Eric de la Cruz
Eric dela Cruz (born November 20, 1981) is a Filipino actor. He was born Eric Villanueva dela Cruz in Manila, Philippines, to engineer Enrique dela Cruz, Sr. and singer Isidora dela Cruz. He has three siblings.
Dela Cruz graduated from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila in 2003 with a degree in Physical therapy but decided to forego a career in medicine to pursue acting. He received his first training in acting from The New Voice Company Summer Acting Workshop, from which he got his first taste of the stage. He played the Sexton in Neil Simon's The Good Doctor as part of their culminating activity. He participated in Tanghalang Pilipino's Intermediate Acting Workshop. He played the role of Fernan Gomez de Guzman in their staging of Lope de Vega's 'Fuente Ovejuna' as their recital. He is currently receiving his training as an apprentice of PETA.
His first major stage role was to play Oedipus opposite Gigette Reyes in the 2004 Sophocle's play Oedipus Rex. He appeared in several TV shows since including GMA ch. 7's Hanggang Kailan and ABSCBN ch. 2's Hiram and Maalaala Mo Kaya.
His film debut was in a digital film, La funeraria Toti, produced by the GMA Artist Center as part of their workshop's culminating activity. He played the role of an OFW deported to the Philippines after he was found to be positive with HIV. The film was directed by Rahyan Carlos And Co-starred Soxie Topacio, Isay Alvarez, Allan Paule and Hero Bautista. It was tied up with the AIDS Society of the Philippines for the benefit of people living with AIDS and was endorsed by the Mowelfund to the Philippine Pink Festival.
He has been included in a mobile production under the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) for an interactive children's MusicAL play entitled 'Mga Kwento Ni Lola Basyang' which is ran for two straight years. He also appeared in Tanghalang Pilipino's 'Ang mga Huwad' adapted for stage by Rody Vera from the novel 'The Pretenders' by Philippine National Artist for Literature, F. Sionil Jose. He portrayed the role of Johnny Lee and Estaquio Salvador. Most recently, he played the role of Robert Montgomery in Tanghalang Pilipino's restaging of Pilipinas Circa 1907. He is currently invovled in the restaging of the PETA production of Romulus d' Grayt, portraying the role of Apolonius and Teodorico.
Aside from acting, Eric has a weekly column on men's fashion in the i section of the Manila Bulletin entitled "Back to Basics." He is also exploring his career as an events planner and host.