Alden on the road to becoming a leading man

MANILA, Philippines - The stars seem to be finally aligning for Alden Richards.

Who would have thought that a walk-in audition for an afternoon soap would take Alden from being just one of many hopefuls to becoming one of GMA 7’s promising young stars?

Since taking on the role of Joma in Alakdana, Alden has had to do some adjustments in his life.

“Let’s start with the finance, with my budget!” he says. Since his stint in the afternoon soap, Alden has saved up enough to buy a car. He adds, “I’ve also made small investments; and I’ve been saving more now.”

When it comes to going out in public, Alden says people recognize him now. “They remember me from seeing me on television.” Unlike some of his fellow actors, Alden is basking in the limelight. “It’s hard,” he admits. “But it’s fun, and it’s worth the effort you put into it. Because at the end of the day, you’re the winner.”

After Alakdana, instead of casting Alden in a new television project, the GMA Network bosses took a different path with his career.

Seeing how well he connected with Alakdana co-star Louise delos Reyes, Alden was roped into one of the network’s successful Tween brand, through Tween Academy: Class of 2012. With a successful afternoon program under his belt, and the performance he showed in his first movie, GMA Films saw a different potential in Alden. They saw him as someone bankable. And so, he was cast in The Road, and Ang Panday 2.

“I’m happy, because (they’re) big projects,” Alden says. “It’s uncommon for beginners to be given a chance to star in films that are this big. I’m very happy, very blessed that the network gave me the chance to be part of these movies.”

Alden admits being pressured before the principal photography of The Road started.

“I was worried, thinking I might not be able to meet director Yam Laranas’ expectations,” he shares. “I didn’t know how to please someone like him.”

But Alden persisted, saying he just kept working hard. “The passion I had for what I was doing, that became my drive to do better, to do good — to please everyone.”

The Road gave a lot of firsts to Alden, including his first time to work with Rhian Ramos. He admits that he did feel a little restrained during his first taping day with her. “It’s my first project to work with her, so there were some walls that had to be broken.”

And though they have met before their first day together, Alden shares that it’s still different when you have to act together. They still had to adjust to each other. He adds that he just had to stop overthinking it, “I just had to let my character go.”

After The Road, Alden will be seen in Ang Panday 2, a Metro Manila Film Festival entry from GMA Films and IMUS Productions. Panday is his first MMFF movie.

“I enjoyed filming both movies,” he says. “Ang Panday 2 is for the Metro Manila Film Fest. And I’m starring alongside the likes of Sen. Bong Revilla Jr., Marian Rivera, Tito Eddie Garcia. So this isn’t a joke.”

What should people expect from Alden in 2012?

“Hopefully, more projects; and more endorsements,” he says, adding that these are just some of the things he’s praying for. He’s willing to prove that he has what it takes to make a mark in the industry. “I’m not assuring them. I will do my best to show them a different Alden in every project.”

Alden is set out to do two things: Establish himself as a Kapuso leading man, and “an award-winning actor.” The latter was a goal he recently achieved at the 2011 Golden Screen Awards for Television by the Entertainment Press Society, Inc.