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ALBERT MARTINEZ

The Art of Reinvention

On a gloomy Saturday noon, the multi-hyphenate Albert Martinez sits down with GMANetwork.com and opens up about how he has managed to stay in the business for four decades, what he has been doing away from the public eye, and how he has made his story a lesson in living and loving to the fullest.

Text by: Aaron Brennt Eusebio
Photos by: Las Hermanas, Albert Martinez, Lhen Papa, Donboy Espiritu, Wish Ko Lang

Albert Martinez has been active in the entertainment industry long enough that people from different generations have watched at least one of his movies or series. However, unknown to many, Albert also starred in several movies that weren’t a commercial success, especially when he was trying to reenter show business after coming back from the United States in 1991.


Albert got his first taste of showbiz in 1979. He was discovered by a talent agency that wanted him to do a commercial for television. At the time, Albert recalled in his Tunay na Buhay interview, he was the driver-slash-personal assistant of his younger brother William, who was already in the business earlier in 1978.


After the commercial, as luck would have it, Albert received an offer from Regal Films, already a giant in producing blockbuster films then, to be an extra in the movie Totoo Ba Ang Chismis? (1981) starring Superstar Nora Aunor and Gabby Concepcion.


Shortly thereafter, Mother Lily Monteverde, the founder of Regal Films, and renowned director Joey Gosiengfiao asked Albert to be part of another movie, Blue Jeans (1981), which had Dina Bonnevie and Alfie Anido as the lead actors.


Albert’s success as a matinee idol in the ’80s transcended from the silver screen to the small screen. He appeared in GMA’s classic television series Anna Liza (1980) as Glenn Lacsamana, the suitor of the titular character portrayed by Julie Vega.


“When I was in the States, doon ko na-realize na gusto ko pala ’yung craft of acting, so baliktad. Umuwi ako sa Pilipinas, I’m so decided. Siguro sabihin nating ganito, malalaman mo lang mahal mo ang isang bagay kapag wala na sa’yo. And that’s how I felt.”

Despite his rapidly burgeoning success, Albert made a move that seemingly came out of left field. He packed his bag, boarded a plane, and settled in the United States of America, with the intention of starting a family with his wife, Liezl Martinez.


Looking back on his decision to take this abrupt hiatus, one that many say was too much and too soon for a rising star, Albert admits that he was actually reluctant to join showbiz.


“I was reluctant talaga to be an actor during the ’80s,” he candidly tells GMANetwork.com. “And hindi ko siya inembrace totally kaya I decided to relocate to the US to get get married. Sabi ko, ‘It’s not my thing. Acting is not my thing, the lifestyle is not my thing also.’”


Away from the limelight, Albert and Liezl managed massage therapy clinics that had many branches in the East coast. It was during this time Albert realized that acting had a place in his heart.


“When I was in the States, doon ko na-realize na gusto ko pala ’yung craft of acting, so baliktad. Umuwi ako sa Pilipinas, I’m so decided. Siguro sabihin nating ganito, malalaman mo lang mahal mo ang isang bagay kapag wala na sa’yo. And that’s how I felt.”

Minor setback for a major comeback

After six years of living in the United States, Albert and his family decided to come home to the Philippines, where he tried to retake the spotlight that was once shining upon him. Regal Films accepted Albert with open arms and signed him to do three movies, but the public had a completely unfavorable reaction to his comeback.


Pagbalik ko nung 1991, Mother Lily [Monteverde] accepted me with open arms,” Albert recalls. “I signed three-picture contracts but sad to say, dalawa lang nagawa ko doon because ’yung unang dalawang pelikulang ginawa ko, failed. Parehong flop. So ’yung third, hindi ko na nagawa, and I’m at  a loss.”


After his movies Yakapin Mo Akong Muli (1992) and Kahit May Mahal Ka ng Iba (1993) received a cold reception, Albert reflected and asked himself what went wrong.


In Yakapin Mo Akong Muli and Kahit May Mahal Ka ng Iba, Albert’s leading ladies were Snooky Serna and Cristina Gonzales, respectively. The former was directed by Elwood Perez, while the latter was under the helm of Jose Francisco and written by Ricky Lee and Gil Portes.


Sabi ko, ‘What happened? What went wrong?’ Maganda naman ’yung projects, maganda naman ’yung leading ladies ko ’tsaka magaling ’yung mga direktor, it’s just that parang hindi pa yata ready ’yung public sa akin. And hindi rin yata ako prepared mentally, physically. So in-analyze ko ’yung sarili ko, what went wrong, and what I need to do.”

When Albert managed to regain his footing, he pressed the reset button and did what anyone who wanted to become a star would do: attend acting workshops and spend time at the gym.


“I took up acting lessons kasi nakita ko doon sa acting department, medyo kulang yata ako,” he admits. “Kasi kumbaga bagong salta ako, I came from a private life, and pumasok ako sa industry na wala akong practice for so long. So I went through the process of the acting workshop. And then I realized, my physique was not ‘leading-man physique’ so I started working out again. And then, of course, the looks.”


Unfortunately, attending acting workshops and having a “leading-man physique” could not overshadow the failure of Albert’s comeback films. 


“I took up acting lessons kasi nakita ko doon sa acting department, medyo kulang yata ako. Kasi kumbaga bagong salta ako, I came from a private life, and pumasok ako sa industry na wala akong practice for so long. So I went through the process of the acting workshop. And then I realized, my physique was not ‘leading-man physique’ so I started working out again. And then, of course, the looks.”

One step at a time


“I was given an opportunity to play a bida-kontrabida sa film ni Joel Lamangan, ‘Pangako ng Kahapon.’ There, naramdaman ko na tanggap na ulit ako ng public, and I won Best Supporting Actor for that role.”

A fighter, Albert swallowed a bitter pill and accepted an offer to be a “per-day actor,” which meant being on the set for only a day. In much simpler terms, he was back to being an extra, only this time he was doing it because he didn’t have much choice.


“Since I love the industry, ginawa ko siya. I accepted a one-day character role under Regal [Films] with Director Joey Reyes and Dawn Zulueta. It’s a one-day shoot as a character. And then, mukhang okay naman ako doon so they were happy, they gave me another one-day shoot character, with Kris Aquino naman. Ganun ’yung naging career ko, parang one-day character actor.”


Not long after being a “per-day actor” Albert accepted the offer to be part of GMA Telesine, a now-defunct weekly anthology program that featured different actors per week. Albert starred in the Peque Gallaga-helmed story Aishite Masu opposite Maricel Laxa.


“Sa GMA Telesine, nagkaroon ako ng break kasi kinuha nila ulit ako as leading man, so doon ako nag-umpisa ulit to work as a leading man,” Albert reveals. “Now, hindi na ako one-day [actor], two days na kasi telesine.


“And blessing din na kinuha ako ni Direk Peque Gallaga for Aishite Masu, where I won my first acting award sa Bahaghari Award. I did so many Telesine and I won several awards from Best Actor to Best Supporting Actor, nagtuluy-tuloy na ’yun.


Thanks to GMA Telesine, the doors opened again for Albert. Regal gave him an opportunity to star in Pangako ng Kahapon (1994), which Albert considers one of his most memorable projects to date.


“I was given an opportunity to play a bida-kontrabida sa film ni Joel Lamangan, Pangako ng Kahapon. There, naramdaman ko na tanggap na ulit ako ng public, and I won Best Supporting Actor for that role.”


Two years after the release of Pangako ng Kahapon, Albert accepted for the first time a kontrabida role in Segurista (1996) opposite Michelle Aldana. This movie, Albert reveals, was the project that made the most impact on his professional and personal life.


Kasi what I do with my career, I always reinvent myself. ’Pag may nakita akong void at hindi nagwo-work ’yung persona ko, I reinvent myself. So I accepted a kontrabida role, first time, with Michelle Aldana, directed by Direk Tikoy Aguiluz.


“And it was a blast as far as my character was concerned. And doon ulit ako napansin as hindi na ako ’yung parang just another actor but a real actor who can deliver kung ano ’yung demand ng materyal. So that changed my career, that changed my life. Nag-ibang category na ako as part of this industry, pumasok na ako sa actor level, sumasabay na ako sa ibang artista na kahit anong materyal ibigay sa kanila, kaya nila. 


“It was a breakthrough, it was a milestone in my life, in my career.”

Reinvention is the key to stay on top

Through the years, Albert wore many hats as an actor. He continued to accept different roles, including those that others saw as offbeat, different from the expected and the usual.


“I have this part of my career wherein ang naging genre ng films during the mid ’90s was more on adult genre,” he shares. “So that’s Sidhi (1999), that’s Scorpio Nights 2 (1999), that’s Ekis (1999). During that time, maraming lead actors who declined to do certain materials and projects, and I saw an opportunity because this is my conveyor to maintain me being relevant in the industry.


“If you look at it, imagine, these projects were under Chito Roño, Joel Lamangan, Joey Javier Reyes, and Maryo J. Delos Reyes, high caliber directors with a good theme. So, it’s not only about being an adult film but it’s also a package of quality material. And I was blessed because ayun ’yung genre na nakuha ko that period in time and I was able to be successful without removing my pants.”


Now, on his 40th year in show business, Albert still proves he’s good at reinvention. He’s accepted the role of Lorenzo Ilustre in GMA’s new series Las Hermanas (2021) sharing screen time with stars from a younger generation: Yasmien Kurdi, Thea Tolentino, and Faith Da Silva.


"Siguro the best advice that I could give them is to love the industry, love the business and it will love you back."

If Albert could give tips to aspiring artists, he would tell up-and-coming actors to take their craft seriously and not be afraid to reinvent themselves when necessary. As a matter of fact, reinvention has been the secret to Albert’s longevity in show business.


Siguro the best advice that I could give them is to love the industry, love the business and it will love you back. So you have to be professional, you have to be on top of the game all the time, you have to understand and analyze the industry so that you can reinvent yourself.


“You need to readjust yourself, you need to readjust your orientation para you grow with the industry. Kailangan ’yung pacing ng industry, sabay ka or ahead. You need to reinvent yourself on what is the trend, and you have to be part of it para maging relevant ka. Kapag hindi ka na relevant, out of sight, out of mind ’yun. ’Pag hindi ka relevant, most likely you’ll gonna lose offers.”


Among the stars today, Albert sees Kelvin Miranda as someone who can be the big star of the future, even if he’s only worked with him once in an episode of Wish Ko Lang.


“Kelvin has large potential,” Albert says. “I believe if he manages his career well, if he manages his persona well, if he focuses on what is going [on around him] rather than being famous or popular, I believe he can be our next superstar.”

Asked about the kind of legacy that he wants to leave behind, Albert says he wants people to remember him through his body of work and the contributions he’s made in the movie industry.


Gusto kong isipin nila ’yung body of work, ’yung mga nagawa kong pelikula,” Albert admits. “’Yun bang ’pag kumuha ka ng theatre arts na kurso, ’yung pelikula ko ’yung ipapalabas doon for them to study. And for me, that would be the ultimate [legacy] na maging part ka no’n.


“Feeling ko I’m so blessed because I was given an opportunity to play Rizal sa Dapitan, Jose Rizal, because that project immortalized me because that will go on, and on, and on, and on. Wala na ako dito for the longest time, people would still remember me because of Rizal sa Dapitan, because of playing our national hero, Jose Rizal.”

Mobirise

“Feeling ko I’m so blessed because I was given an opportunity to play Rizal sa Dapitan, Jose Rizal, because that project immortalized me because that will go on, and on, and on, and on. Wala na ako dito for the longest time, people would still remember me because of Rizal sa Dapitan, because of playing our national hero, Jose Rizal.”

Being part of history is one of his many goals, but he also wants to reach the younger audiences by doing projects that are similar to light-hearted K-dramas that kids watch these days.


“I’ve been watching so many Korean shows. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, ‘It’s something I really want to do,’” he reveals, staying true to his career advice on how to stay relevant in showbiz. “Something light, something romantic, something funny but you’re not a comedian. Ganung type and if ever magawa ko ’yun, ang dream leading lady ko would be Marian [Rivera]. That will be my ultimate dream.”

Car Dreams

Since he was a child, Albert has dreamed of collecting cars, a passion he inherited from his father. So when he became an actor and started earning his own money, Albert brought cars—from American classics to Japanese vintage cars.


“I started really young kasi ’yung father ko, mahilig sa sasakyan din. I used to at a very young age, maintain his car” Albert recalls. “And doon ko nakuha ’yung desire to collect cars that I wanted when I was young pero siyempre bata pa, hindi ko mabili. Nung nakaipon na ako, paisa-isa, I started collecting cars that I wanted when I was young. I have a mechanical mind kasi, anything that has engine, ’yun ’yung aking passion, restoring cars, restoring classic cars. And through the years, hindi ko na napansin, naparami na yata.


Albert already has 24 cars in his collection, but one stands out among the rest, a 1968 Mercury Cougar he restored for his late wife, Liezl.


Mayroon akong special car that I built for Liezl, pangalan niya is Anna Lisa. It’s a 1968 Mercury Cougar, and I restored it from talagang really bad condition. I restored it to brand new, I painted it ng favorite color ni Liezl, which is purple. That’s why I named that car Anna Lisa. It’s still with me until now, and it won so many competitions, ’yung mga car show, andoon si Anna Lisa. And I’m sad to say, hindi niya inabot ’yung final na restoration nung car. She passed away few months prior to final restoration of the car.”


Liezl Martinez, or Anna Lisa Muhlach Sumilang-Martinez in real life, passed away on March 14, 2015, after a long battle with cancer.

For four decades, Albert has been dividing his time between his commitments in showbiz and his family. He’s the first to admit that he missed some of his children’s special moments because of his job. 


Now that he doesn’t have little kids to take care of at home, Albert is making sure that he’s there to help Alyanna, Alfonso, and Alissa in raising his adorable grandchildren Adalynn Riley, Arturo Alberto Alfred, and Amati Mari.


“I’m blessed with my three kids kasi maayos mga buhay nila. Alyana married a fine man, si Roy [Macam, the photographer], and have a beautiful daughter, si Adalynn; Alfonso married Nikki, and have my handsome apo, si Arturo; and Lisa married Paolo who is also a good gentleman, loves my apo, Amati, so much. So I’m really blessed with them kasi matitino ’yung pamilya nila, kumbaga hindi ko na iisipin o magwo-worry pa kung anong mangyayari sa mga anak ko kasi they are in good hands.”


Even if he doesn’t see his kids and apos frequently, Albert continues his duties, giving them advice and guiding them as they navigate the world of parenting, especially his unico hijo Alfonso.


“Si Alfonso, the only reason naman na palagi ko siyang kasama kasi he’s my only son, and ini-inspire ko siya somehow to be somewhat like me and ’yung outlook sa buhay, and how to handle things. Because sobrang busy ko sa time of their growing up, siyempre maraming moments doon na hindi ko sila mabantayan, kinukuha ko ’tong moment na ’to be with him kasi he’s the middle child. So now I’m spending more time with him, knowing him better and him knowing me better. So we’re best buddies now.”

Mobirise

Being active in show business for most of his life, Albert has managed to stay away from stress by combining his love for nature and his passion for cars by going off-roading in Tanay, Rizal, where he owns a small property. 


Hindi ako mahilig sa socializing, hindi ako mahilig pumarty. Ang hilig ko is nature, and off-roading for me is my way of getting stress out of my system. So nag-combine ’yung love for nature and machine so that I get into off-roading.


“Tanay, Rizal is beautiful, and I fell in love with Tanay. Number 1 it’s near, number 2 it’s para siyang time forgotten land kasi it’s all virgin as far as your eyes can see, and that’s an area that’s malapit and you get to see a sea of clouds. That’s why meron akong small property sa Tanay, so every weekend I bring my family there, doon kami nag-o-overnight, nagka-camping kami doon. Sa akin, ’yun talaga ’yung ‘I’m in heaven’ ’pag nandoon ako.


At 60, Albert has gone through it all: fame, fortune, misfortune, heartbreaks, disappointments, failures, successes. If there’s one lesson that he’s learned from all these experiences, it is this: there is happiness in simplicity.


“I started young, taking care of myself. I eat properly. I sleep early. I’m not into smoking, too much drinking, drugs. Lahat ng bisyo na hindi maganda, I stayed away from. And then ’yung lifestyle ko na umaalis ako sa stress, I go sa bundok, I go sa forest, I’m going to the mountains so walang masyadong stress, kasi stress talaga would age you.


“And I live a very simple life.”