Whenever I text Richard Yap, I always address him as “Sir Chief.” Even if it’s been years since he played that role in the defunct series “Be Careful with My Heart,” the impact remains.
Call it “RicharDisma.” Get ready to be enYaptured este enraptured by the Chinoy actor’s portrayal of Tonito in GMA 7’s “I Left My Heart in Sorsogon” (weeknights after “24 Oras”).
Since the location of the romantic drama series is in Bicol, he’s bound to have a new moniker, Oragon (“Astig” in Bicolano). Richard has his ways of making viewers forget that he’s already 54.
Richard Yap
Here’s my chat with Richard:
How would you compare your roles as Sir Chief and Tonito?
Both roles are similar in a way that the characters are father figures with kids who have a new relationship, but that’s where it ends as they have different personalities. Both are good similarly, but Tonito is more giving and more of a people pleaser to the extent that he will sacrifice his own wants.
Do you think that Tonito will be as endearing as Sir Chief?
I’m sure people will also fall in love with Tonito as he is everything you’d want in a knight in shining armor. I had to study his traits and find out what makes him work and how he thinks because he is not as formal and stiff as Sir Chief was.
Please share any interesting off-cam anecdote about your leading lady, Heart Evangelista.
Off cam, Heart is very cowboy and can relate to everyone. People have the impression she’s maarte, but in reality, she’s not. She is one of the nicest persons I have worked with and my respect for her grew even more after doing the show. She’s very caring and generous that, at one time, she even had someone cook her food for us to share.
What was the reaction of your family to Joshua Paolo Jensen’s claims that you are his father?
I would rather not discuss that as this should be addressed in the proper venue such as the court since the claim really has no merit. My family stands by me and believes that this is a purely political smear campaign.
Tell us how you conquered COVID-19 and your biggest realization as a survivor.
I would attribute it to the support of my family. Without them and their unceasing prayers, I don’t know if I would have made it. I realized that we don’t hold our own life in our hands, so we have to be thankful for each day we are alive and do the best we can to be a blessing to others because, in the end, that is what matters most.
