Joshua Garcia on career lessons: Not everyone’s there for you
MANILA, Philippines — After more than a decade in the entertainment industry, Joshua Garcia looked back on his growth both as an artist and as an individual during ABS-CBN Star Magic’s latest “Spotlight” press conference.
The male lead in the romantic-drama series “Love Is Never Gone” also reflected on his 12-year journey, sharing he feels blessed to have remained in the industry for so long. Despite the challenges he encountered, he said he never felt abandoned by ABS-CBN and Star Magic and expressed appreciation for their unwavering support throughout his career. But more than the success he has achieved, Joshua was most thankful for the chance to provide for his family.
When learning about the project “Love Is Never Gone,” he said that he immediately looked forward to it, especially because the project allowed him to work with Ivana Alawi and director Emmanuel “Manny” Quindo Palo.
“I was really excited to do it talaga, working with Ivana and, of course, working with direk Manny. Tapos sa Morocco pa,” he said.
He added that shooting abroad let him balance work with personal experiences, as he was able to explore the country and immerse himself in its culture during filming breaks.
Despite being in an unfamiliar environment, Joshua explained that the foreign setting did not affect his performance. Instead, he enjoyed every scene and credited his director for helping the cast quickly understand and connect with their characters.
He also admitted that filming in Morocco came with challenges, especially given the limited shooting time.
When asked about preparing for the show’s romantic scenes, Joshua stressed how important openness and trust between actors.
He particularly praised Ivana for her professionalism and willingness to collaborate from the very beginning, despite having little connection before filming started.
“Malaking factor doon talaga kasi yung open both actors para mag-work yung eksena, and yun din (ang) nakita ko kay Ivana simula yung nagsimula kami,” he said.
As for their chemistry in the series, Joshua said that it will continue to deepen as the story progresses, as their characters’ relationship evolve in the coming episodes.
Looking back on what he learned from working on the project, Joshua shared what he valued more were the friendships that he built and the memories he gained, not just from his latest series, but from every production that he had been part of. He fondly recalled that spending time together outside work grew that connection on camera.
“In every show kasi (na) ginagawa ko, mas yung memories and yung mga tao binabaon ko,” Joshua said.
On another note, when asked whether there is still a side of him audiences have yet to see, the actor said there are parts of himself that continue to evolve, but he now places greater value on his peace of mind as he enters a more mature stage in his career.
“Simula ‘PBB’ hanggang ngayon, bukas na libro yung buhay. So, wala talaga akong maitatago. I’m sure meron pa. Ako mismo, di-ni-discover ko pa rin siya hangga’t di pa ako siguradong ayoko pa sabihan sa lahat,” Joshua explained.
Speaking on the realities that come with fame, he also admitted one of the hardest lessons was learning that not everyone around him genuinely had his best interests at heart. This pushed him to prioritize his peace and focus on those who truly care for him.
“Hindi lahat ng nasa paligid mo ay nandiyan para sa’yo,” he added.
As one of his generation’s most in-demand leading men, Joshua strongly believed that fame has not limited the kinds of roles he is willing to take on. Instead, it has made him more discerning when choosing projects.
He explained that he understands his strengths as an actor and remains eager to take on challenging characters, particularly those that leave a lasting impact on audiences.
“Siguro mas careful lang. Kasi parang kilala ko kasi sa sarili ko sa actors. Kung ano yung kaya ko gawin. So, parang gusto ko pa rin gumawa ng mga challenging. Yung mas yung may tatatak talaga,” he further explained.
Moreover, Joshua shared that early on in his acting journey, he found it difficult to switch off after intense scenes or roles, especially after taking on such projects as “It’s Okay to Not to Be Okay,” “Meet, Greet & Bye” and “Love Is Never Gone.”
“Noong una, nahihirapan akong mag-switch off after ng scene. Kasi bago pa lang sa akin yung pakiramdam. Na umaarte and like really doing the scene. Like really feeling the emotion. But right now, ‘pag gumagawa ako ng mga scene after scene, mabilis ako na kapag switch off naman ako right away,” he said.
Joshua is open to doing more action-oriented roles in the future, as long as they continue to push him as an actor.
“Moving forward, gusto ko palagi na challenge ako sa mga roles, eh. Dito kasi sa ‘Love Is Never Gone,’ challenge ako dito dahil action siya,” he shared.
For the actor, even after years in the industry, emotional scenes, particularly in crying scenes, remain as one of the most challenging aspects of acting. He admitted that there are moments when it takes time before he can fully access the right emotion on cue.
“Kailangan mong mag-workshops at napakarami ng acting techniques sa buong mundo. But right now, techniques and personal life yung buong eight years. Eighty percent doon mas personal life. Kasi iba rin talaga kapag humugot ka sa totoong buhay. Natatapos mo na nang mabilis yung eksena,” he explained.
“So, kailangan mo ring alagaan yung nararamdaman mo. Kaya ngayon yung proseso kong ginagawa sa karakter na. Doon ibibigay naman ng storya yung background ng karakter mo. And then (dun) kahuhugot sa emotion na ‘yan.”
“Love Is Never Gone” streams new episodes every Friday exclusively on Prime Video.
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