John Anthony Siason Estrada (born June 13, 1973)^[1] is a Filipino actor and model who has starred in a number of roles as a leading man, comedian and villain. He was a contract actor with ABS-CBN from 1990 to 2018, with GMA Network from 2018 to 2021, and then with ABS-CBN again in 2021. He also did a sitcom with TV5 called Everybody Hapi.

Early life

John Anthony Siason Estrada was born in June 13, 1973 in Quezon City, Philippines, and grew up with his family at Isabela, Basilan^[2] where his father (Vicente Estrada) was a Municipal Councilor and his mother (Lilia Siason-Estrada) a public school teacher. At an early age, he was regularly cast in a variety of school plays and presentations, usually taking on the lead roles.

Early career

He first made his foray in show business as a model, having won Bodyshots Model Search, a competition sponsored by the Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines (FDAP) from nearby Zamboanga City up until his early college years when he moved to Metro Manila at age 16. He studied mass communications for two years at University of the Philippines Diliman but eventually dropped to pursue a career in acting.^[2] His name gained further publicity when he married former child actress Janice de Belen who bore him 4 children: Inah (b. 1992), Moira (b. 1993), Kaila (b. 1996), and Yuan (b. 1998).

Estrada became part of the ABS-CBN sitcom Palibhasa Lalake in 1990 and played minor roles in some films produced by Regal Films and Star Cinema. Soon after he shifted from acting to TV hosting via 'Sang Linggo nAPO Sila (1995-1998). His biggest break in showbiz came in 1998 when he headlined the controversial ABS-CBN noontime show Magandang Tanghali Bayan (MTB) with Randy Santiago and Willie Revillame. His hosting job also cost him his marriage with Janice when he was linked to his Magandang Tanghali Bayan co-host Vanessa del Bianco. Janice and Estrada legally separated in 2001. The marriage was officially annulled in 2004.^[3]

Later and recent career

In 2002, Estrada was chosen to play Boris opposite grand-slam actress Lorna Tolentino in the ABS-CBN soap Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay. His foray into dramatic acting did not alienate him from the audiences who are used to see him cracking jokes on noontime TV. He was later named Best Drama Actor in 2003 Star Awards for Television. Soon after, when ABS-CBN decided to reformat MTB following Willie Revillame's termination, Estrada offered to resign from the show so that he could concentrate on acting. He was given another lead role in another ABS-CBN soap Hiram opposite Kris Aquino and Dina Bonnevie in 2004.

However, Estrada did not stick to leading man roles after Hiram. Instead, he tried his hand in doing villain roles in different soap operas on ABS-CBN. He returned to comedy when he accepted the role of Jim in the TV5 former sitcom Everybody Hapi with Long Mejia and Roxanne Guinoo. Due to the sitcom's numerous casting changes, the show was reformatted to Hapi Together with Carla Humphries, Leo Martinez, Callalily lead singer Kean Cipriano and former Everybody Hapi mainstays Nova Villa and Long Mejia. He returned to hosting for P.O.5 after 5 years since he was a former host of defunct ABS-CBN daily variety show, Magandang Tanghali Bayan, with P.O.5 co hosts Wilma Doesnt, Lucy Torres-Gomez, JC De Vera, Kean Cipriano and his best friend Richard "Goma" Gomez. Despite hosting and doing comedy for TV5, the Kapamilya Network still cast him for the inspirational drama Agua Bendita, in which he gained positive reviews. He was given a follow-up drama, Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin where he was reunited for the third time with grandslam actress Lorna Tolentino.

He subsequently gave up his hosting stint in P.O.5 after ABS-CBN commissioned him and Randy Santiago to return to noontime TV hosting thru Happy Yipee Yehey. He also resigned from Hapi Together where his lead role (as Geronimo) was replaced by Joey Marquez who assumed another role similar to Geronimo's character.

In 2014, Estrada starred in the melodrama, Ikaw Lamang where he reunited with Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin co-star Coco Martin as one of the main antagonists turned anti-hero Don Gonzalo Miravalez.

Estrada also earns the unofficial distinction as one of three Philippine actors that appeared as villains in both TV and movie versions of Mars Ravelo's Lastikman, along with Cherie Gil and Danilo Barrios.

In 2018, Estrada transferred to GMA Network after being with ABS-CBN for nearly 27 years, On May 2, he signed an exclusive contract with GMA Artist Center.^[4]

On August 23, 2021, Estrada returned to ABS-CBN as being the part of FPJ's Ang Probinsyano as the cunning yet power-hungry warlord Armando Silang and one of the main antagonists from FPJ's Batang Quiapo as the cunning, ruthless and brutal cop Rigor Dimaguiba.^[5]

Personal life

Estrada is currently married to his longtime girlfriend Brazilian beauty titlist Priscilla Meirelles with whom he has one daughter.^[6]

Filmography

Television

Drama anthologies

Film

• Lover's Delight (1990)
• Pakasalan Mo Ako (1991) (Estrada's first movie role)
• Ipaglaban Mo ako Boy Topak (1991)
• Buburahin Kita sa Mundo! (1991)
• Boy Praning Utak Pulbura (1992)
• Pretty Boy Hoodlum (1992)
• Shotgun Banjo (1992)
• Aswang (1992)
• Guwapings: The First Adventure (1992) - Charlie
• Gwapings Dos (1993) - Freddie
• May Minamahal (1993) - Bombit
• Hindi Magbabago (1994)
• Buhay ng Buhay ko (1994)
• Araw-araw, gabi-gabi (1995)
• Romano Sagrado: Talim sa Dilim (1996) - Dante
• Akin Ang Puri (1996)
• Radio Romance (1996) as Lester
• Milyonaryong Mini (1996) (Estrada's first comedy film)
• Sa Kamay ng Batas (1996)
• Best Friends (1997) -
• Calvento Files: The Movie (1997) - Pinong (Episode 2)
• Hari ng Yabang (1997) - Adelbert
• Sanggano (1997) - Raymond
• Ang Babae sa Bintana (1998)
• Weder-Weder Lang 'Yan (1999) - Dodong
• Pera o Bayong (Not da TV)! (2000) - Mauricio
• Lastikman (2004) - Taong Aso (Estrada's 1st VIVA film)
• Caregiver (2008) - Teddy Gonzales
• BFF: Best Friends Forever (2009) - Tim/TJ
• Villa Estrella (2009) - Dave
• Rosario (2010) - Jose
• Ouija 2 (2012) - Ka Mano
• Must Be... Love (2013) - King Espinosa
• Boy Golden: Shoot to Kill, the Arturo Porcuna Story (2013) - Tony Razon
• Trophy Wife (2014) - Sammy
• Tragic Theater (2015) - Fr. Nilo Marcelo
• Unexpectedly Yours (2017) - Yael Gonzales
• I Love You, Hater (2018) - Richard
• The Last Interview: The Mayor Antonio Halili Story (2019)
• Fruits N' Vegetables: Mga Bulakboleros (2021) - Visitor at U.P. Campus-Diliman
• Labyu with an Accent (2022) - Larry (Gabo's father)

Awards and nominations