Alden Richards. Image: Screengrab from YouTube/GMA Network
With all the breaks that’s coming his way, Alden Richards admitted that at one point in his show biz career, he had let fame get into his head.
During a “Fast Talk with Boy Abunda” interview, Richards opened up about how fame affected his mindset during his earlier days in the entertainment business, saying he would be a “hypocrite” to say it did not affect him.
“Fame can be toxic. Fame can overwhelm… Let’s talk about fame, hindi ka ba yumabang (Did you become arrogant)?” Abunda asked the Kapuso star.
“I would be a hypocrite, Tito Boy, if I say no. At one point of course, lahat po tayo nae-experience ‘yan. Siguro po, during the first part of my career (At one point of course, we all experienced it. I guess during the first part of my career),” Richards said in response.
Richards said that he realized that fame was getting the best of him as soon as he noticed that his loved ones were affected by how much he had changed.
“Noong na-realize ko po ‘yun Tito Boy, pati mga taong malalapit sakin ay naa-apektuhan na. Parang these people, sila dapat ‘yung huling magrereklamo sa’yo. And then, parang it hit me na baka nga ganun na,” he said.
(When I realized it, Tito Boy, even the people who are close to him were affected already. These people should be the final ones
When asked if he ever had someone tell him outright that fame indeed got in his head, Richards said there were people who were honest with him about it, although he didn’t disclose their identity.
During the interview, Richards also admitted that he doesn’t see himself quitting showbiz anytime soon, as he noted that a “huge chunk” of his salary comes from his career as an actor, although he had already been diversifying as a concert producer.
“There’s this wise man who once told me to never kill the goose that lays the golden egg, and that’s my career. A huge chunk [of my income] still comes from my job as an actor and as an artist,” he said.
“Mahal ko ang trabaho ko, hindi pa nawawala ‘yung passion ko sa kanya with all the things that’s happening right now (I love my job, my passion for it hasn’t wavered with all the things that’s happening right now),” he continued.
This year is shaping up to be a busy one for Richards as he’s the host of the GMA reality show “Battle of the Judges” which premiered last July 15.
The actor was also cast as the lead in the upcoming films “A Mother and Son’s Story” and “Five Break-ups and a Romance.” EDV