Richard Reyes Faulkerson Jr. (born January 2, 1992), known professionally as Alden Richards, is a Filipino actor, entrepreneur and television personality. Known for his leading man roles in romantic and historical drama, his accolades include a Seoul International Drama Award,[1] a U.S International Film and Video Festival 2018 Gold Camera Docudrama Award,[2][3] a FAMAS Award, and five Star Awards for Movies, in addition to nominations for a Gawad Urian and two Metro Manila Film Festival Awards.
Outside of acting, Richards also ventured into production, co-producing films, concert shows and events. In music, his second extended play Wish I May (2015) has been certified diamond by the PARI, making it one of the best-selling albums in the Philippines.
Early Life and education
Richard Reyes Faulkerson Jr. was born on January 2, 1992 and raised in Sta. Rosa, Laguna to Richard Peralta Faulkerson Sr. and Rosario Reyes.[4][5] He is the second child in the family with an older brother and two younger sisters.[6][7] He is of American descent through his American paternal grandfather who died in California when he was only three years old.[8]
Richards studied at Paco Catholic School in Paco, Manila and graduated from high school at Colegio de Santa Rosa de Lima.[9] He attended college at De La Salle University-Canlubang getting a degree in Business Management but his studies was put on hold when his mother died from chronic pneumonia in 2008.[10][11] To help his family, he pursued his mother' dream for him to become an actor and used the stage name Alden Richards.[12][13]
Richards appeared in films Ang Panday 2 replacing Aljur Abrenica role as Hubli[20] and The Road playing the teenager Luis Medina, his performance was praised by critics.[21] Some entertainment writers predicted that he would become the next big star of the network.[22] He appeared in supporting roles in My Beloved[23] and CBN Asia' UNOS (Calamity) in the 4th week special Tanikala.[24] His first primetime television apperance started when he was offered the lead role of Tisoy in One True Love and Jerome in Mundo Mo'y Akin with Louis delos Reyes.[25] His portrayal on the shows earned him an outstanding performance nominations at the Golden Screen TV Awards.[26] On October 25, 2013, he signed an exclusive contract with GMA Network.[27]
As a recording artist, Richards debuted in Party Pilipinas #SummerCrush episode. In April 2013, he launched his first single Haplos, a revival of Shamrock hit song which was released in MyMusic Store and iTunes.[28][29] On May 26, 2013, his self-titled album Alden Richards was released under Universal Records. Three of his songs were used as a soundtrack in different series: Haplos in Mundo mo'y Akin, Di na Mababawi at Sa Aking Tabi in With a Smile and filipino-dubbed korean series Seoyoung, My Daughter.[30] He was featured as Myx Celebrity VJ for the month of June 2013.[31] Richards received New Male Recording Artist of the Year nomination at the 27th Awit Awards and 6th Star Awards for Music.[32][33]
In 2014, Richards was paired with Marian Rivera in Carmela.[34][35] His song Naalala Ka from his debut album was used as the end theme song for the series. He starred in a lead role as José Rizal in historical drama series Ilustrado whom he won his first best actor award in the 29th PMPC Star Awards for Television.[36] He was the only nominee from his home network against a field of respected actors from the rival network.[37] He began hosting in Bet ng Bayan with Regine Velasquez. Richards acted opposite veteran actress Nora Aunor in a short-film Kinabukasan.[38][39]
In 2015, Richards became part of the longest-running variety noontime show Eat Bulaga! and appeared as co-host in That's my Bae.[40] On July 16, 2015, he was paired with Maine Mendoza accidentally in Juan For All, All for Juan segment and they became a loveteam known as AlDub.[41][42] Because of their popularity, a series called Kalyeserye was created for them; Richards played different roles including a fictionalized version of himself.[43]
In August 2015, Richards signed a four-year film contract with APT Entertainment[44] and a recording contract with GMA Records.[45] He launched his second album Wish I May on October 17, 2015 in SM North Edsa.[46] The album contained two original songs and the rest were renditions. The first single Wish I May was an original composition by Agat Obar-Morallo and was released earlier for online downloading and streaming in September 2015.[47] His song landed on iTunes top spot Philippines song charts.[48] His sophomore album earned gold record award from Philippine Association of the Record Industry (PARI) prior to its official released.[49]
In September 2015, his debut album Alden Richards earned gold record from PARI; it ranked number 10 on Billboard World's Album chart and it turned platinum by November 2015.[50][51] The following month, Universal Records released a special edition of his debut album including AlDub theme song God Gave Me You by Bryan White. His sophomore album Wish I May received 2x times platinum record award in December 2015;[52] it turned 7x times platinum by July[53] and earned a Diamond Record Award from PARI in October 2016.[54]
In December 2015, Richards and Maine Mendoza starred in My Bebe Love: KiligPaMore alongside Vic Sotto and AiAi delas Alas which was an official entry to 41st Metro Manila Film Festival.[55] During the awards night, they received German Moreno Power Tandem award.[56] Richards was inducted into the Philippines Walk of Fame along with his Kalyeserye co-stars in Eastwood City, Libis, Quezon City.[57] He returned to big screen with Maine Mendoza in Imagine You and Me released on July 13, 2016.[58] The following year, they starred their first primetime television series Destined to be Yours[59] and headlined Love is... a television film directed by Adolfo Alix Jr and produced by Eat Bulaga!.[60]
He released his book entitled Alden Richards: In My Own Words under Summit Media in August 2016.[61][62] Aside from being a regular host in Eat Bulaga! and Sunday PinaSaya, he appeared as guest star in Lip Sync Battle Philippines, That's my Amboy and the reboot fantasy series Encantadia.[63][64] He renewed his contract with GMA Network in September 2016.[65]
Richards played the lead role as real-life activist Bonifacio Ilagan in the docudrama Alaala: A Martial Law Special.[66] The show, first broadcast in September 2017, co-starred Bianca Umali, Rocco Nacino, and Gina Alajar and directed by Adolfo Alix Jr. and written by Bonifacio Ilagan.[66] The special won the silver medal at the New York Festival TV and Film Awards.[67] Richards and program manager Joy Madrigal received the award.[68][69] In 2018, he played the titular role of Victor Magtanggol, an action-drama fantasy series.[70]
After being on movie hiatus for almost 3 years, Richards was paired with Kathryn Bernardo in Star Cinema's Hello, Love, Goodbye, directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina in 2019. The film became the highest grossing Filipino movie of all time.[71][72]
In March 2023, Richards returned to Eat Bulaga! after a year-long hiatus from the show, focusing on other projects including the TV series Start-Up PH in 2022.[76][77]
In 2023, Richards and Julia Montes starred in a movie Five Breakups and A Romance; this was the first-ever collaboration of GMA Pictures, Cornerstone Studios, and Myriad Entertainment.[78] In an interview, Sharon Cuneta revealed that she and Richards would be featured in a film by director Nuel Naval, Family of Two (A Mother And Son Story), produced by CineKo Productions. It was shown at the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival.[79][80]
Richards played the lead role in Magpakailanman: Sa Puso't Isipan with co-starred Chris Villanueva, Jackie Lou Blanco, Dave Bornea, Therese Malvar and was directed by Gina Alajar. The episode won for Best Drama Anthology National Winner at the 2024 Asian Academy Creative Awards.[81] The episode was rerun in January 2025.[82] In July 2024, the TV series Pulang Araw was aired on Netflix and Alden played the role as Eduardo Dela Cruz, which is one of the main leading role directed by Dominic Zapata.
Aside from being an actor, Alden Richards has also done modeling stints. In 2010, he ranked 4th on the list of Candy Magazine's "Celebrity Cuties".[85][86] In July 2012, Richards was on the cover of MEGA Magazine with Kapuso co-actors dubbed as "GMA's new breed of rising talents".[87] From this time on, he has continued to appear in a number of magazines,[88] while being featured in several endorsements.[89]
Philanthropy
After the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, Richards took part of relief efforts initiated by GMA Network.[90] He became ambassador for Habitat for Humanity Philippines in 2014.[91] The following year, he celebrated his birthday by building homes alongside other volunteers and families in Payatas, Quezon City.[92] In 2016, he spent his post-birthday celebration by visting Aeta community in Tarlac for his outreach program.[93]
He became Boardwalk's ambassador for Young Emerging Sociopreneurs in September 2015. The campaign focused on encouraging students to earn money while still in school.[94] Richards participated in Boardwalk's Share Campaign where part of the proceeds went to charity.[95] He was part of Eat Bulaga! Sa Tamang Panahon concert in 2015 at the Philippine Arena where 14 million pesos was raised for AlDub Library construction in different schools in the country.[96]
The GMA Network Christmas station ID theme song MaGMAhalan Tayo Ngayong Pasko, performed by Alden was released for online downloads; all proceeds went to Kapuso Foundation's for victims of Typhoon Lando.[97] He supported children' charity event with serious diseases[98] and a benefit concert entitled For The Love Of Mama in 2015.[99] After joining Philippine Red Cross for Nation's Blood Drive project in 2015,[100] he returned to donate blood for Kapuso Foundation Blood letting project with Red Cross for two consecutive years.[101][102] In August 2016, Richards announced his plans to have his own charity foundation.[103]
In July 2020, he was chosen as ambassador for Bida Solusyon campaign by Department of Health, about preventing the spread of COVID-19.[104] In the next month, Richards became ambassador for Philippines End Tuberculosis campaign by USAID.[105]
In 2023, Richards became the youngest member of Movie Workers Welfare Foundation.[107] He joined Dingdong Dantes in celebrating Mowelfund 50th Anniversary and were introduced as members of Board of Trustees in March 2024. [108][109]
Business
In 2016, Alden ventured in his first business and opened a restaurant in Tagaytay, Concha's Garden.[110] From a single branch, the restaurant now has a total of four branches located in Silang, Cavite and Tagaytay.[111] He seems to have an inclination to food business as he opened another restaurant in 2019, his very own franchise of McDonald's in Biñan, Laguna.[112]
In 2022, he established his own multimedia company, Myriad Entertainment Corporation, a company that organized the reunion concert of rock band Eraserheads entitled Huling El Bimbo, where Richards served as the co-producer.[113]
In 2017, Richards revealed that his late-mother, Rosario suffered from bipolar disorder all her life.[116] On December 5, 2023, he shared his personal struggles with severe depression for three months and considered leaving showbiz.[117][118] He also expressed of wanting to deepen his relationship with God whom he neglected during his down time.[119]
Aside from major award giving bodies, Richards was given recognition by other organizations and magazines. In the 1st Yahoo! Philippines OMG! Awards in 2011, he was recognized as the Amazing Male Newcomer, while in 2012 and 2013, the same award-giving body nominated him as the Breakthrough Actor of the Year but lost.[121][122] Richards together with Louise delos Reyes also got nominated in the Yahoo! Philippines OMG! Awards in 2013 as Love Team of the Year but they lost.[123]
During the MEG Top Choice Awards In 2012, the magazine MEG gave Richards the Top Fashion Forward Celeb (Male) award.[124] While in the Inquirer Bandera's 1st Bet ng Bandera Awards, he was given the title Male Celebrity of the Year.[125] As for the PUSH Awards 2015 by ABS-CBN Interactive, he was nominated Awesome OOTD King but did not win.[126][127][128] Stargate PeopleAsia magazine granted the title People of the Year (People's Choice Award) to Richards and Mendoza in 2016.[129][130][131]
In the 5th OFW Gawad Parangal in 2014, Richards became the Favorite Young Actor.[132] Being an endorser, he was given the Trinitian Awardee for Most Valuable Male Advertising Endorser during Platinum Stallion Awards (Awards for Advertising) in 2016.[133] The actor was also given a Makabatang Alagad ng Telebisyon (Child-friendly Artist on Television) seal by Anak TV in February 2016. During the 32nd PMPC Star Awards for Movies in 2016, he was nominated but lost the Darling of the Press award.[134] He also won Male TV Star of the Year and Male Stylish Star of the Year for 2016 and Best PEPTalk episode on PEPList Awards Year 3 given by Philippine Entertainment Portal.[135]
Richards, Alden (2016). Alden Richards: In My Own Words (First hardcover ed.). Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Summit Publishing Co. ISBN9786214041244. OCLC1183439037.
