If we line up all the reasons people are endlessly smitten with Joshua Garcia, the list would go on forever, but somewhere at the very top would be his passion as an actor, followed closely by that unmistakable shy-guy charisma.
Plus, there's this protective shell around his heart and personal life that somehow makes him even more admirable. Well, consider yourselves lucky because in this rare pocket of openness, Joshua lets us peek into the little pieces of himself he usually keeps tucked away, such as his dreams for his family and how he spends his days off.
When you look at the avalanche of projects coming his way—"Meet, Greet & Bye" showing nationwide, followed by the big reveal that his teleserye with Ivana Alawi titled "Love is Never Gone” is already rolling cameras with scenes shot all the way in Morocco (just a short breath after the success of his "It’s Okay to Not Be Okay" Philippine adaptation with Anne Curtis), plus all the guest appearances he’s been hopping between—you totally get why his dream day off is the least glamorous thing ever.
He describes the perfect break as simply staying home, just him in his room doing absolutely nothing and just letting his body rest after months of being stretched thin, or sneaking in a workout and a decent meal.
He did fly out of the country recently for his special participation in “ASAP in England” and “ASAP in Vancouver,” but those still fell under the “work” category, which is exactly why staying home remains his favorite reset button. But he’s definitely craving real travel, the kind you take for the soul, because it’s on his bucket list to bring his family around Europe, especially after he realized, “Bakit parang ako na lang palagi ‘yung lumalabas? Hindi ko man lang sila dinadala,” a takeaway he picked up while filming the family drama "Meet, Greet & Bye."
Europe might have to wait until next year, though, because this Christmas he’s sticking to tradition and spending the holidays back home in Batangas “tulad ng dati." Part of what keeps him so grounded is the fact that he never really forgets his roots. Well, it’s pretty hard to forget when your childhood looked as fun as his did in Batangas as a true "laking kalye" or that kid who was almost always outdoors playing. “Sa likod namin, naglalaro kami ng tumbang preso, badminton… tapos may mga agawan base, ice water. Nalaro ko pa lahat ’yun, inabot ko pa ’yun,” he said.
By the time Kapamilya Chat pulled out the cards for the “random questions” segment, Joshua was already in that relaxed, open mood where he gamely answered anything thrown his way, making the whole interview feel like a casual catch-up 'sesh' with him.
One of the first questions asked him to pick the three biggest turning points of his life. Of course, there must be a mention of "Pinoy Big Brother," the show that ushered him into the world of showbiz.
Next would be "Barcelona: A Love Untold," his first big film (which introduced him to Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, who've become his good friends in real life). And the third was his first lead movie "Vince, Kath and James," which he said opened so many doors that eventually led him to where he is now.
Naturally, mentioning "PBB" led to a follow-up about how he would describe the Joshua who entered Kuya’s house a decade ago versus the Joshua sitting in front of the camera today. He flashed that shy smile he’s famous for, recalling Kuya’s old advice to “be a better man paglabas,” which he’s kept as a guide in handling life and fame and even the messy parts in between.
Joshua is admittedly still learning every day, still making mistakes like everyone else, but also maturing into the man he’s meant to become while staying true to being the "Tatay’s boy from Batangas” that he has always been. And if someone can vouch for his growth, it’s Kuya himself, who expressed how proud he is of Joshua during the latter's recent visit to "PBB Collab 2.0" with his “Meet, Greet & Bye” co-star Piolo Pascual.
And then he was asked what he’s most looking forward to in the next ten years. Joshua didn’t try to pretend he had everything mapped out. Many things in his life happened as surprises anyway, so he’s learned to just take things as they come.
But if he’s dreaming, then he’s dreaming big. He sets his sights on becoming a huge name in the industry—as huge as Piolo’s level of career and legacy. He said this in a way that was playful yet half-serious. Well, with his steady résumé, we just know he would get there.