Paolo Gumabao shares prayer for dad Dennis Roldan

“The reason why I talked to my parents to let me come to the Philippines, (was) because in my mind, I knew that I can be an actor although I didn’t know at that time how I was going to do that or how I was going to make it happen. It was just in my mind the whole time,” said Paolo Gumabao on wanting to leave Taiwan to stay in the Philippines when he was 13 years old.

Perhaps, what most people only know about Paolo is that he is the son of former basketball player and actor Dennis Roldan (Mitchell Gumabao in real life) and the half-brother of celebrity siblings Michele and Marco Gumabao.

Paolo was born in the Philippines but raised in Taiwan by his mom Sheryl Sorreta and adoptive Taiwanese dad Pao Chen. He was named Paul Chen and grew up without any inkling that his Taiwanese father was not his biological dad.

When he arrived in the Philippines, Paolo initially stayed with his grandmother in Virac, Catanduanes so that he could learn to adjust to the Filipino way of life before settling in Manila to study.

He recalled that while playing basketball in the province, the commentator would always mention the name Dennis Roldan whenever he would score. “And I was like, ‘Dennis Roldan? Sino ‘yun? Naiisip ko baka may kamukha lang akong artista or PBA player kaya sinasabi nila,” he shared during our chat on The Interviewer Presents of Boy Abunda Talk Channel on YouTube. (Please subscribe to my channel if you are not yet subscribed.)

His curiosity was piqued when Paolo’s childhood sweetheart asked if he was familiar with Dennis Roldan. “Sabi ko hindi ko kilala. Tapos sabi n’ya gusto mo search natin? So, we went to the computer shop because there were no smartphones yet, so we googled Dennis Roldan and that was the first time I saw his face. Sabi ko, weird dahil may resemblance nga kami.”

Paolo was 14 when his mom told him the truth. “I was already staying in a condo in Manila and I was playing basketball for Arellano University. My mom would come visit me from Taiwan every once in a while to check up on me. One time, my mom and my Tita came to the condo. They didn’t know that I was already in my room when I overheard them talking about my mom’s plan of transferring me to La Salle Greenhills. And then my Tita said, ‘Lilipat mo si Pao sa La Salle? Di ba nandoon yung kapatid n’ya nag-vo-volleyball?’ She confused La Salle Greenhills with La Salle (University) because for her, they’re the same (laughs).

“When I got enough info, that’s when I came out of the room and asked my mom, ‘What are you, guys, talking about?’ My mom told me not to get mad because my Papa is not my real father.”

His mom thought that he would get mad after telling him that his real father is Dennis Roldan, one of the notable actors in the ‘80s. “I just said, ‘Okay.’ Why would I be mad? Papa took care of me just like his own kaya never ako nagalit, never nag-karoon ng drama,” shared Paolo, who finally met Dennis in 2013.

“I think I was 15 when we first met and then after that, siguro wala pang six months kaming nagkita, nakulong na siya,” recalled Paolo of Dennis who was involved in a kidnapping case in 2005 and is serving his life sentence in New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City.

Instead of wallowing in sadness, Paolo chose to focus on honing his talent. He attended acting workshops for two years that yielded positive results. He was cast in The Firefighters, the comeback movie of Jeric Raval.

“After that, I did films for Regal Films with Haunted Mansion and I Love You to Death. I also did a few TV series and after a year, I became one of the lead characters in the digital series, Mga Batang Poz, on iWant. But my very first lead role (movie) was Lockdown and before that happened, two years na akong walang work sa showbiz,” he said.

Get to know more of Paolo in our exclusive interview. Below are excerpts.

It’s good that you didn’t give up because two years of waiting in this industry is a long time.

“To be honest, Tito Boy, I just believed in myself. I believed that it’s (becoming an actor) going to happen because it’s either I make it or I just throw my life away by not finishing school.”

During the time that you had no acting projects, no movie offers, ano ang ginawa mo?

“Nasa workshops ako, Tito Boy, kasi para at least kahit wala akong work, may natutunan pa rin ako tungkol sa craft.”

How do you combine different styles of acting?

“There’s always bits and pieces na mapupulot mo kasi hindi lahat gagana. We have different life experiences so what works for me will not work for you. So, I pick up what I think would be effective, Tito Boy, and those that I think don’t fit, I’ll just reserve them. Minsan nababalikan ko if they will work and then continue applying what works best until I come to a point that I develop my own way of acting which I couldn’t say completely different from Chubback or Morris (acting techniques) pero may mga nalaman ako na p’wede kong gawin para mas maging madali  sa akin ang gagawin sa eksena.”

You are part of Mars Ravelo’s Darna, the TV series. How is it working with the big stars?

“I’m lucky because all veteran actors are kind, beautiful people – Miss Eula Valdez, Tito Nonie (Buencamino) — lahat sila, they are great and very giving actors. They never make you feel that you’re just new or hindi tayo pantay.”

What do you want to achieve as an actor?

“Meron rin akong mga pangarap bilang Paul Chen. As an actor, in the future, I want to be one of the bankable actors in our industry. Of course, I want to win awards (he was named Best Actor at the 28th Filipino International Cine Festival 2021 for his acting performance in Lockdown). I want to do films that will inspire and motivate people. As Paul Chen, I want to buy a house. I want my mom to have her side in that house because I know what my mom wants, like she wants a walk-in closet and she wants a hot tub. I want to spoil her because for me, it’s my mom talaga kasi grabe ‘yung paniniwala n’ya sa akin.”

Are you happy?

“Yes, I’m very happy.”

And that is coming from where?

“Perhaps, Tito Boy, because I am now being given the opportunity to prove myself and I know that I am always giving my 110-percent best in everything that I do. ABS-CBN is giving me opportunities to showcase what I have learned through the different acting projects.”

What keeps you busy now?

“Right now, Darna, and to be a part of the show is overwhelming. If I could just time travel, I’ll keep going back to the day (first day of taping in Darna).”

What is your prayer for your dad Dennis?

“I just want him to get out and gusto na namin s’ya makasama. When I met him, I was really looking forward to the father-and-son bonding. I want to know more about him. I want to get to know everyone in the whole Gumabao clan.”

How is your relationship with Michele and Marco?

“From the day I met them through my dad, they’ve been nothing but very accommodating. Si Marco whenever he has a project, I support him. I post it and I watch it. He also supports me. When I have upcoming projects, he posts them (on his social media accounts).”

Since you’re doing Darna, kung may ihihingi ka ng tulong kay Darna ngayon sa buhay mo, ano ‘yun?

“Tulungan mo ako sa kaso ng Tatay ko para makalabas na s’ya.”