, Baka Siguro Yata (30.5 points)

12 – Erlinda Villalobos, Manang Biring (28 points)

13 – Therese Malvar, Hamog (24.5 points)

14 – Mercedes Cabral, An Kubo sa Kawayanan (24 points)

15 – Buboy Villar, Kid Kulafu (22 points)

16 – Jennylyn Mercado, Walang Forever (20.5 points, 4 votes)

17 – Bea Alonzo, A Second Chance (20.5 points, 3 votes)

18 – Angeli Bayani, Iisa (17 points)

19 – Allen Dizon, Imbisibol (16.5 points, 4 votes)

20 – John Lloyd Cruz, A Second Chance (16.5 points, 3 votes)

INDIVIDUAL BALLOTS »

MAYK ALEGRE (Cinemaddict)

1. LJ Reyes (Anino sa Likod ng Buwan)
2. Therese Malvar (Hamog)
3. John Arcilla (Heneral Luna)
4. Dino Pastrano (Baka Siguro Yata)
5. Raymond Bagatsing (Dahling Nick)
6. Angeli Bayani (Iisa)
7. John Lloyd Cruz (Honor Thy Father)
8. JM De Guzman (Tandem)
9. Jennylyn Mercado (#WalangForever)
10. Francisco Guinto (Ari: My Life w/ the King)

RITO ASILO (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Lead Male Performance

1. John Lloyd Cruz tops (“Honor Thy Father” and “A Second Chance”)
2. Dino Pastrano (“Baka Siguro Yata”)
3. John Arcilla (“Heneral Luna”)
4. Allen Dizon (“Imbisibol”)
5. Lou Veloso (“Da Dog Show”)

Lead Female Performance

1. Nora Aunor (“Taklub”)
2. Teri Malvar (“Hamog”)
3. Tessie Tomas (“Old Skool”)
4. Bea Alonzo (“A Second Chance”)
5. Alessandra de Rossi (“Bambanti”)

JAMES ESPINOZA (Film Police Reviews)

1. John Lloyd Cruz (Honor Thy Father)
2. Sid Lucero (Apocalypse Child, Toto)
3. Erlinda Villalobos (Manang Biring)
4. John Arcilla, Heneral Luna
5. Raymond Bagatsing (Dahling Nick)
6. Alessandra de Rossi (Bambanti)
7. Angeli Bayani (Iisa)
8. Junjun Quintana (Water Lemon)
9. Dino Pastrano (Baka Siguro Yata)
10. Kaye Abad (The Comeback)

JONELL ESTILLORE (Cinema Bravo)

1. LJ Reyes (Anino Sa Likod ng Buwan)
2. John Arcilla (Heneral Luna)
3. Sid Lucero (Apocalypse Child)
4. Alessandra De Rossi (Bambanti)
5. John Lloyd Cruz (Honor Thy Father)
6. Raymond Bagatsing (Dahling Nick)
7. Junjun Quintana (Water Lemon)
8. Erlinda Villalobos (Manang Biring)
9. Dennis Trillo (Felix Manalo)
10. Buboy Villar (Kid Kulafu)

RICKY GALLARDO (Business Mirror)

1. Annicka Dolonius, Apocalypse Child
2. Jun-Jun Quintana, Waterlemon
3. John Lloyd Cruz, Honor Thy Father
4. Bing Pimentel, Bukod Kang Pinagpala
5. LJ Reyes, Anino sa Likod ng Buwan
6. Mercedes Cabral, An Kubo sa Kawayanan
7. Nora Aunor, Taklub
8. Tessie Tomas, Old Skool
9. Lou Veloso, Da Dog Show
10. Ces Quesada, Imbisibol / & Raymond Bagatsing – Dahling Nick

EMIL HOFILEÑA (Cinemil Writes)

1. John Arcilla (Heneral Luna)
2. John Lloyd Cruz (Honor Thy Father)
3. Sid Lucero (Toto)
4. Irma Adlawan (Edna)
5. Nora Aunor (Taklub)

KAYO JOLONGBAYAN (Film Police Reviews)

1. Ruru Madrid – Above the Clouds
2. LJ Reyes – Anino sa Likod ng Buwan
3. Raymond Bagatsing – Dahling Nick
4. Mercedes Cabral – An Kubo sa Kawayanan
5. John Lloyd Cruz – Honor thy Father
6. Buboy Villar – Kid Kulafu
7. Alessandra de Rossi – Bambanti
8. Junjun Quintana – Water Lemon
9. Erlinda Villalobos – Manang Biring
10. Nicco Manalo – Ang Kwento Nating Dalawa

SKILTY LABASTILLA (Pinoy Rebyu)

1. John Lloyd Cruz, Honor Thy Father
2. Glaiza de Castro, Sleepless
3. Angeli Bayani, Iisa
4. Sarah Geronimo, The Breakup Playlist
5. Sid Lucero, Apocalypse Now and Toto
6. Baron Geisler, Waves
7. John Arcilla, Heneral Luna
8. LJ Reyes, Anino sa Likod ng Buwan
9. Jericho Rosales, #Walang Forever
10. Dino Pastrano, Baka Siguro Yata

LYNDON MABURAOT (Table Stretcher)

1. Nora Aunor (Taklub)
2. Allen Dizon (Imbisibol)
3. LJ Reyes (Anino sa Likod ng Buwan)
4. Sid Lucero (Toto) / Ces Quesada (Imbisibol)
5. Dennis Trillo (Felix Manalo)
6. JM de Guzman (Tandem)
7. Junjun Quintana (Water Lemon)
8. Glaiza de Castro / Dominic Roco (Sleepless)
9. John Lloyd Cruz (A Second Chance)
10. Piolo Pascual (The Breakup Playlist)

MACKY MACARAYAN (Death of Traditional Cinema)

1. LJ Reyes, Anino sa Likod ng Buwan
2. John Lloyd Cruz, Honor Thy Father
3. John Arcilla, Heneral Luna
4. Alessandra De Rossi, Bambanti
5. Sid Lucero, Toto
6. Jericho Rosales, Walang Forever
7. JunJun Quintana, Dayang Asu
8. Glaiza De Castro, Sleepless
9. Anthony Falcon, Anino sa Likod ng Buwan
10. Nora Aunor, Taklub

RENELSON MORELOS (Ramblings of a Film Urchin)

Cast of Anino sa Likod ng Buwan (LJ Reyes, Luis Alandy, Anthony Falcon)
John Arcilla, Heneral Luna
John Lloyd Cruz, Honor Thy Father
Alessandra de Rossi, Bambanti
Francisco Guinto, Ari: My Life with a King
Lead ensemble of Imbisibol (Allen Dizon, Ces Quesada, Ricky Davao, Bernardo Bernardo, JM de Guzman)
Ronwaldo Martin, Ari: My Life with a King
Jennylyn Mercado, #Walang Forever
Lead ensemble of Ninja Party (Annicka Dolonius, Bea Galvez, Julz Savard, Elora Espano)
Jericho Rosales, #Walang Forever

NOOD.PH

John Arcilla, Heneral Luna
John Lloyd Cruz, Honor Thy Father
Raymond Bagatsing, Dahling Nick
Lou Veloso, Da Dog Show
Alessandra de Rossi, Bambanti

MANUEL PANGARUY (Tagailog Special Presents)

1. John Lloyd Cruz (Honor Thy Father)
2. John Arcilla (Heneral Luna)
3. Jericho Rosales (#Walang Forever)
4. Dino Pastrano (Baka Siguro Yata)
5. Sid Lucero (Apocalypse Child)
6. Teri Malvar (Hamog)
7. Lou Veloso (Da Dog Show, Water Lemon)
8. Mercedes Cabral (An Kubo sa Kawayanan, Da Dog Show)
9. Erlinda Villalobos (Manang Biring)
10. Jun-Jun Quintana (Water Lemon)

CATHY PEÑA (Make Me Blush)

1. John Lloyd Cruz, “Honor Thy Father
2. Nora Aunor, “Taklub”
3. Bea Alonzo, “A Second Chance”
4. Raymond Bagatsing, “Dahling Nick”
5. John Lloyd Cruz, “A Second Chance”
6. John Arcilla, “Heneral Luna”
7. Claudine Barretto, “Etiquette for Mistresses”
8. Teri Malvar, “Hamog”
9. Allen Dizon, “Imbisibol”
10. Piolo Pascual, “The Breakup Playlist

NICO QUEJANO (Cinephiles!)

1. Buboy Villar – Kid Kulafu
2. Erlinda Villalobos – Manang Biring
3. Mailes Kanapi – Pusong Bato
4. Teri Malvar – Hamog
5. Bing Pimentel – Bukod Kang Pinagpala
6. Jericho Rosales – Walang Forever
7. Lou Veloso – Da Dog Show
8. John Arcilla – Heneral Luna
9. JM De Guzman – Imbisibol
10. Glaiza De Castro/Dominic Roco – Sleepless

BERNARD SANTOS (My Movie World)

1. John Lloyd Cruz – Honor Thy Father
2. Bea Alonzo – A Second Chance
3. Jericho Rosales – #Walang Forever
4. Jennylyn Mercado – #Walang Forever
5. John Arcilla – Heneral Luna
6. Claudine Baretto – Etiquette For Mistresses
7. Buboy Villar – Kid Kulafu
8. Alessandra De Rossi – Bambanti
9. Luis Alandy – Anino sa Likod ng Buwan
10. Nora Aunor – Taklub

NAZAMEL TABARES (Movies in the Philippines)

1. LJ Reyes (Anino Sa Likod ng Buwan)
2. John Arcilla (Heneral Luna)
3. Sid Lucero (Apocalypse Child)
4. Alessandra De Rossi (Bambanti)
5. Dennis Trillo (Felix Manalo)
6. Ricky Davao (Dayang Asu, Baka Siguro Yata)
7. Raymond Bagatsing (Dahling Nick)
8. Junjun Quintana (Water Lemon, Dayang Asu)
9. Erlinda Villalobos (Manang Biring)
10. Buboy Villar (Kid Kulafu)

JOHN TAWASIL (Present Confusion)

1. John Lloyd Cruz, Honor thy Father
2. John Arcilla, Heneral Luna
3. Sid Lucero, Apocalypse Now
4. Alessandra de Rossi, Bambanti
5. Dino Pastrano, Baka Siguro Yata
6. Junjun Quintana, Water Lemon
7. Nora Aunor, Taklub
8. Nico Antonio, Tandem
9. Erlinda Villalobos, Manang Biring
10. Buboy Villar, Kid Kulafu
11. Russ Ligtas, Miss Bulalacao

EMIL NOR URAO (The Movie Bud)

1. John Lloyd Cruz, Honor Thy Father
2. Mercedes Cabral, An Kubo sa Kawayanan
3. Alessandra de Rossi, Bambanti
4. Raymond Bagatsing, Dahling Nick
5. Jennylyn Mercado, Walang Forever
6. LJ Reyes, Anino sa Likod ng Buwan
7. Luis Alandy, Anino sa Likod ng Buwan
8. John Arcilla, Heneral Luna
9. Allen Dizon, Imbisibol
10. Glaiza de Castro, Sleepless