Richard Gutierrez: A chip off the old block

It‘s an offer too good to resist. So Richard Gutierrez succumbed. Now, he feels as excited as a child examining his shiny new toy.

The reason: he has been cast as Lorna Tolentino and Christopher de Leon’s weak, rebellious teenager in Regal Films’ Metro Filmfest entry, Mano Po 2. It’s a meaty, serious role for which Richard has mixed feelings: joy and nervousness.

Joy, because the role will challenge him no end. Nervousness, because it casts him with such acting greats like Lorna Tolentino, Susan Roces, Christopher de Leon, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Jay Manalo, Alessandra de Rossi and Cogie Domingo.

In the movie, Richard resents the way his traditional Chinese parents frown on his Filipina girlfriend (played by Chynna Ortaleza). Goodbye, boy-next-door roles, hello, meaty, challenging character roles?

How Richard wishes he has a magic wand that will give him a steady stream of character roles like the one he’s getting as Erickson in the movie.

Mother Lily is confident Richard, 19, can be one of her next most important young stars. She knows in her guts that, just like his father, Eddie Gutierrez, Richard will transcend his pretty boy looks to emerge as an actor of note.

So grind the cameras did for this sequel of last year’s highly-successful film.

Director Erik Matti can’t emphasize enough how important Richard’s role is.

"He represents the youth in general in Mano Po 2," said Matti. "Richard also represents the contemporary Filipino youth’s search for identity in the context of the Filipino-Chinese experience. I am asking for no less than a compelling performance from him."

For starters, Richard got a lot of help from Lorna, who guided him on such basic things as blocking, pacing, etc. He also studied Mandarin, the language of his character.

But, as it is in most cases, the rest of the ballgame is for him to play. Making the role more challenging is the fact that it does not approximate anything in Richard’s rose-tinted true-to-life experiences. His mother, Annabelle Rama, for instance, is not as strict as she was with older sister Ruffa when it comes to Richard’s choice for a sweetheart.

"Her only admonition for me is, never get a girl pregnant," Richard reveals. Thankfully, he has kept that promise so far. Besides, he knows it will change his life in ways he never imagined it would.

The guy seems to have a good head on his shoulders. For one, he knows that he will get more of life if he lives on his own. Thus, Richard told his parents he wants to live in a one-room bachelor’s pad, away from the White Plains home of his childhood.

Dad agreed right away, but Mom hemmed and hawed. But she was prevailed upon in the end.

Now, Richard is planning for his first foray away from home, actually his first shot at independence.

"Living alone will allow me to have control over my schedule," he ticks off. Translation: he can come and go as he pleases, without Mom’s eagle eyes hovering over him.

Lest anyone start getting ideas though, Richard vows he’ll keep his hands clean of trouble. Like he doesn’t plan to bring girls over, even if he’ll only have a cook and driver for company.

He got a lot of warning from Dad. "He told me showbiz has a lot of temptations, so I avoid them right off the bat," says Richard, who is also in GMA 7’s Click and Love to Love.

Besides, he has so many things to think of in the meantime. High on his list is his career.

"I want to explore different love teams," he muses. "I also want to be versatile, to try different roles."

He will be back playing boy-next-door in Kuya, where his character gets involved in the lives of his friends.

Richard aims high. And he’s not wasting time, imposing a deadline for himself to reach his dreams.

"I want to have my own place and business by the time I reach 25," he declares. "In fact, I already have some ideas about the business."

That’s why all his hard-earned money from two years of showbiz work is in the bank, being readied for that big day when he will plunk it in a worthy investment.

Oh, and he also has the wanderlust. "I want to see the world," he reveals. But he‘s not depriving himself of some toys guys his age indulge in. After his Expedition, Richard is looking at a two-door Mercedes to drive around in. He’s also studying the possibility of taking up car racing as a hobby.

Richard Gutierrez knows he has a lot of work to do. But he’s not depriving himself of the occasional fun young like him are entitled to. He works hard, but plays hard, too.

No wonder he has no regrets giving up a normal teenager’s life for showbiz. He knows how to play the high-profile game his parents handed down to him. Who says youth is wasted on the young?