Soliman Cruz: Movies & Box Office

Soliman Cruz, a renowned Filipino actor born on September 14, 1963, has cultivated a career that spans over four decades, marked by intense performances and a deep commitment to theater. From a young age he was drawn to the stage, participating in a fifth‑grade production and later attending the Kasaysayan ng Lahi Summer Arts Workshop at Nayong Pilipino, where his raw talent caught the eye of director Onofre R. Pagsanghan. Pagsanghan’s mentorship led Cruz to the prestigious Philippine High School for the Arts in Los Baños, Laguna, a formative experience that prepared him for a lifelong dedication to the performing arts, even though he never pursued a college education. In the 1980s he entered the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Bulwagang Gantimpala, where director Tony Espejo recognized his “intense, macho acting” style and began casting him in both supporting and lead roles, such as the Vietnamese refugee in Bienvenido Noriega’s Takas. Cruz’s early film work includes the 1991 8 mm short Kwentong Barbero, and he later achieved broader recognition for his poignant portrayal of the father of a gay protagonist in The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros (2005). His versatility led to roles in mainstream entries like Kasal, Kasali, Kasalo (2006) and critically acclaimed independent films such as Manila Skies (2009) and Norte (2013), often collaborating with auteur Lav Diaz.
Despite his artistic successes, Cruz faced a personal crisis when drug dependency forced a hiatus from acting; publicized encounters with methamphetamine and possible schizophrenia made headlines, and he appeared on Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho in 2012 for a psychiatric evaluation. Determined to recover, he entered rehabilitation programs in 2015 across Taguig, Bulacan, and Cavite, achieving sobriety by 2018 and returning to the screen in 2017. Recent projects include the Romanian film Spre Nord (To The North) (2021), directed by Mihai Mincan, which mirrors Cruz’s own battle with addiction. His television credits feature supporting roles in popular series like Ang Probinsyano and Pepito Manaloto, showcasing his enduring relevance in the Philippine entertainment landscape.