Charles Teves
Ella Cruz struggled to hold back tears when talking about the criticism she received after likening history to gossip.
In a sit-down with Boy Abunda, Cruz was asked what the “darkest point” of her life was.
Cruz clarified her statement, saying she was asked what her opinion of the Marcoses is regarding the upcoming film “Maid in Malacanang.”
“‘Yung writeup, iyon daw ‘yung natutunan ko sa movie. Bakit ganu’n? Bakit mali ‘yung writeup? Noong sinabi ko ‘yung ‘history is like tsismis,’ wala pa po sa akin ‘yung script. Pero nilabas nila ‘yung post na ‘yun habang nag-su-shoot na po ako,” she said.
Cruz recalled the question as: “Ano ang point of view mo bilang aktres, bilang estudyante sa napag-aaralan mo dati tungkol sa history sa mga Marcos?”
She said her response was based on her point of view.
“Sabi ko, ‘In general, for me, history is like tsismis.’ Ta’s iyon na po, ‘May mga bias, may dagdag, filter.’ Iyon ‘yung sinabi ko, kasi tinanong ako kung ano point of view ko.”
If given a chance to go back and answer the same question, Cruz said she wouldn’t have compared history to ‘tsismis’ but maintained her stance that history books do not tell complete stories.
“Siguro hindi ko na para sabihin ulit ‘yung ‘history is like tsismis,’ kasi ang laki talaga ng nangyari, hindi ko po inaasahan. Marami tayong mga hindi alam sa history… Tama, na sa libro pa rin ‘yung mga malalaking pangyayari, pero marami rin tayong mga hindi pa alam,”
Because of the controversy, Cruz realized who her real friends were.
“Ang pinaka-lesson ko is, lumabas ‘yung mga tunay kong kaibigan, lumabas ‘yung mga hindi. Nakilala ko kung sino po sila. Iyon ang pinakamagandang natutunan ko. Another lesson is to be strong, really, really strong, and stand for yourself. Kasi hindi naman ako palaging nasasabwat sa malalaking isyu, so hindi ako sanay.
“Tinanong ko ‘yung sarili ko — saan ako nagkamali? Ano’ng nagawa kong mali? May nasaktan ba ako? Alam ko sa sarili ko, wala akong nasaktan. Siguro may na-offend ako, pero hindi naman ‘yun intentional,” she said.
Cruz noted that some friends in the show business she considered family used hurtful words to criticize her.
Grabe talaga si boy abunda, noh? As long as it gets views, who cares about the consequences diba?
Ella Cruz openly denied the painful history of this country, what our PARENTS went through, and insulted the work of historians.
If you’re gonna be stupid, you better be tough. https://t.co/euw61i6dmF
— gabby ´･ᴗ･` (@abbugaduu) July 22, 2022
“Worst is ‘yung mga taong ‘yung pamilya mong tinuring noong magkasama kayo at hanggang ngayon, tsini-cherish mo ‘yung napagsamahan ninyo, nirirespeto mo sila. ‘Pag nagkita kayo, mahal mo pa rin sila.
“Bakit ganu’n ‘yung nasabi nila? Meron ba akong nagawa sa kanila? Pero wala naman silang message sa akin. Hindi matatanggal ‘yung respeto ko sa kanila, pero ‘yung trust… Guarded na ako ‘pag nandiyan sila,” she said.
Pokwang, whom Cruz worked with in “Aryana,” surprised the young actress after going “below the belt” with her criticism.
“Hindi ko inasahang masasabi niya ‘yun. Naging nanay ko po kasi siya. Even though 10 years ago… Okay lang ‘yung isang tweet, pero tatlo po kasi ‘yung nakita ko, e. ‘Yung pangalawa, OA na. Below the belt na. ‘Yung isa, ‘yung writer ng ‘Aryana’ kasagutan niya… Naalala ko binibisita ko pa sila palagi ‘pag break time nila, even after the show.
“Sobrang sakit. Masakit na ‘yung mga taong hindi mo talaga inaasahan, sila pa ‘yung makakapagsalita ng ganiyan sa ‘yo. Ni hindi ka man lang nila tinext, ni hindi ka man lang nila ni-DM man lang,” she said.
Agot Isidro also reacted to Cruz’s statement, but hers was seen as more acceptable. Isidro said she loved Cruz and called her “the sweetest.”
“Nagulat ako, kasi after namin magka-work, wala naman na kaming connection. Sabi ko, ‘Bakit may pag-tweet?’ Una kasi siyang nag-tweet, e. Noong nakita ko ‘yung kay Mamang, sabi ko, ‘Bakit mas mabuti pa si Tita Agot?’
“She’s just trying to save me. Wala siyang sinabing masama. Sinabi lang niyang, ‘Sana nag no-comment ka na lang, pero mahal kita.’ Kumbaga, parang, ‘Huwag mong maliin ‘to.’ Wala akong galit, sama ng loob kay Ms. Agot, kasi somehow, na-appreciate ko. Para niya akong pinapayuhan. ‘Anak…’ Ganoon po,” Cruz said.
Netizens weren’t buying Cruz’s “acting performance” in which she tried to play the victim.
ella cruz using the victim card lmao and then boy abunda giving platform to someone who claimed history is “chismis” like why not give platform to those families that lost their loved ones during the martial law instead but ofc lahat para sa clout diba mga bobo
— c⁷ (@hobigizer) July 22, 2022
Bagoong partner ng Mangga na ka-bonding mo sa vlog ni PDF file. Charot! pic.twitter.com/zpKUKYrtq7
— Charot! (@IamCharotism) July 22, 2022
https://twitter.com/mochilusi/status/1550304847529775105?s=20&t=ldjjOeU9uCIENtopFuySJA
tangina mo ella cruz at tangina mo din boy abunda for giving her a platform to perform whatever victim act she has in store. https://t.co/IOAk4y2amV
— Rey | MIDNIGHTS 10/21 (@filoswiffer) July 22, 2022
Ella Cruz cry me a fucking river oo may mga nasaktan ka. By agreeing to do that movie you danced on the graves and spit in the face of all Martial Law victims, survivors, and their families SO UULITIN KO, SIS CRY ME A FUCKING RIVER
— Tin Gamboa 🌻 (@suzy899) July 22, 2022
Whining in an interview for getting cancelled by the public—as if it's a fate worse than being a real Martial Law victim—all to just drum up noise to promote a film, where you play a daughter of the dictator, is just very bad optics.
Ella Cruz, fire your publicist & management.
— Francis Baraan IV (@MrFrankBaraan) July 22, 2022
https://twitter.com/MashaMasha2022/status/1550632345056989184?s=20&t=ldjjOeU9uCIENtopFuySJA
https://twitter.com/AlejandrinoK/status/1550628718657187840?s=20&t=ldjjOeU9uCIENtopFuySJA
Cruz also had no problem with broadcaster Gretchen Ho’s tweet about her statement.
“Of course, I respect [opinions],” she said.
“[Nasasaktan ako] ‘pag nananapak na, ‘pag may direktang hit na, direktang patama na. Puwede naman nila ako i-message, pero hindi nila ginawa. Nakisawsaw lang sila.”
Cruz is more than willing to listen to other perspectives that point out what was “wrong” with what she said.
“Hindi ko meant na magkaroon ng ganito kalaking isyu, hindi ko meant na ma-offend ang mga historians at professionals. Wala akong meant ma-offend, masaktan. Gusto ko lang sabihin na ako ay tinanong lang.
“Handa po akong makinig, e. Kasi iba-iba ang pananaw natin. Nahahati kasi sa kulay, so gusto ko maintindihan kung bakit nangyayari ‘to, kung ano’ng mali sa nasabi ko, kung bakit lumaki nang ganito, kasi hindi ko talaga inaasahan. At ready po akong makinig,” she said.
Maid in Malacanang seeks to give the public an accurate perspective of what the Marcos family went through shortly before being ousted from the Palace.
