Alden vs evil: Everybody has a dark side—and I’m no exception

Richards is Victor Magtanggol

Alden Richards fights bad guys in all shapes and sizes in his dream-come-true action series, “Victor Magtanggol,” which debuts on GMA 7 tonight. The 26-year-old heartthrob says he cherishes the opportunity to play a superhero whose heart is attuned to the needs of the Filipino people he’s sworn to protect from all types of evil.

While his wholesome, take-home-to-momma appeal is devoid of phony pretension, Alden admits that even he has his share of demons, not unlike the troubled teen he portrayed to chilling perfection in Yam Laranas’ acclaimed 2011 chiller, “The Road.”

He muses, “I’ve been in show biz for almost 10 years now, and the common perception is that I’m too good to be true. They’d say, ‘Pa-bad boy ka naman!’ I don’t think kindness is a liability. Look, I refuse to be someone I’m not, just to appeal to a certain group of people.

“But, everybody has a dark side—and I’m no exception. Mine has always been there lurking inside me; I just don’t let it show. Minsan, it comes out, at nakikita ng mga taong malalapit sa akin, but I manage it well. I use it in a good way and channel it to inform my creativity and artistic endeavors as an actor.”

Another little-known personality trait that Alden unapologetically embraces is his being a neat freak: “When I was young, I was the ‘weird’ kid who would keep everything clean and tidy,” he enthuses. “I have a self-diagnosed OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) personality (laughs)—and I see nothing wrong with it.”

Actioner

In his TV actioner, Alden channels that “obsession” by training hard—he works out a lot, eats healthy, sleeps early and has learned parkour—to look right for the role. He needs to be agile and limber to fit into his hefty costume, which requires an eight-minute fitting.
But, there’s more to “Victor Magtanggol” than its crowd-drawing superhero angle, Alden stresses.

“The story has a lot of heart,” Alden explains. “Victor’s story will remind viewers of the hard work and sacrifices of Filipinos working abroad. Many of them juggle two or three jobs just to give their cash-strapped families back home a fighting chance—and a good future.

“The series is about a son who will do anything for his friends and family—a distinctly Pinoy trait. I play someone who looks for his mom (Coney Reyes), then he finds her living with another man. She left her family with nothing. Victor’s circumstances may be different, but he seems like he’s been tailor-made for me. Women make a beeline for his attention, but his priority lies somewhere else.”

Alden Richards

Like Thor and the other colorful characters of the Norse mythology, which inspires the action series, Victor can conjure up lightning and thunder, and he’ll eventually learn to fly with the help of his hammer.

Not confrontational

When we asked Alden if he would hit his naysayers with Thor’s Mjölnir (hammer), his answer came with a chuckle: “I’ve learned to let inconsequential things slide. Most hecklers just seek attention, anyway.”

Alden isn’t confrontational but, like Victor, he doesn’t mind talking things over “para tapos agad ang issue.” “But right timing is important,” he points out. “You can’t force someone who refuses to listen. You won’t be able to fix anything ’pag hindi bukal sa loob.”

When he finds a controversial issue upsetting, Alden says he has a strong support group he confides in other than his family, like Kristoffer Martin, Bea Binene and Rodjun Cruz, as well as “Eat Bulaga’s” Dabarkads, who include AlDub’s kookier other-half, Maine Mendoza.

“You can’t have a measure of success without its negative aspects,” Alden rationalizes. “I choose to focus on the positive kasi nabiktima na ako ng negativity when I started taking caustic comments seri ously. You’ll just be digging a deeper grave if you allow yourself to get affected by all the bashing.”

As for the AlDub tandem in hiatus, Alden sees the “break” as an opportunity for growth and exploration. “Maine and I are weighing our options and trying out new things,” he says. “But our fans need not worry. Sooner or later, we’ll eventually reunite, and when that happens, the Alden and Maine they see will be better and more mature.”

2nd major concert

For the meantime, the matinee idol is busy preparing for “Alden: Adrenaline Rush,” his second major concert at the Kia Theatre on Sept. 21. Another source of excitement is Alden’s upcoming album, which will feature a lineup of mostly original songs.

“I recorded a lot of covers in my previous albums, but my latest collection will have original ballads and upbeat numbers. I’m dedicating my revival of Steven Curtis Chapman’s ‘I Will Be Here’ (the carrier single) to my grandparents, who are always there to guide me.”