Why Benjie Paras is glad to be in ‘Royal Blood’

CEBU, Philippines — Retired basketball legend and actor Benjie Paras was in Cebu last weekend as one of the mentors in the Visayas leg of GMA Masterclass: The Sports Series held August 5 at the Lapu-Lapu City Auditorium and attended by young aspiring basketball players.

“It’s good that there is an event set up like this, especially in the provinces. I am so happy that I am part of this and that I can give inspiration to potential players,” he told The FREEMAN.

Dubbed The Tower of Power, Paras taught participants the basics in dribbling, passing, shooting, and running on the court. Among the questions he’s now come to expect is how to defend and shoot if one is facing a bigger opponent.

“During my time, there were five positions in basketball – two guards, two forwards, and one center. Players would always stick to those positions. Nowadays, they don’t have a ‘big man’ anymore. Everyone can dribble, shoot from the outside, and can fast break which is a big advantage,” shared Paras on how Philippine basketball has changed since his prime.

Asked for his advice to basketball players who also hope to pursue showbiz and stay for as long as he’s had, Paras pointed out that both crafts require the same level of dedication.

“You need to undergo workshops and watch films as much as you can so you can adapt and learn from it,” he said.

Paras is currently seen on GMA Network’s primetime whodunit “Royal Blood”, where he plays Otep, the most trusted friend of lead star Dingdong Dantes’ Napoy. This is his reunion project with the Kapuso Primetime King after 18 years.

“I am so happy to be reunited with Dingdong Dantes. The last time we were together was the first ‘Enchantadia’ series in 2005,” he said of why he jumped at the chance to be cast in the murder mystery series. “Secondly, it has a good script. Until now, nobody can predict who the killer is.”

As someone who works closely with Dantes, Paras revealed that the top actor is someone who is always willing to lend a hand. “If someone has a problem that he knows, he can help you and he will talk to you,” he shared.

For an actor whose comfort zone is comedy, how does he tackle drama-oriented projects like “Royal Blood”? “If I have a crying scene, I always imagine scenarios that affected me greatly,” he said. “That’s actually the hardest part, because you need to recall bad memories.”

Paras is waiting for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to commence its 99th season as he will be one of the broadcast panelists with his son Andre who is currently in the GMA Afternoon Prime series “Abot-Kamay na Pangarap.” His other celebrity son, Kobe, is on a break from basketball after playing in Japan for two years.