After weeks of high-profile controversy, John Lloyd Cruz flew under the radar.
He went to the 2017 Star Magic Ball, an annual event that gathers all the stars of ABS-CBN—but skipped the red-carpet festivities.
Held last Saturday night, September 30, at the Shangri-La Makati Hotel's Rizal Ballroom, the event was much anticipated, not only for the promised glamour of Star Magic's cabal of more than 300 stars, but for the appearance of one of its premier stars, John Lloyd.
Everyone also wanted to know who he would bring as a date.
But the 34-year-old actor did not only skip the red carpet, therefore not coming face to face with media photographers waiting in that area, he also did not make a stopover at the designated media room, where entertainment reporters are given a few minutes to interview celebrities.
Instead, John Lloyd went straight to the ballroom and partied with his fellow Star Magic artists and other celebrity guests.
He was spotted with Regal Entertainment matriarch Lily Monteverde, better known in showbiz circles as Mother Lily, and her daughter Roselle.
There was also a photo of John Lloyd with co-Star Magic artist Maja Salvador, and ASAP mainstay Martin Nievera.
He was also sighted giving perennial leading lady Bea Alonzo a tight hug when they saw each other at the ballroom.
Apart from the press, followers of John Lloyd on Instagram also waited to see if John Lloyd would turn up with rumored flame Ellen Adarna, his constant companion in out-of-town escapades since the first week of September.
The two made headlines following the actor's viral videos of his and Ellen's Bantayan Island getaway and their subsequent trip to Mactan, Cebu.
Rumors about the rumored romance of the A-lister and the starlet escalated when John Lloyd posted on his Instagram a picture showing Ellen giving him a kiss, along with a caption saying she did "something good to my soul."
But just when the two seemed headed to reveal the real score between them, both John Lloyd and Ellen suddenly deleted last Friday, September 28, all Instagram photographs showing them cozying up to each other.
People wonder: Was this their own doing to regain their privacy? Or was this Star Magic reminding John Lloyd of his status as a matinee idol and celebrity endorser?
As of this writing, it remains unclear whether John Lloyd flew solo or attended the 2017 Star Magic Ball with Ellen.