Benjamin Alves shares his experiences as an indie and mainstream actor
Published On: October 14, 2013, 01:01 PM
Updated On: March 16, 2020, 11:50 PM
Versatile actor, Benjamin Alves is all geared up to belt out yet another memorable performance in the historically significant TV series, Katipunan. He is also set to play a dual role as an astronaut and an older version of himself in an upcoming independent film.
GMANetwork.com got to chat with the Kapuso actor during the Katipunan pictorial. He talked about his latest role and said, “My name here is Sebastian, which is a fictional role. I’m close with Dominic Roco, who plays Paquing. Bata ako dito, 18 years old, tapos I’m illiterate. Nakita ko ‘yung parents ko na namatay sa war, so parang inampon ako ni Andres Bonifacio as his protégé.”
He added, “For the audience, it would be my POV (point of view). You guys are gonna see the show through my eyes.”
Besides his latest television project, Benjamin’s latest independent film, Sana Dati won big at the Cinemalaya Film Festival. It also had a commercial release last September 25. Fellow Kapuso stars, Lovi Poe and TJ Trinidad were among his co-stars in the film.
How would Benjamin describe his Sana Dati experience?
He shared, “I’m very honored that Direk Jerrold (Tarog) picked me. It was a good experience because iba ‘yung treatment niya . Jerrold’s known for his storytelling and the way he obsesses with as far as scoring and editing. Nakakatuwa.”
The charismatic actor passionately talked about the film. According to him, “There’s something there for everyone in Sana Dati. There’s still mystery and an air of unpredictability. For people who just want to go and watch a romance film, they could take two hours of escape. People who have seen it have a hangover from it, and that’s always what you want.”
Benjamin’s next project is an independent film called Islands. He describes it as an experimental endeavor that would test his abilities as an actor.
“I know that I play two personalities. For one, I’m excited to play an astronaut. I’ve never done that. I’m also playing an older version of myself, which I know would be done with prosthetics, so that’s always interesting for me,” he stated.
How is Benjamin preparing for this challenging role?
He said, “The director’s peg for me is Ryan Gosling’s performance in Only God Forgives. I won’t be having a lot of dialogue, more on the eyes. It’s really how you’re able to convey your thoughts through your actions, so I’m sure it’s gonna be great. It’s gonna be a challenge.”
How does Benjamin differentiate indie and mainstream, and which of the two appeals to him more?
He answered, “Indie comes across as something more risky, unconventional and innovative. Mainstream is more formulaic and geared at entertaining the audience, but that does not make it less great. See, indie and mainstream are like two sides of the same coin, and I enjoy doing both.”
Catch more of Benjamin Alves in Katipunan, every Saturday at 10:15 pm, only on GMA. -Text by Samantha Portillo, Photo by Bochic Estrada, GMANetwork.com.