ACTOR Richard Gutierrez has admitted that he almost gave up acting when he was away from the industry for quite some time.
“I was away for a while, and I chose to be that way. When you’re away from the limelight, when you’re away from this industry for awhile, sometimes you drift and you think I can go somewhere. I could do something else,” said Gutierrez during an interview on “Tonight With Boy Abunda” on ABS CBN.
“I could have other opportunities somewhere else. S’yempre hindi natin maiiwasan na maisip ‘yun. I have to be honest, yes, naisip ko ‘yun. I wanted to move somewhere, go somewhere,” the actor added.
Gutierrez has just signed a contact with ABS-CBN and will be one of the mainstays of the new primetime teleserye “La Luna Sangre” topbilled by Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo.
Now that he has resumed his acting career, Gutierrez said that family would still be his priority. His partner is actress Sarah Lahbati and they have a son named Zion.
“I’ve grown as a man. I know what’s important to me now which is my family. That’s on top of my priority list. Zion bumped everybody else on that list. He’s the top of my priority,” Gutierrez.
The actor will also star in one of the most anticipated movies this year entitled “Wife, Husband, Wife” with Angel Locsin and Angelica Panganiban.
Gutierrez also thanked his supporters who, he said, are his inspiration to continue his acting career.
“This job is really for the audience and I owe everything to the audience. So I think that’s what motivates me now to be a professional and professionalism is also now on top of the list,” he said.
Gutierrez also downplayed speculations that he and his twin brother Raymond have sibling rivalry.
“Raymond and I are twins but we are from the other end of the spectrum. Magkaibang-magkaiba kami. ‘Yung mga hilig namin. Mahilig ako sa adventure, sa sports s’ya indoors.
“Nung kids kami he was into arts class. I was into sports. Pero pag nagsama kaming dalawa we love hanging out. I’m happy for him,” Gutierrez said.
Asked if he is strict with his Lahbati’s clothes, Gutierrez said: “Alam ko na alam ni Sara ‘yung limitation nya. Pero for me, if you got it, flaunt it. So OK lang.”
If he would teach Zion about love, it would be “to fight for your love,” Gutierrez said.
He added that his parents – Annabelle Rama and Eddie Gutierrez – are very happy these days because there are many kids in the Gutierrez household now.
“My mom and dad are happy now because dumadami na ‘yung bata sa bahay. Si Zion sya ‘yung guy na makulit, high personality. So ine-enjoy talaga nila si Zion. I can’t say he’s the favorite because Aria, Elvis’s daughter, is also cute so favorite silang lahat,” Gutierrez said.
