Alden Richards takes director’s chair, partners with new leading ladies this 2024
MANILA, Philippines — If 2023 was a busy year for Family of Two star Alden Richards, 2024 is poised to be even busier.
Alden, who just turned 32 last Jan. 2, is set to explore new onscreen partnerships, as well as step behind the cameras. One of his goals this new year is to work with more actors beyond his Kapuso home network.
In an interview during his recent thanksgiving party for the press, he expressed openness to working with Hello, Love, Goodbye co-star Kathryn Bernardo again, as well as with Batang Quiapo star and director Coco Martin.
“Of course, Hello, Love, Goodbye really made history, and that’s what the viewers clamored for — to have a Part 2. I am ready anytime because that’s what I told direk Cathy (Garcia-Sampana) when she talked to me,” he said of the 2019 romance-drama that went on to become the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time. “I said, ‘Direk, if you decide on a Part 2, I will cancel all my schedules. Let’s make it.’ But then again, that decision is really up to Star Cinema because they are the producer and they own the (IP) intellectual property rights to the film.”
Alden also addressed reports of possibly working with Coco, who happens to be the boyfriend of Julia Montes, the Kapuso actor’s leading lady in his 2023 movie, Five Break-Ups and A Romance, directed by Irene Villamor.
“Perhaps next year, since after Five Break-Ups and A Romance, the connection with Julia and Coco seemed to just happen suddenly. I told Juls that I’m surprised by Boss Coco because it feels like he has known me for a long time when we talk,” shared Alden.
“Really, the advice he gives me, especially when it comes to producing, directing, and acting at the same time, is very guided since he’s been through it. So, the idea was brought up that maybe (we can collaborate) because he really wants us to have a project together. I said, ‘Okay, Boss Coco, i-MMFF lang natin yan next year (2024),’ and he said he’s game.”
After starring for the first time together in the ongoing MMFF entry, Family of Two, Alden hinted at another collab with his onscreen mom Sharon Cuneta.
In the film written by Mel Mendoza-del Rosario and directed by Nuel Crisostomo, Alden plays a concerned only son attempting to find a lifetime partner for his widowed mother (Sharon), as he himself discovers love and plans to follow his girlfriend (MMFF 2023 Best Supporting Actress Miles Ocampo) abroad. The movie is produced by CINEKO Productions, owned by Pandi, Bulacan Mayor Enrico Roque, and Bulacan, Bulacan Mayor Patrick Meneses.
“Parang may sinusulat na nga,” Alden said of a possible follow-up project. “It’s Tita Mel din po but it’s still a surprise. But, for sure, there’s one after this film. Sana po payag mga boss mayor natin na that I will co-produce, that I can come in as co-producer.”
Meanwhile, more concrete plans in the pipeline include first-time films with Anne Curtis and Heaven Peralejo.
He revealed, “Something is being cooked up for Anne Curtis and me. It’s a bit of a futuristic drama concept. Parang direk Irene Villamor din ito. Anne will just finish her film with direk Erik Matti. It’s a GMA Public Affairs production. When Anne and I talked, she already knew about it, so right now, she’s just prioritizing and finishing her other projects first.”
His upcoming film with Heaven, on the other hand, marks his directorial debut. It’s produced under Viva and designed for streaming. While currently mentioned online as Out of Order, the actor said that it’s just the working title, awaiting guidance from Viva boss Vic del Rosario. He added that it won’t be on Vivamax but most likely on Netflix or Amazon Prime Video.
Offering more details about the film, he said, “When we proposed po to Viva, line production, they said yes. But they gave us full control to do everything, from scripting to cast and shoot locations.
“And then when I said I’ll be directing it, they also agreed. So the story came first before the cast. The only thing certain during the brainstorming was my role as lead in the film. Then eventually, as a courtesy to Viva and GMA, we asked for a list of actors who could star in the film, and from the choices, the team agreed that we should give Heaven a chance for this film.
“True enough, when we finished the film, her acting had a different grit. May dating (she has presence) and she knows what she’s doing. When I presented the concept to her, the next day, I was surprised because, as we were just planning to schedule an immersion at the QC Hall of Justice, she had already done her personal immersion at the San Juan Hall of Justice.
“We need actors like that because they really focus on the project, and they don’t treat it as just fly-by-night projects.”
He’s also returning to television via the primetime teleserye Pulang Araw alongside Sanya Lopez, Barbie Forteza, and David Licauco, scheduled for filming this month.
“What I’m excited about in this ensemble project is the story we’re going to tell. The setting is World War 2, and during the story conference, it was the first time in my 13 years that I saw direk Dom Zapata cry while presenting. Ganun kabigat sa kanya yung concept, and that’s when I realized that if not for the sacrifices of Filipinos during World War 2, we wouldn’t be experiencing the freedom we have now. This is actually one of the most important teleseryes for 2024.”
Having a preview of what to expect next from Alden, it’s not hard to see how he’s become more proactive in pursuing projects and taking charge of his career. Asked by The STAR if this shift was intentional, he explained, “Parang before ‘di ba maintindihan naman din po ako siguro ng nakakarami dito na, of course, as you grow older, you learn things and develop specific skill sets and certain discernment that you know what fits you best. I’m at that point of my career na nandun na ako sa self-preservation stage. It’s not really full control eh but more of collaboration like how can we make it better? Paano natin magagawa ng maayos yung story na win-win pareho?”
As an artist, it has been liberating. “It’s liberating, it’s empowering,” he added.
“I hope more actors and artists will be encouraged to become more involved because I have to admit at first, when I entered (showbiz), dahil lumaki po ako sa hirap nandun ako sa pera ng showbiz. But as I went along, in the third, fourth, fifth year, dun ko natutunan i-value na. Then na in love na ako ng todo.
“Then, I’m also at that stage na parang pagbalik sa industriya… it’s my way of giving things to people who have helped me in my career,” said Alden, who also became the youngest member of the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation, Inc. board last year.
A turning point that led to his present approach to his career was when he underwent depression, which he had mentioned in past interviews but without going into detail.
“I prayed. But, you know, sometimes we have prayers that aren’t heard. It’s meant to happen. Those are the things I read in my daily devotional, that the Lord will give it to you because you need to go through it, and you need to learn something from that hardship,” said Alden.
“That’s why no matter how much you pray, sometimes it doesn’t go away. I was tired to the point that I lost interest in everything back then, during the first three months. But now, after that, the realization opened up that the reason I experienced this is for me to appreciate more the things that come my way.”
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