(From left) Alden Richards, John Lloyd Cruz, Annette Gozon-Valdes. Images: Instagram/@aldenrichards02, Instagram/@johnlloydcruz83, Screengrab from YouTube/GMA Network
GMA senior vice president Annette Gozon-Valdes once again vouched for Alden Richards’ acting prowess as she recalled the time when she asked that he be included in the network’s talent roster because his acting reminded her of John Lloyd Cruz.
Gozon-Valdes said this in an interview with Boy Abunda on his “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” program, which was uploaded on GMA’s YouTube channel on Monday, July 10, where she looked back at Richards’ earlier days in showbiz, saying she was the one who convinced Sparkle to take a chance on him.
Richards is celebrating his 12th year in show business this year.
“I was really so touched when Alden [Richards] ay talagang kinu-kwento sa lahat, kinu-kwento sa amin kung paano hindi niya malilimutan, kung paano mo siya pinaglaban sa GMA. Sabi niya, ‘When nobody believed in me,’” Abunda told the Kapuso executive.
(I was really so touched when Alden Richards told everyone that he wouldn’t forget how much you’ve fought for him to be part of GMA. He said, “When nobody believed in me.”)
“May picture pa ako nu’n eh, ‘yung panel screening sa conference room lang tapos votation ‘yun tapos paglabas, hindi siya kasama, sabi ko, ‘Bakit? Eh mataas siya, siya ‘yung number one ko (I have a picture of that moment, it was a panel screening at a conference room where there was a votation of potential stars. When it came out, he wasn’t there. So, I asked, ‘Why? He has high potential. He’s my number one’),’” she said in response, recalling her conversation with Sparkle headhunters, who would then send her recorded messages from other Sparkle stars such as Barbie Forteza, Ruru Madrid, Miguel Tanfelix, and Julie Anne San Jose.
The GMA executive then urged the network to include Richards in its roster of talents, saying he reminded her of Cruz.
“Sabi kasi, ‘Hindi eh. Parang walang…’ Sabi ko, ‘Hindi! Nakikita ko sa kanya, parang John Lloyd [Cruz] ‘yan eh,’ ‘Yan pa sinabi ko noong time na ‘yun. So parang nakita ko agad ‘yung depth niya as an actor,” she said.
(They said, “No. It’s like he doesn’t have any…” I said, “No! I see John Lloyd Cruz in him. I even mentioned that at the time. I immediately saw his depth as an actor.)
Gozon-Valdes also praised the “Victor Magtanggol” star’s “voice quality,” as she added that she’s happy to be “proven correct” to push for the former to be considered as an actor.
“Ang ganda ng voice quality, malalim so buti naman, I was proven correct na karapat-dapat si Alden sa showbiz,” she added.
(His voice quality is nice, deep so it’s a good thing, that I was proven correct that Alden deserves to be in showbiz
During the interview, the GMA executive said Richards is busy with “co-producing” and his many “business ventures” at the moment.
“Aside from maintaining what he has, he is co-producing. He has a lot of business ventures, nabubuo niya talaga ang pagkatao niya in the showbiz industry (he’s forming his own identity in the showbiz industry),” he said.
Richards will be starring in the upcoming films “Five Break-ups and a Romance” with Julia Montes, and “A Mother and Son’s Story” with Sharon Cuneta, which is included in the 49th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). He is best known for his films “Hello, Love, Goodbye” and “Imagine You and Me.” EDV