Would you believe Alden Richards almost quit showbiz?
Alden Richards recalls his first five years in showbiz: “Siyempre, every day, you’re always looking for that break, for that project, for that moment wherein kahit papaano naman, you’ll say, ‘My stay here in the industry is worth it.’"
Like many actors aspiring to enter showbiz, he struggled through a series of rejections before he was noticed by the GMA 7 bigwigs.
Today, he is touted as “Asia’s Multimedia Star.”
But, totoo ba, he once thought of quitting show business?
Alden remembered, “Yes, actually, sa first five years, doon pumasok iyong idea na I wanted to quit,” he said at the press conference last November 21 for his concert, Alden’s Reality
He continued, “I just wanted to go back to school kasi parang ang hirap, e.
“Siyempre, every day, you’re always looking for that break, for that project...
"For that moment wherein kahit papaano naman, you’ll say, ‘My stay here in the industry is worth it.’
“So doon pumasok talaga iyong doubt, doon na ako nag-doubt na parang bakit ko pa ginagawa to?
"Bakit ko pa kailangang ituloy kung wala rin naman nangyayari?
“So, I was really doubtful at that moment.”
Asked what kept him going, he said, “Ang daming beses na akong pinakitaan ni Lord na ganyan.
"Na every time I want to turn my back in the things that I do, doon siya biglang bumabalik and doon siya nagbibigay ng something na unexpected.”
Alden went on to recall his first five years in showbiz, which he said had been “very tough.”
He explained, “Sa industriya natin, sobrang daming gustong mag-artista, ang daming gustong makapasok sa sa industry, ang daming gustong maging successful.
"Iyong first five years was full of hard work. Tanggap lang nang tanggap ng trabaho.
"Parang kahit maganda iyong kinalabasan ng isang project, you’ll be grateful for that pero trabaho ka pa rin.
“Kumbaga, ikinomit ko iyong sarili ko talaga sa five years na iyon. Parang nothing can distract me.”
In 2015, AlDub happened. AlDub was Alden’s phenomenal team-up with Maine Mendoza that started in Eat Bulaga!
Alden elaborated, “I guess that was the reward of all those five years of hard work.”
AlDub has fizzled out, with the former love team now finding success separately.
In 2019, Alden top-billed the top-grossing film of all time Hello, Love, Goodbye with Kathryn Bernardo.
It was for Alden, “another milestone."
Recounting the rough and tumble of his acting career, Alden summed up his 10 years in showbiz on a high note.
He said, “Naging maganda iyong takbo ng ten years ko because it has been a constant learning experience.
“Each year, every year I’m here, I learn something and it makes me better and I learn a lot from it and it makes me whole as a person.”
When asked Alden, what does it feel like after 10 years in showbiz?
He admitted being surprised that so many years have gone by without even realizing it.
He expressed, “Nagulat ako. Wow, 10 years na pala ako. I started when I was 18.
“Siguro the totality of the experience, good or bad, happy or sad, wala akong niregret doon.
"I didn’t regret any moment that happened in my career kasi it makes me whole as a person now.
“All those experiences, di ba, there’s a usual question na if you go back in your past, anong babaguhin mo? Ako wala, e.
“Kasi wala akong lahat ng experiences na iyon really taught me something to move forward as a person, as an artist, as a performer.”
Alden also stressed it takes perseverance to stay in showbusiness, “Being in the industry for ten years is not easy, it’s really not that easy.
“Coming from, of course, sa family naman namin, wala akong relatives na nasa showbiz din.
"I’m the first blood actually who has ever stepped into show business.
“So lahat, inaral ko siya ng by myself lang. Kumbaga, I endured everything by myself lang with the great team behind me as well.
“So I should say talaga na my 10 years was really fruitful. I’ve learned a lot, I matured even mor e.
“I’m just so grateful na tumagal ako ng sampung taon with no regr et s.”
lden’s concert, Alden’s Reality, celebrates his 10 years in showbi z.
It will happen on December 8, 2020.