This is what kapuso star Alden Richards declared in an interview on the set of the primetime series, “Mundo Mo’y Akin.” The actor was asked if he would be attracted to someone who has undergone plastic surgery for aesthetic reasons.
In the series, Alden plays as Jerome, a poor but hard working student who strived to finish college and put up his own restaurant. Jerome’s best friend “Marilyn” (Louise delos Reyes) secretly admires him but thought that he won’t ever look her way because she is not blessed with good looks. In the course of the story, Jerome meets the beautiful Darlene (Lauren Young), daughter of a rich restaurant owner and grand daughter of Dona Charito (Ms. Jaclyn Jose) who looks down on Jerome and considers him a piece of trash. Although Darlene is beautiful, her character is not as lovely. Marilyn, on the other hand, is the exact opposite of Darlene.
Jerome eventually fell in love with Marilyn, making Darlene very jealous of Marilyn. In a desperate move to get rid of Marilyn, Darlene forcibly dragged her into her car and drove like crazy along a highway until they met an accident, which left Marilyn fighting for dear life and with a damaged face. Marilyn undergoes a plastic surgery which transformed her from an ugly duckling into a beautiful lady.
Jerome may have been mesmerised at the sight of the new Marilyn, but Alden says he won’t be if it happened in real life.
“When it comes to love, I think hindi ako ma-a-attract sa retokada. Siguro if Marilyn remained the way she was, baka magustuhan ko,” admitted Alden. “Although sa kuwento naman ng ‘Mundo Mo’y Akin’ wala naman ding choice si Marilyn kasi nasira yung mukha niya because of a car accident and so she really needed a facial reconstruction,” he explained.
Alden does not deny, however, that appearance is still the first thing that he notices in a girl but the aesthetics, he says, is not what really matters in the end.
“Realistically speaking, talaga namang yung itsura yung first na makikita mo sa isang tao. I think that’s true to all of us, even sa mga babae, yung first na mapapansin nila ay yung appearance. Pero lumalalim yung feeling of attraction when you get to know the person better — yung attitude niya, the way she talks, the way she relates herself to you — pero bonus na lang talaga kung maganda rin yung appearance niya,” he explained.
In terms of differences in social and economic status, Alden said that it should not be an issue in a relationship because everyone is equal when it comes to love.
“Wala naman ‘yan sa estado ng buhay e. As long as you love each other, you understand each other, and you have this certain ‘spark’ — that’s what makes it work e. It doesn’t matter who you are,” said the young actor.
Are there similarities between Alden and his character in the series?
“Yung mga effort ni Jerome is geared towards becoming a better person: nagsisikap para yumaman, gustong bigyan ng magandang buhay ang pamilya niya, gustong maging deserving para sa pagmamahal ng babaeng gusto niya. More or less, sa aspetong ito ako nakakarelate sa mga naging characters ko. I always strive to prove myself to everybody, but I’m not doing it just to impress them but for myself. I make it a point to constantly improve, to become a better person each time,” he replied.
Watch the beautiful ending of “Mundo Mo’y Akin” tomorrow night, after “Anna Karenina” on GMA Telebabad.
