Alden Richards says filming ‘Pulang Araw’ was an emotional experience

Alden Richards in the press conference for “Pulang Araw.” Image: Courtesy of Netflix

For Alden Richards, portraying the “untold legacies of Filipinos during World War 2” in the historical drama “Pulang Araw” was an emotional and disturbing experience, as it dawned on him how much his countrymen sacrificed for the country’s freedom.

Set during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, “Pulang Araw” tells the story of four childhood friends learning to navigate their lives while dealing with their respective traumas. Richards stars as Eduardo dela Cruz, a man who’s dedicated to protecting his sister Adelina dela Cruz (Barbie Forteza) after making a promise to his mother.

“As actors, we process our emotions and thoughts before filming scenes, regardless of how light or heavy they are. For some reason, when it comes to the torture scenes — since my character was tortured by the Japanese in a concentration camp in Fort Santiago — there’s a reality aspect. It happened,” he said at a press conference in Makati.

The actor considers himself as someone good at zoning his character on and off the camera. But the “reality aspect” in Eduardo’s story made Richards feel heavy, saying he had a moment of reflection on how much Filipinos had suffered back then.

“I asked myself if this is what Filipinos experienced back then. It’s very emotional and very disturbing. Even if we merely acted in these scenes, we feel the trauma,” he recalled. “We were in a dungeon that’s hot and filled with smoke, and we’re being tortured by the Japanese. It’s something I never knew I’d experience.”

‘Important’ drama

Touching on why “Pulang Araw” is an “important project” for Richards, the actor said one of the focal points of the drama is the “hellish” journey towards freedom.

“We were told in our story conference that whatever freedom we have and are experiencing now is because of the people who went through hell in World War 2. This is what I upheld while doing this… while doing it, it makes me more proud to be a Filipino,” he said.

Richards then pointed out that another aspect to take note of in the drama is vaudeville, a popular form of entertainment in the Philippines in the 20th century. Commonly known as “bodabil” in the country, vaudeville acts were brought in when the Americans came.

Barbie Forteza and Sanya Lopez’s characters work as vaudeville performers, where they would don short gold dresses and platform heels, to entertain audiences coming to the venue.

“Not many Filipinos knew that despite the war, performances kept going in vaudeville. While performing — regardless if sirens or bombs would be heard — the show would stop for a moment. And then performances continue,” said Richards. “They forced themselves to keep performing and live, despite what was happening around them. Until such time, the war became out of control.”

(From left) David Licauco, Alden Richards, Barbie Forteza, and Sanya Lopez in the press conference of “Pulang Araw.” Image: Courtesy of Netflix

But aside from the drama’s historical elements, Richards also revealed that “Pulang Araw” was “10 years in the making” as it had been part of GMA’s archives for a long time.

“Not everyone knows this but my boss, Ms. Annette [Gozon Valdes], told me this project was 10 years in the making. ‘Pulang Araw” has been part of GMA’s archive of concepts for a long time… a lot has changed in its story but I’m thankful they have always thought of me to be part of the cast,” he said.