Starting off the year on a high note after being part of the 2024 Metro Manila Film Festival Best Picture awardee Green Bones, actor Royce Cabrera said he thoroughly enjoyed the holidays after a busy schedule promoting their film.

“Okay naman last month kasi I was with family and yun na ulit yung time na nagkasama-sama kaming lahat na nag-bonding so happy naman ako sa time nagkaroon. After Widows' War and Green Bones, meron kaming niluluto pa ulit na show na hindi pa puwede i-announce eh. Pero masasabi ko na rin soon. Yung movie ko naman na Balota na ginawa namin sa Cinemalaya last year, showing sa Netflix coming soon,” he shared during the Lander’s 8th anniversary grand draw event held in Arca South in Taguig City last January 20. 

In Green Bones, Royce played one of the inmates at the fictional San Fabian penal colony who is incarcerated along with his same sex partner on the island. The 28-year-old actor said he has never been shy to take on any kind of role onscreen, regardless of sexual orientation.

“Bilang aktor kasi, ang layunin namin ay gampanan ang mga role na binibigay sa amin at ipinagkakatiwala sa amin. So as an actor, kailangan ko alisin yung buong ako, bilang Royce Cabrera at ipapasok ko yung character na kailangan ko gampanan. So hindi ko nililimitahan yun. Kung ano yung dapat ibigay ng character na yun ibibigay ko and then nasa tao na lang yun kung paano nila ako iju-judge. Basta ang layunin ko, gawin ko yung best ko para dun sa role. At kailangan ko i-justify na kapani-paniwala yung role na ginagawa ko,” he explained. 

The talented actor also revealed why he knew their film would not come home empty-handed at the MMFF awards night even while working on the set.

“Honestly, nung ginagawa namin yung Green Bones, ramdam ko na mismo na talagang somehow mapapansin itong movie. Kasi ako mismo na naging parte nun, nung nakita ko yung execution ng film, nagulat ako na ganun siya kalaki, ka-solido, ka-quality. So pagdating ng MMFF awards night at nakuha namin ang feedback ng mga tao, mas lalo kaming natuwa na ang daming natuwa at nagustuhan ang Green Bones,” he recalled. 

Since making his screen debut in 2017, Royce said he has always found a certain kind of role to be the most challenging. “As an actor, ang challenging sa akin na mga ginagawa ko, yung mga true-to-life story. Kapag meron akong sinasagawang character sa totoong buhay. Kasi kailangan ko kunin yung pinakagalaw, salita, or kung ano yung mga nuances na ginagawa ng character na yun kasi totoo yun eh. Hindi siya ma-e-up lang. So ganung mga roles yung medyo challenging pag merong mga ganung role na na-o-offer sa akin,” he shared. 

Off camera, Royce said he is just an approachable and regular guy that can make friends with anyone easily. “Naku, malokong tao rin ako. Alam ng mga tropa ko yan. Alam ng family ko yan (laughs). Sa harap ng camera siyempre kailangan poise tayo, ganyan. Pero pag off camera, puwede mo ako kainuman! (laughs)” he added. 

Even though he will be busy with work during the most romantic month of the year, this self-confessed romantic said he won’t be shy if he wants to make someone feel loved.

“Hindi ko masabi pero love language ko kapag talagang into someone ako, binibigay ko yung effort ko to be romantic talaga. Kasi dun mo mapapakita yung mas pagpapahalaga mo dun sa tao, yung pagiging romantic dun. Sa ngayon kasi, sa Valentine’s day may schedule ng trabaho (laughs). Ise-celebrate ko ang araw ng mga puso sa pagmamahal ko sa trabaho ko. And yun lang naman eh. Pagdating naman sa Valentines, tungkol siya sa pagiibig so it doesn’t matter kung pag-ibig siya sa partner, sa family, sa friends, or sa trabaho mo. As long as sini-celebrate mo yung buwan ng pagmamahal.”