7 things you didn’t know about Benjamin Alves

When someone like Benjamin Alves enters the room, there is an arresting presence that captivates every single person there. It goes beyond his good looks and star appeal. It is the kind of force that lets you know that there is more to this person than what you see.

This top 7 list of things you didn’t know about Benjamin Alves proves just that.

1. He knows how to cut and splice film.

One of his earliest jobs was working at the cinema. He cleaned after the movie, sold concession and went up to selling tickets. Then, he ended up as a film projectionist.

Ben shared an anecdote on how he learned to cut and splice film. He said, “Something went wrong with the lock of the film reels. Tumalsik, so lumipad din ‘yung whole film and hindi ko mahanap ‘yung dulo. I had to cut and splice the film manually. The film was Bad Boys 2. It missed five screenings but I was able to fix it after eight to ten hours.”

2. He used to be a soccer referee.

Though he never played soccer professionally, Ben knew the game well enough to land a job as a soccer referee to kids.

When asked how he was as a referee, he said, “I’m a little bit lenient but when it comes to play-off time, the kids are having fun. It was fun. It was my darkest times-literally. My skin tone was really dark because I was always outside every Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.”

3. He is an expert at folding clothes and fixing mannequins.

At some point in his life, Ben worked in a department store. His first job there was folding clothes during the holidays. Eventually, he moved up to a popular men’s line where he had to build clientele. Every season that the store gets the clothes, Ben was tasked to fix the mannequins.

He added, “Because of that, I was exposed to style. I was a subscriber of GQ and Details. Every time I go to a store now, I would fold clothes back to the way they were because it’s a tough job.”

4. He has a license to operate a forklift.

While he was in college, Ben worked for his uncle’s distribution and shipping business. Part of his job was unloading containers when they’re coming in so he had to use a forklift. Thus, he obtained a license to operate it.

“That was my most physically demanding job but it was a good workout. I had to wear a hard hat, sando and back strap. ‘Yung mga nakikita niyong nagbubuhat ng cargo, I used to do that for a year,” stated Ben.

5. He has mind-blowing credentials.

His first major was Philosophy, but his pragmatic self told him to get a degree that would get him a job. He then took two semesters of Marketing . Upon taking an “Introduction to Literature” class, he knew that this was what he wanted to take.

He said, “It really helped me in being well-rounded, I guess; or well-rounded as far as not being able to decide what I wanted to do with my life. Still, it was a great experience.”

6. He graduated Summa Cum Laude.

All his hard work paid off. He finished college in two years and graduated Summa Cum Laude, the highest possible honor any student can achieve.

After graduation, Ben was planning to take further studies or become a professor, but showbiz found its way into his life.

“It was too good to pass up. I mean, I was blessed by Ms. Annette and Ms. Lilybeth, they gave me a contract that was guaranteed, and also to Jonas (his manager) for discovering me. It’s a blessing and it’s hard to refuse a blessing like that,” he said.

7. He is the type of actor that disappears into his roles.

Ben is the type of actor who would willingly alter his physical appearance, voice and mannerisms because stepping out of his own skin gives him fulfillment.

He shared, “With Adarna, I wanted the earthiness of Bok to be like the salt of the earth. When people ask me what part of Bok is me, I hope nothing because I wanted to create something that I would want to be, not who I am.”

Catch more of this multi-faceted actor as he breathes life into Agalon in Adarna on GMA Telebabad.

-Text by Samantha Portillo, Photo by Bochic Estrada, GMANetwork.com