Piolo Pascual Approves of Benjamin Alves' Entry to GMA-7

Piolo Pascual Approves of Benjamin Alves' Entry to GMA-7

GMA Network officially launched Benjamin Alves as its newest star on June 24 in the musical variety show Party Pilipinas. Although Benjamin had signed up with the Kapuso Network much earlier, he decided to finish his studies first, and finish he did – with flying colors! He recently just graduated summa cum laude in AB English in a university in Guam.

In an interview with the entertainment press on Tuesday, June 26, Benjamin said that he did not find it hard to decide to become a Kapuso.

“I felt at home here and I like yung atmosphere po dito, the people really put their hearts into what they are doing,” he said.

One of the interesting things about Benjamin is the showbiz blood that runs in his blood: he is the nephew of actor Piolo Pascual. Benjamin said that he told his uncle about his intention of entering show business beforehand.

“During a family celebration, I told him about my plans and that I was already decided to become a Kapuso, and he was happy. He congratulated me and he was happy for me - because he is my uncle, a family member, and [as such] he only wants the best for me, and I believe I made the best choice,” shared Benjamin.

Since he will be joining Party Pilipinas as a regular host, will he try a hand in singing and dancing as well?

“They [Annette Gozon and Joey Abacan] saw my potential and they wanted to cultivate my potential as an actor. Yung singing and dancing (laughs), siguro mamaya na, pero sana meron ding talent dun. But first and foremost, it’s the acting that they want me for, and they want me for heavy drama. Hopefully, we can deliver with preparation.”

Although he being compared with his uncle Piolo Pascual seems unavoidable, he hopes to establish his own name in the industry in due time.

“It’s inevitable but I just want to grow as an actor for myself because this is my first year to do acting as part of a main cast. For me, to try to reach in one year what Piolo did in how many years is so hard to do. Mahirap naman pong gawin yun. Nagco-concentrate nalang po ako sa kung anong magagawa ko, kung ano po yung binibigay ng GMA sa akin, yung blessings na binibigay sa akin ni God in terms of my acting, dun na po ako magiging happy, and I’m sure that the audience will be happy with that for now,” Benjamin said.

Does he honestly aim to become as popular as Piolo?

“Of course, lahat naman po ng young leading men ngayon are trying to reach the level of Piolo Pascual, Dennis Trillo, Dingdong Dantes, but they’ve done it for some years, this is only my first year so ineenjoy ko muna,” he said.

Undeniably, Benjamin has got the looks that would make a dashing leading man. Who among the Kapuso leading ladies does he want to work with in his first TV project?

“Andami sa GMA e, pero siguro sina Marian Rivera, Carla Abellana, Kylie Padilla and Sarah Lahbati. I’d be grateful if I’d be given a chance to be paired up with them especially because I see them in workshops and magagaling sila,” he said.

Show businesses maybe full of glitz and glamour but it could sometimes be a nasty world to be in. Is he ready to live the life of a celebrity?

“I’m a 100% ready. I mean, with the amount of trust that is given me by Ms. Annette (Gozon), Sir Joey (Abacan), Ms. Avin (Marivin Arayata) and my manager Jonas Gaffud, I have to be ready and I want to be ready. I want to make sure that everything GMA has invested in me is not going to be wasted,” he explained.

Benjamin also goes an extra mile in keeping himself fit in preparation for the long way ahead.

“I go to the gym, I try to get enough sleep. Mejo nag-aadjust pa po kasi I haven’t been getting enough sleep lately. But I go to the gym especially because I’ll be doing a pictorial that requires me to be fit. May time pa naman po, magagawa po natin ‘yan (laughs),” he said.

Benjamin’s family is in Guam and he’s the only one here in the Philippines. It must be a big adjustment for him.

“I’m not used to living alone. Now, it’s kinda lonely pero buti nalang there’s Skype, I am able to chat with [my family in Guam]. It’s lonely pero I know why I am here, and this is what I want to do so I have to just cope with it,” said Benjamin.