Kung ano siya noon, ganoon pa rin siya ngayon.
Ask those close to Alden Richards and they will tell you that stardom hasn’t changed him at all (except perhaps for his sleeping habits since he’s on TV Monday thru Sunday, six days on Eat, Bulaga! and the seventh day on Sunday PINASaya).
Avel Bacudio is among those who know Alden well because he has been dressing up Alden for more than three years now since Alden was launched as endorser for Boardwalk.
“I am close to several stars doon sa kabilang channel and Alden is one of the few that I know from the Talent Center (of the Kapuso network GMA),” said Avel who has just come back from mounting successful shows in San Francisco and Paris. “Iba siya. What he was then, he still is now that he’s very popular. Ngayon, mas lalo siyang mapagpakumbaba. Napakabait na bata.”
There are stars and there are stars (most of them develop amnesia at the first taste of even a semblance of success), and then there’s Alden, one of the very few who stay grounded and level-headed despite the public adulation.
“As I said, I know so many stars but Alden is one of a kind,” added Avel who himself has remained humble despite being a big name in his own field. “When you see him, he’s the first to greet you, ‘Kumusta na?’ Nakaka-alala siya. Nakakataba ng puso, di ba?”
Not many people probably know that Avel suffers from retinal detachment caused by a bad fall when he was a child, that’s why he is partially visually-challenged. He has undergone surgery once and, even if his vision continues to deteriorate (“Tumataas nang tumataas ang grado ng mata ko”), eye doctors told him that he couldn’t have another one. That’s why Avel decided to pursue an advocacy to help the blind.
“I asked Alden to help me and I did it only through texting,” said Avel. “Agad-agad, he texted back, ‘Ano ‘yon, ‘pare? Ikaw pa!’ No further question. Kaagad niyang isinuot ‘yung sweatshirt na ginawa ko. He’s easy to dress up. Kahit anong T-shirt ang ipasuot mo sa kanya, ang bangu-bango niyang tingnan. He’s very comfortable in casuals.”
Initially, Avel did a limited edition of his Advocacy sweatshirt until more orders were placed. Now, he’s releasing more ($75 per for the global market) including an Alden Richards Edition (AldenxAvelxAdvocacy…AAA) at affordable prices so that Alden fans can avail of them. (Check out aveldesigns.com)
“How many shirts have I done for Alden so far? Hindi ko na mabilang,” laughed Avel. “He has his own line of clothes for Boardwalk.”
Like Avel, Alden worked hard for what he’s enjoying now, patiently waiting for the right time — “Sa tamang panahon,” as Wally Bayola’s kalyeserye character Lola Nidora aptly puts it. As everybody knows, Alden lingered on the wings for three years, not attracting much notice even if he was doing lead roles (as Dr. Jose Rizal in Ilustrado and as Regine Velasquez’s co-host in the talent search Bet ng Bayan, until the Eat, Bulaga! AlDub kalyeserye catapulted him to overnight stardom.
“Through the years, wala kang makikitang yabang sa kanya,” said Avel. “Now, even if he is tired, he poses for selfies with fans. Lahat gusto niyang pagbigyan. A few days ago when I saw Alden, he asked me to have selfie with him. ‘Halika, share tayo sa jacket ko!’ He’s still as casual as ever, nakikipag-lokohan pa rin sa akin. The higher he goes, the more down-to-earth he becomes. He’s in good hands. His manager Gigi Santiago-Lara and Daryl Zamora (senior manager in GMA Artist Center) are taking good care of him that’s why he’s well-behaved.”
Incidentally, Alden and Yaya Dub/Maine Mendoza have already started shooting for My Pabebe Love which is co-produced by Vic Sotto (who stars in it with Ai-Ai delas Alas) and Tony “Mr. T” Tuviera (head of the APT Productions with which Alden is under contract) for the Metro Filmfest in December.
“I’m happy for Alden whom I call my Little Brother,” concluded Avel. “ He’s a good boy. He deserves everything that he’s enjoying now.”
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