His name is Josh Ford

Baka ‘pag lumabas ako sa TV, sabihin nila, ‘Ay, sino ‘yan?’”

Josh Ford looks back at the moments leading up to “Pinoy Big Brother (PBB): Celebrity Collab Edition” not in self-pity, but with matter-of-fact acceptance. From the get go, he knew that he would be sharing “Bahay ni Kuya” with actors more famous than him and influencers with far bigger social media reach.

“I had, what, 16,000 followers on Instagram that time?” he says, tousling his curly locks as he settles in after wrapping up his Scout cover shoot.

This, despite being one of the most experienced—and the third youngest—among the 20 housemates in his batch. Ford, 22, has been acting since he was 12, and had been doing commercial work even earlier than that. He has starred in various dramas, variety shows, and TV ads. “Pero wala pa rin,” he says. The irony isn’t lost on him.

He saw himself as that one contestant no viewer would be invested in, the one who probably wouldn’t get much exposure on primetime “kasi ‘di naman ako kilala.” And as much as he wants to say that he had no expectations when he stepped inside that iconic blue-and-yellow home, he admits that deep down, he hoped against hope.

“Sana mas makilala pa ‘ko.”

A “red carpet” arrival

Born to a Filipino mother and a British father in Portsmouth, United Kingdom, Ford entered the world on a red carpet—or to be exact, his mother gave birth to him at home, on the floor, on a carpet that happened to be red. A bit of foreshadowing perhaps, given how life would turn out for him after he moved to the Philippines, following his early education in the UK.

He must have been seven or eight—he can’t remember for sure, only that he was just a “baby boy”—when he first started trying out for commercials. He had fun, and he always looked forward to doing them, he says, because it meant skipping school, where friendships were elusive. But in casting rooms, he found it easier to be comfortable with people, giving him the confidence to overcome his introversion.

After appearing as an extra in numerous commercials, he landed his very first lead role for a fruit juice brand—and with it came an indescribable feeling: seeing himself on screen and not having to worry that the image will disappear in a blink. “I stayed in front of the TV just so I could watch myself for 20 seconds,” says Ford, the second of four siblings—with an elder brother and two younger sisters.

His real breakthrough on TV, however, came in 2015, when the then 12-year-old Ford was cast as the young Clark Medina in the series “On the Wings of Love (OTWOL),” starring James Reid and Nadine Lustre. It was a phenomenal success. No more measuring screen time by the seconds.

“Wherever I go, they knew me as that kid from ‘OTWOL,’” says Ford, who got scouted while walking around a mall with his mother. “In school, the other students knew I appeared on TV. That made me so happy.” Nothing quite makes him light up like reminiscing about this moment in his life.

He was just a child and never really thought of acting as serious work at first. But as taping went on—after long hours on set with the cast, and after being once made to lie on a dumpster crawling with hissing cockroaches (his most memorable moment)—he started falling in love with the craft.

At a red carpet event, surrounded by frenzied “JaDine” fans yelling out their idols’ names, it dawned on him—as if “a calling from God”—that he wanted to become “a famous and well-respected actor.” “Seeing how much people loved and cheered for them I said, ‘Woah, ito pala ‘yun,’” he says. “Ganun pala ang hatak ng artista sa mga tao.”

And someday, he told himself, “I will be the last to walk out on the red carpet.”

First heartbreak

The year 2017 was shaping up to be a good one for the promising young actor, both personally and career-wise. Ford was doing well academically as a grade 8 student at Quezon City Science High School, and was set to play “a big role” in the reboot of the fantasy series “Encantadia.”

But in a tragic turn, his father died, forcing him to leave his burgeoning career behind, as he and his family moved back to the UK. The red carpet he had imagined had barely been rolled out, but somehow, it already felt like it had been pulled out from under his feet.

It was his very first heartbreak.

“I love him. He was my best friend,” he says of his father, who had been nothing but supportive of his showbiz career and beamed with pride whenever he saw his son onscreen. “We’re actually quite similar. Given the chance, I think he probably would have tried acting, too. Or maybe he would tag along to my photoshoots, or appear as an extra in a series.”

What was supposed to be a two-month stay in the UK turned into years. Trying to start a new life there—especially while grieving his father—was hard. Yes, he was born there, but it didn’t feel like home. If anything, being away only made him realize how much he loved acting. “In college, I did school theater. I played Ned Schneebly in ‘School of Rock,’” he says. “Lalo kong na-miss ang Pilipinas at ang pag-arte.”

Luckily, an opportunity to sign with Sparkle, GMA Network’s talent management arm, came up. After finishing college in 2022, he flew back to the Philippines—this time on his own—to pick up where he left off. But just as he was beginning to regain his footing, another tragedy struck.

In March 2023, he was involved in a fatal car accident that killed three of his companions, including his friend and fellow actor Andrei Sison. As the only survivor, all Ford could ask himself was, “Why… again?’”

This was a question Ford would wrestle with throughout his long road to healing. And even as he began to recover, he was still left with a niggling reminder—a perforated eardrum that affected his hearing. “I need to get surgery,” he says—again, in a surprisingly casual fashion. “I don’t want to lose my hearing.”

Strength and resilience

In “PBB,” Ford was dubbed “Ang Survivor Lad ng United Kingdom”—rather heavy compared to the other housemates’ monikers, which mostly alluded to being bubbly, heartthrobs, or show-stopping performers.

“It was perfect because I know I’m a survivor. Kahit anong itapat sa ‘kin, kakayanin at kakayanin ko ‘yan. Whatever they put in front of me, I’m going to face it,” says Ford, whose strength and resilience would become one of the most inspiring narratives in the show. And it wasn’t just the story itself, but the rawness with which he laid it all bare.

“It felt like a ticking bomb,” he says. “I knew I had to get those feelings out.”

But while that made him a compelling figure, he inevitably showed that he was more than the sum of his life’s tragedies. He had no strategy other than to be himself.

Ford’s charm and playfulness endeared him to housemates and viewers alike. His brief conflict with Vince Maristela was handled with refreshing maturity. His more introspective side showed as he bonded over books with Charlie Fleming, AC Bonifacio, and AZ Martinez. He also forged a genuine connection and sparked chemistry with Kira Balinger—or “KiSH,” as their growing number of fans and shippers call their “unproblematic, drama-free” tandem.

“But it wasn’t good enough,” he says. On day 63, he was evicted alongside his duo Ralph de Leon (who later reentered as a wildcard). As he stood crying in the eviction hall, he realized just how badly he wanted to stay and at least make it to the Big 4—if only for the hope of seeing his mother fly back home.

“I knew that if I reached the final, uuwi si Mama. That was all I wanted,” he says. “She’s a big show biz fan and loves that I’m acting. She would have loved to have seen me at the New Frontier Theater.”

To this day, Ford can’t bring himself to rewatch his exit video. And hearing Darren Espanto’s “Paalam Muna Sandali,” the show’s farewell song, still “traumatizes me,” he jokes.

“Arrgh! Sayang, alam mo ‘yun?” he says, punching his palm as the frustrations from that night come flooding back. “Ugh, I was so heartbroken. Legit! As in! I can’t really explain it.”

But after crying all there was to cry, regret eventually gave way to clarity. “Baka sa labas na ng Bahay ang purpose ko.”

A first date with…blank, blank

Suited up in all black, Ford sits at a table in an elegant Spanish restaurant, his sleek figure cutting a contrast against the warm, homey interiors. Amid the flurry of camera flashes, he stays still and composed—just the slightest shifts in pose and expression that nonetheless transformed his look: a tilt of the head here, a piercing gaze there, and the occasional flick of his jacket lapel.

“I was really feeling what I was wearing,” says the actor, who gently taps his feet, like a conductor would do with a baton to keep his rhythm.

As the clicks wear on, he begins to lean back, gradually falling into a slouch—as if growing impatient while waiting for his date. “Iniisip ko meron akong ka-date? Sino ‘yun? Tignan natin!” he says, laughing. “Imagination lang. Kunwari I’m on a first date with… blank, blank!”

We feel almost tempted to fill in the name for him, but we don’t. He does say, however, that if he were to fulfill his dream of becoming a leading man, it would be nice to have Balinger as his leading lady and become an actual onscreen love team. After all, the love and support are already there, and The Red String Theory—as fans suggest—seems to be working in KiSh’s favor.

“As they’ve pointed out, we’re both from the UK and we’re both discovered at a mall. We were together during the hotel arrest (before entering the PBB house). She wanted to be a flight attendant; I wanted to be a pilot,” he says. “Maybe they’re onto something!”

The two actors are set to join the cast of GMA Pictures and Mentorque Productions’ recently announced horror movie, “Huwag Kang Titingin,” which stars “PBB” batchmates Michael Sager, Shuvee Entrata, and Charlie Fleming, as well as Sparkle artists Sofia Pablo, Allen Ansay, and Marco Masa.

But if he could have it his way, Ford says he would love to star in a romantic comedy with Balinger.

“I hope we can continue working on more projects together,” says Ford, who wishes their fans could have seen all the fun conversations and kulitan that didn’t make it on TV. “I think we have a good tandem. We’re just chill and happy where we are. People see us as positive people…as green flags. And I’m grateful for that.”

Aside from the said movie, Ford has plenty keeping him busy. Contrary to the lukewarm reception he was expecting after his exit, the rush of work and activities that followed has been anything but.

He has returned to the teen drama series “Maka,” performs regularly on the variety show “All-Out Sundays,” and has ventured into hosting via the morning news and talk program “Unang Hirit.” And that’s on top of all the out-of-town shows, photo shoots, and other engagements he now juggles.

Dreaming big

If he once longed to have more work, he now finds himself wishing for a day off. No complaints, though—“busy means happy,” and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I wanted to go to the UK, or maybe Siarago, but it didn’t push through. But that’s okay. Kahit pagod, kakayanin ko ‘yan para sa pangarap,” says Ford, who looks up to the likes of Tom Holland, Timothee Chalamet, Dingdong Dantes, and Piolo Pascual.

While many young aspirants tend to temper their expectations, or are taught to take things one day at a time, Ford isn’t afraid to dream big and say it out loud—no matter how out of reach they may seem.

Ford reveals, only half in jest, that he wants to own a mansion, and look at nice things without agonizing whether or not he would be able to afford them. He enjoyed performing at “The Big ColLove” concert at the Araneta Coliseum with his fellow housemates—so much so that he now wants to know what it feels like to fill the venue on his own.

But more than the prospect of new career milestones or material things, what keeps him holding onto such seemingly lofty goals is his family—and the hope of giving them a better future.

“I want my mother to finally retire, so she can finally relax and enjoy life. I want to support my siblings. I want to treat everyone who loves and supports me to nice things,” he says. And in this pursuit, he also hopes to honor the memory of his late father and friends.

It won’t be easy for sure. But if there’s one thing his journey has made crystal clear, it’s that—without wealth or industry connections—the red carpet he dreams of walking will have to be rolled out by his own hands. “I need to do well,” he says.

Ford knows he still has a long way to go and much to prove. But perhaps it won’t hurt to take a moment to appreciate how far he has come—especially since he didn’t get here by taking the easy way in. “I want to inspire others that you can make it even without connections,” he says.

He glances at his Instagram page to see that he now has 357,000 followers. Recently, in Davao del Norte, Ford—together with Fleming—arrived at the Gaisano Mall of Tagum to a crowd filling every floor. Quite a big surprise, he says, since it was only the two of them there.

Giddy fans greeted him with banners and called out his name. Finally, he’s no longer just that “kid from OTWOL” And hearing that was music to his ears.

“Nakikilala na ‘ko ng mga tao. People know my name now. It’s a nice feeling because it’s something I’ve always wanted since I was kid,” Ford says. “I’m getting there. Malayo pa, pero malayo na.”