Richard dishes about his ‘rock star’ dad, ‘loving’ mom, and hurdling the hard times with Sarah

Richard Gutierrez and son Zion —ESQUIRE

Taking a hiatus from show biz worked wonders for Richard Gutierrez. The sabbatical energized him.

He’s now an improved version of himself—and it shows. What better way to make a comeback than by moving to another network—ABS-CBN—and landing a major role in a hit TV series?

Richard, who portrays a vampire in “La Luna Sangre,” is all revved up for the latest chapter in his career. The former Kapuso star is set to outdo himself as a Kapamilya.

Here’s my chat with Richard:

What made you move to ABS-CBN? I got an offer from the network at the perfect time in my life. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. I took a break and felt refreshed. I was able to spend time with my family and watch my son Zion grow.

What did you learn from your GMA 7 stint? The network gave me plenty of opportunities to grow as an artist. I learned the ropes in teleseryes and moviemaking—which taught me to be more collaborative.

How has Sarah (Lahbati) changed you? From the five years that Sarah and I have been together, I can say that I’ve grown as a man. We’ve been through hard times together. She always tells me to be thankful, even for the little things. Never take things for granted. She turned me into a homebody, so I don’t party as much as I used to.

How do you and Sarah resolve arguments? Instead of arguing, we talk about things in a calm manner. Listening is very important.

What’s the craziest thing that you and Sarah have done together? We are avid scuba divers. We once went to Fiji Islands to swim with tiger and bull sharks in a cage-free environment. That was awesome!

What’s the best and toughest part of being a Gutierrez? The best part about being a Gutierrez is the support system you get from the family. The toughest part is living under a microscope.

Tell us about the soft side of your mom. Yes, she’s tough, especially when you mess with her kids—but, underneath her fearlessness is a loving and God-fearing person. She loves to help people.

In what ways are you like your dad, and in what ways are you different? My dad and I put family on top of our priorities. We both like staying at home and relaxing with the family. But, when it comes to adventures, that’s where we’re different—he’s not into extreme activities. My dad sings like a rock star, but I’m not a very good singer.

Helping hand from noontime show

Through “Eat Bulaga’s” EBest Awards, scholarship grants are given to students who don’t have the means to continue their education. The noontime show still supports 35 college scholars from different provinces. Its other endeavors: The EB Classroom Project, EB Heroes, the Isang Lapis, Isang Papel Project, and the construction of 10 “AlDub” public libraries.