Scenes from Born on the Fourth of July shot at the Ilocos sand dunes.

Born on the Fourth of July won Oliver Stone an Academy Award for Best-Director in 1990.

Excerpts from Los Angeles-based Manila journalist Janet Susan R. Nepales’ interview with Tom Cruise:

“I still remember Laoag City in the Philippines where I had a great time filming Oliver Stone’s ‘Born on the Fourth of July,’” Tom Cruise said with a big smile when we recently interviewed him in New York for his new action-comedy movie, “Knight and Day.”

“I would love to go back to the Philippines to do another movie,” the 47-year-old superstar said. “I had wonderful memories working there.” Read the full interview on http://www.mb.com.ph

My own personal encounter with the Hollywood royalty at the Fort Ilocandia coffee shop is still vivid in my mind.