Lance Carr is finally finding his groove
Whether they admit it or not, some “Pinoy Big Brother (PBB)” contestants, Lance Carr says, leave the house and return to the outside world with the impression that they have already become famous—“na artista na ako.”
His reality, however, couldn’t be more different. After his stint in “PBB Otso” in 2019, he went through “a long six years” of playing mostly supporting roles or being part of ensemble casts. It was a test not just of patience but, more importantly, of belief. As Seth Fedelin, an earlier batch hopeful in the same edition, once told him: “Ang tunay na laban ay hindi sa loob, kundi sa labas.”
“It’s about how much you want it. It’s about how hard you’re willing to work to achieve your dreams,” says the 25-year-old varsity basketball player turned actor from Davao City.
Constant shuttling
But eventually, Carr realized that you can want something that much and work that hard—and still not have things go your way.
As tough as it was to juggle studies, acting, and basketball, Carr did his best to excel in all three. On the set of “Dirty Linen” three years ago, the actor, then a BA Communication student at Ateneo de Davao University, spent whatever downtime he had attending online classes. Sometimes, he would have to fly to Davao for an exam or recitation, and then back to Manila for taping.
“There was a week when I had to do that four times,” he tells Lifestyle Inquirer.
Weary from the constant shuttling, Carr decided to base himself in Davao during his final year in college. There, consumed by thoughts of his slow progress in showbiz, he contemplated quitting and just focusing on basketball—a sport he grew up loving and had been involved with throughout high school.
“I thought, ‘What if acting isn’t for me? Wala pa akong nararating, wala pang break. I thought I would just play ball,” Carr recalls. “Anyway, I was still age-eligible to try out for UAAP and NCAA teams back then.”
Perhaps he could have put his studies on hold, like many up-and-coming actors do, to make the most out of their still uncertain window in showbiz. But that would have meant betraying his promise to his parents to finish college, no matter what.
“My parents are both retired, and I want to fulfill that dream of theirs for me. They have made so many sacrifices and sent me to a good school. So this is my way of giving back and making them feel, ‘na ko naman,’” he says.
Mixed reactions
As such, he stayed the course with his studies and just figured that whatever happens in his acting career would happen. Carr graduated cum laude, and soon after, things began to fall into place—as if fate had only been waiting for him to honor the vow he made to his parents.
Earlier this year, Carr signed with Viva Artists Agency, and with it came a lead role in “Avenues of the Diamond,” a TV adaptation of author Gwy Saludes’ popular Wattpad University Series novel of the same title. It was the breakthrough he had been waiting for.
“It took me six years before I earned my first lead role. At hindi pala siya biro. You have to give your best on the set while doing promo and workshops on the side. Minsan walang pahinga,” he says. “But I love what I do, and I don’t want to take any opportunity for granted.”
However, in playing Doc Clyden—a dedicated medical student known for his protective nature toward his fiancée, Samantha (Aubrey Caraan)—Carr was initially met with mixed reactions.
Understandably, fans already had their own mental image of the character before the actor came into the picture—and he couldn’t really fault them for that.
All he could do was try and give justice to the character and hope his portrayal would change the viewers’ minds. Thankfully, it did. “I read the book many times just so I can embody the character,” he relates. “That’s why I was happy about the turnaround in people’s perception. I’m grateful, and I didn’t expect it.”
A versatile leading man
After “Avenues of the Diamond,” Carr and Caraan are set to join the cast of “Hell University,” another TV adaptation of a popular Wattpad title, which will soon stream on Viva One. This time, the love team dubbed “LanceBrey” shifts from pure romance drama to mystery thriller.
“Growth is important to us as a love team. We have to be able to play different kinds of roles and take on different genres,” stresses Carr, who plays Raze, a “mysterious and terrifying” figure in a secret, unregulated school where violence—including killings—is permitted without consequences during special time periods.
For now, Carr hopes to lean on the chemistry he and Caraan built and nurture the fan base they have built. But in a few years’ time, he sees himself expanding his skillset, growing into a versatile leading man, and working with a variety of actors.
“But really, I just want to entertain people and give them joy. I want to give them a sense of escape. As simple as that,” he says. “If fame comes, then good. But my top priority is to focus on my craft.”
