Coming Soon: The Trial - John Loyd Cruz, Jessy Mendiola, Richard Gomez and Gretchen Baretto

John Lloyd gets most challenging role. He is set to play one of his most difficult roles to date. Cruz is set to play a “developmentally delayed” character, which he told ABS-CBN may just be one of his most challenging roles to date. He explained that characters such as his were in the past called “mentally retarded,” but a more politically correct term would be “developmentally delayed."

He likened the role to Gerald Anderson’s portrayal in 2011 of Budoy in the television show of the same name, about a man with Angelman syndrome, a genetic disorder with characteristics similar to those associated with autism and cerebral palsy. But Cruz says his new role is different from that of Anderson’s. Additionally, what’s difficult, he said, is the subtlety needed to portray the character.

"Hindi siya 'yung talagang kitang-kita mo," he told ABS-CBN. "Ang mahirap dito hindi malalaman na meron siyang case ng [developmental delay] hangga't mag-engage kayo sa isang conversation. So mukha siyang normal." (It's not very visible. What's hard is not being able to realize he has a case of developmental delay until you engage in a conversation. So, he looks normal.)

Mature film

In the same way, Cruz's co-star Jessy Mendiola told ABS-CBN in December that the film, which she described as a “tragic family story,” made her feel both nervous and excited. “It’s a mature role,” she said. "Mature in a sense that mature din 'yung topic, issues and storyline namin. It’s very sensitive and very out of the box. 'Yun ang dapat nila abangan.” 

The film will be helmed by the award winning director Chito Roño. The film will also stars Richard Gomez and Gretchen Baretto. Richard Gomez talks about his legal drama movie with Gretchen Barretto and John Lloyd Cruz. “Legal drama ang tema naman nun. Serious movie talaga ‘yon. “Si Gretchen portrays a doctor. Ako naman, a lawyer. “And then si John Lloyd, parang may tama siya sa pag-iisip, pero hindi naman masasabing mentally retarded. “Sa story nito, mag-asawa kami ni Gretchen na we’re about to break up. Gano’n ang status namin. “’Tapos parang magkaka-love triangle sa aming tatlo ni John Lloyd."