More than a decade since he began his career, GMA’s most sought-after leading man continues to run his own race.

With or without a love team, the GMA actor steps up to the plate.

Alden Richards is everything you would look for in a textbook leading man: tall, good-looking, and beaming with a polite and pleasant tact. His equally famous set of dimples could make an entire nation swoon with a simple smile.

The actor revels in a constant state of buzz surrounding his name, whether about his on-screen or off-screen endeavors. Recently, “Asia’s Multimedia Star” caught the internet’s attention when photos of him jogging along Ayala Avenue went viral. It was typical internet fodder, seeing an A-list celebrity engage in an everyday task (and looking so good while doing so). For Alden, it was just him making the most out of a car-free Sunday morning.

“Right now, I’m really into fitness. [I do] CrossFit and I run a lot. I still want to do the things I [used to regularly do] despite my field of work,” he says, propped on a makeup chair. At this point in his career, the Sparkle GMA actor is well aware that he leads a life far from that of a “regular” citizen. Becoming a trending topic on the daily, for better or for worse, is part of the job description. Through the years, he’s learned to temper all of the noise, seemingly without breaking a sweat.

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Alden Richards for Preview May 2024

Warming Up

Practically the entire country bore witness to the rise of Alden Richards when he became one-half of the massively successful love team AlDub. Looking back, he’s still astonished by the overwhelming reception their little noontime show segment ended up having. “Nothing was planned. Na-shock kami. It really brought a lot of happiness to a lot of people—that’s why we kept on doing it,” he tells Preview.

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Alden was already a matinee idol by the time he was matched with Maine Mendoza in 2015. The early days of his filmography saw him jumping from one romantic pairing to the next. It was apparent that Alden’s skill set lies in being a loverboy.

However, such an endearing reputation preceded the actor at times. Since he did portray a version of himself for their Eat Bulaga skits, albeit a fictionalized one, audiences pinned certain expectations on him that didn’t click with his real-life persona. Years later, some fans have remained steadfast with their belief that Alden and Maine have a profound relationship outside of AlDub.

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“I’ve already said my piece. Maine has already said her piece about it,” Alden firmly states. This blurring between reality and fantasy may seem problematic to some, but for the actor, the best recourse was just to let people be. “If they still believe the things that they want to believe in, hindi ko na tatanggalin yun sa kanila. I keep on repeating naman talaga na wala. We have no family, we’re not married, etcetera. So, if they’re happy fantasizing about it, huwag na natin tanggalin yun. Kumbaga, just let them be.”

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The way Alden views the whole issue showcases his grasp on the industry and its intricacies. This is someone who’s studied the artista handbook down to its fine print. After more than a decade of acting, he’s developed a firm understanding of what pleases his audiences, and he’s dead set on giving them exactly that on a silver platter. It’s all part of the business of making people happy. In his case, it seems that the love team formula is still what works best.

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“Sa Filipino storytelling, ‘di naman mawawala yung romantic side,” he expresses. “Majority of my life cycle as an actor, nag-revolve around love teams. Depende kasi sa writer kung ano yung magiging bida ng story. And, kami as actors, it’s our obligation to make that happen. We help them materialize it.”

Changing the Game

In 2019, three or so years after his last split-screen interaction with Yaya Dub, Alden signed onto Hello, Love, Goodbye, a project that, unbeknownst to him, would become a career-defining move. The film was a risk in more ways than one. For starters, it was his first time to cross the pond between networks and make a movie with Star Cinema. Secondly, he was teamed up with Kathryn Bernardo, who was already a blockbuster movie-making machine at that point.

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Alden looks back at the whole enterprise with humility, acknowledging that things were significantly more at risk for his co-star. “Hindi pa ako nakakagawa ng ganoon karaming movies before Hello, Love, Goodbye. Kathryn has done a lot of blockbuster films already [by that time]. I had none of that.”

Alden, of course, still had his own anxieties about the project. “‘Yung kaba ko was abot langit to the moon and back,” he candidly expresses. If things didn’t pan out in their favor, he knew he would be the first person to blame. “What if mag-fail? It was really a make-or-break [moment] for me,” he says. “People are very vicious with criticism. Doon ako pinaka kabado. Baka all of the blame would be put on me.”

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In past interviews, Alden has described his happy-go-lucky character of Ethan as his complete opposite. The actor admits that he’s prone to overthinking and prefers mulling over his decisions before saying yes. He thinks in the long term, which reflects in how he chooses to expand his filmography.

“Madaling gumawa ng script, madaling magkwento. But in every project that I take, I always look at the long-term plans for it. Hindi yung [hanggang dito] lang. Kasi ganoon tayo lagi. Huwag yung [hanggang dito] lang. Huwag in the moment. Huwag short-term. Kasi sayang yung efforts e,” he shares.

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Fast forward to five years since its premiere, Hello, Love, Goodbye dispelled any worries Alden had. The romantic drama went on to become the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time, a record it held until January 2024. At the 2019 Seoul International Drama Awards, it granted Alden the highly-regarded Asian Star Prize. They gambled a lot for this movie but also cashed in just as much and more.

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With this success came the birth of yet another love team for Alden. The KathDen craze was real during the film’s initial roll-out. For many viewers, it was refreshing to see two stars from rival networks form a natural chemistry to portray such relatable characters. “I was actually surprised [with] how people reacted to [us],” Alden says. “I don’t want to be the first person to say a lot of things about it, but I’m glad that it’s being received well.”

As it turns out, the clamor for more KathDen projects extends even beyond Ethan and Joy’s world. Netizens went wild when a clip of Alden gifting Kathryn a bouquet of flowers and a Baccarat box spread online. And amidst all of the tabloid headlines speculating about a budding romance between the two off-cam, Alden keeps his cool.

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“The friendship never ended. Naging solid din talaga yung samahan naming lahat [when we were filming]. And right now, I’m just quite overwhelmed,” he shares. “Whatever is happening between Kath and I, I really want it to be personal.”

But will we at least get another helping of their on-screen bond in a heavily-requested sequel? Will Ethan and Joy finally get their happily ever after? Alden neither confirms nor denies, so everyone will just have to wait and see.

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Stepping Up to the Plate

AlDub and KathDen are two prime examples of a uniquely Filipino phenomenon called the love team. It can be argued that Pinoys are intrinsically sentimental people, so latching on to the idea that two people are meant to be, both on-screen and IRL, comes naturally. Alden thinks that “it makes them believe [that] good things can happen [in their lives]. We [Filipinos] cling on to things that have an emotional effect on us.”

Alden is also aware of how the trope has been challenged, both by viewers and his fellow actors. In recent reports, some personalities have come forward with their regrets and criticisms of the love team formula. As someone who’s experienced being in more than one romantic pairing throughout his career, Alden views the love team with more grace.

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“It’s kind of disappointing to hear [whenever others say they] ‘regret’ being a part of [a love team],” he states. “I think more than regret, you should actually be grateful that you were in a love team or, at least, be grateful for the support that you got from it—[especially if] you wouldn’t be where you are right now [without the love team].”

While Alden understands that the stories we tell have to be “globally present” in a way, he also highlights the importance of giving Filipinos what they know. “That’s how the industry started. Yun na yung nakasanayan natin. Pwede siyang baguhin, pero hindi mo siya tatanggalin. I mean, it has been part of our lives for the longest time,” he adds.

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An inclination to make people happy has been a running theme throughout Alden’s life. In fact, he wouldn’t have become the thespian he is today if it weren’t for his mom, whose pleas he wanted to fulfill. Nowadays, he knows and honors what viewers want to see from him, which, more often than not, is a swoon-worthy romance. Call it fan service if you want, but the guy’s dedicated to always serving his audiences one way or another.

With the emotional toll the task must take on him, it leads one to wonder how he switches from one character to the next without ever growing attached. How does he avoid mixing them up with the inner Alden—the Alden that doesn’t have a “love team” per se, but still has just as much wanting to fill those around him with joy?

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Upon posing the question, he turns towards me, offers a slight grin—flashing his fabled dimples in the process—and says, “That’s the thing. You don’t get attached.”

He explains, detailing how his fictional personas only exist within two words. “Kapag narinig ko yung ‘action,’ I forget myself. I [become] the character, and [I revert back to myself] when I hear the word ‘cut.’ Binigyan ko ng authority yung words na ‘action’ and ‘cut.’ That’s why I don’t really get attached to my characters.”

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Getting into a character has the same difficulty as getting out of it, according to Alden. Whatever type of character he has to inhabit next, he’s set on establishing himself as someone that’s 100% dedicated to his craft.

“I’m really more of an actor than a celebrity,” he states. “Yes, of course, yung pagiging celebrity is part of all of this, but for me, yung acting, I think that’s what really matters most. And that’s what keeps me going every day.”

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There’s an optimism in his voice when he talks about the stories he wants to tell, and how he yearns for whatever he does to be relevant and helpful to the world today. Seeing those around him be happy is what makes him happy. It’s a trait he possesses even when he’s not in front of any cameras.

When it comes down to it, Alden has always been a solo act. The way he approaches his craft is singular to him and him alone. The genuine altruism, coupled with his passion for acting, and, yes, his undeniable good looks, are what makes him the Alden Richards people can’t help but talk about. No matter what changes the industry goes through, or what hurdles come his way, he’s one to always step up to the plate.

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