Do we like James Reid?
Our score: 6 out of 10. We found no harm and some decent conduct, but little on his views, so this is a cautious yes rather than a cheer.
James Reid is a Filipino-Australian singer and actor, and the Philippines is where his career has played out. The big news this year is a return to primetime television after about a decade away from teleseryes. He says he never ruled a comeback out and waited until it felt right.
The messiest chapter is the split from his old business partner at his label, Careless Music. Reid has said publicly that Jeffrey Oh tricked him and owes him more than 100 million pesos. He also said an audit by his lawyer found contract problems and missing paperwork. Those are Reid's claims, and the article we read carries no response from Oh.
On how he treats people, the picture is human rather than villainous. When fans blamed a woman for the end of his past relationship, he pushed back and said she wasn't involved, then asked fans to move on. He's also said he won't revive an old on-screen love team out of respect for his current partner. Sceptics can call that image management, but he's the one standing up for her in public.
Under the gossip, the story is a bloke who built his own independent label and took a long break to focus on his music. Now he's easing back into acting. He says he's in a good place and very happy with everything. The good-works list is thin: we couldn't confirm any charity work from a page we could open.