Lloyd Samartino

Lloyd Samartino – who rose to fame after being introduced in the 1979 movie “Gabun” – has found contentment as a character actor.

“I don’t need to be a leading man anymore. I’ve done all that already,” he told Manila Bulletin Entertainment Online at the Jan. 19 launch of GMA-7’s afternoon soap, “Ina, Kasusuklaman Ba Kita?” where he plays a supporting role.

“I realized that there’s always a market for actors my age kasi hindi naman lahat bagets ang bida. There should be parents, mayors, congressmen…and that’s what I’ve been doing,” he said.

Lloyd plays the politician-father of one of the children of lead star Jean Garcia (as Alvina) in the TV adaptation of the 1985 movie.

“Frankly at this point, I’m happy to be working,” he pointed out. “I realized na after I left this industry, I love it pala. You have to really leave it for you to reassess [your life]. You ask yourself, ‘What is it really that I want to do into my old age?’ And this is what I’d like to do.”

Lloyd was among the hottest stars in local tinsel town in the  early 80's. In the ‘90s, Lloyd married then presidential daughter Jo Ramos and he took a hiatus from show business.

Lloyd and Jo separated in 2004. Their only child, Sergio, now 15, stays with Jo.

Another reason Lloyd took a sabbatical was that he got enmeshed in the construction business, building mixed commercial and residential spaces and renting them out.

But as fate would have it, the limelight found him again in 2003, when he dropped by the set of “Habang Kapiling Ka,” the soap opera that his discoverer, director Maryo J. delos Reyes, was then doing with Albert Martinez and Snooky in the cast.

“Sabi nila Maryo J. and Albert, ‘What are you doing? We need you in this industry. Albert cannot accept every role. There’s only so much he can do.’ So when they asked me if I could play a lawyer, I said, 'Sure!'

"The next day, they called. And the original two taping days became two months,” he recalled.

After that, Lloyd went on to work on  TV including “Mulawin,” “Walang Kapalit,” “My Only Love,” “Dyosa,” and “Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin,” as well as in movies like last year’s “Nandito Ako…Nagmamahal sa ‘Yo.”

“I’ve been pretty active,” he said. “It’s just that I’m not as upfront like Gabby [Concepcion] and Albert [Martinez] because, well, I don’t discuss my personal life. It’s not interesting.”