In Your Eyes: A dramatic, romantic role for Richard

MANILA, Philippines - Richard Gutierrez has done dramatic, romantic, comic, and heroic roles onscreen, both big and small. Richard has also gone offbeat, essaying horror and fantasy parts. In the upcoming movie In Your Eyes, produced by Viva and GMA, the actor plays his most serious character to date. He’s a man torn between two loves, sisters yet, portrayed by Claudine Barretto and Anne Curtis.

Richard delivers, impressing his two leading ladies and director Mac Alejandre. In the words of Anne, “I always knew Richard as the boy-next-door and the superhero. But in this movie, he turned into a real dramatic actor. He really prepared for the part.” Mac agrees wholeheartedly. Ditto Claudine who says, “Richard is a revelation.”

In Your Eyes was partly shot in Los Angeles, California, where the three stars had a chance to bond and immerse themselves in their characters. Claudine (Ciara) and Anne (Julia) are sisters caught in an unexpected love triangle with Chard (Storm). Ciara is a physical therapist in LA who devoted her life to younger sister Julia when their parents died. After years of separation, the sisters are reunited in LA when the latter got her student visa. Storm, a freelance photographer, follows Julia in LA despite a lack of definite plan.

In a move for Storm to acquire immigrant status, Julia asks him to marry Ciara, an American citizen. As Storm struggles to find his place in a foreign land, Julia chases her own dream causing them to drift apart. Meanwhile, time spent together led to an unexpected love affair between Storm and Ciara.

Is the joy of love worth the pain it brings? That is for the three main characters in In Your Eyes to answer and resolve.

Aside from the acting challenge, Richard was also “severely tested” by the love scenes — his most daring to date — with Claudine Barretto and Anne Curtis. Chard has always admired from a distance Claudine, award-winning actress and soap queen. Needless to say, Anne is near his heart and mind, being an ex-sweetheart. Still there were awkward moments at the shoot, especially the first few days and that love scene inside a car, while hitting the road. But it turned out the Richard-Anne chemistry is still there.

Also starring in the movie are Joel Torre, Maricar de Mesa, Raymond Lauchengco, Rey “PJ” Abellana, CJ Jaravata, and LA-based Leandro Muñoz.