Richard Juan thanks his family for letting him chase his dreams

While the stars of Under Parallel Skies are no doubt Thai actor Win Metawin and Kapamilya singer-actress Janella Salvador, another actor also drew screams from the fans that attended the premiere night of the film.

28 Squared Studios CEO Richard Juan has a small role in the film as Leo, a bartender who plies Parin (Win’s character) with alcohol and advice. His minimal screen time elicited some screams from the audience. This isn’t his first foray into acting though, as Richard has had roles in the series Love Thy Woman and the Star Magic movie Connected.

PUSH caught up with Richard at the first block screening of Under Parallel Skies. The fan event organized by Win Metawin Philippines in collaboration with BrightWin California was held a day after the April 16 red carpet premiere.

How did he feel after receiving his fair share of screams during the Under Parallel Skies premiere?

“I guess I’m very lucky that I still have supporters despite being here in the industry for 10 years na rin and of course, I transitioned into doing producing more and all that. I'm still very grateful for them. They're the ones that were there since day one pa talaga and sila ung parang the ones that really saw me grow starting from an artist and now to a producer also. And I'm so grateful that hopefully I also inspired them to chase their dreams and to doing greater and bigger things, too.”

Another member of the Juan family also made a cameo in the film. Richard’s dad, Nixon Juan, also got an enthusiastic response as he made his movie debut. After the movie premiere, some fans even sought out the elder Mr. Juan in the crowd to snap some selfies with him.

So how does his dad feel about all the fan attention? 

Richard laughed as he replied, “Ung dad ko parang naging artista na rin yata!”

The former Pinoy Big Brother housemate expressed his happiness over his family’s support as he ventured into producing movies.

“I believe he (his dad) probably is very proud of me. We have yet to meet actually (post premiere) because I had to go prepare some stuff for today so I didn't get to see and talk to him yet. And also my mom flew in from Hong Kong kaya I’m very happy about that. Sayang nga ung sister ko na-stuck sa Australia. Di siya makabalik dito to watch the film although they were in Hong Kong naman for it.”

With all the uncertainties facing the movie industry which is still recovering from the lockdowns, how do they feel about his new endeavors?

“Honestly, not just film producing or anything. Even ung showbiz in general. At first, they were a bit hesitant back in 2014 when I started my career. But when they saw success, when they saw that things were going well for me, they're happy. I mean I'm very lucky to be raised in an environment where I get to do whatever I want in terms of chasing what I want or be whoever I want. Di sila ung parang nakasakal sa akin and all that. So I'm happy and I'm grateful to have the family like that.”

Richard certainly has his work cut out for him as a young movie producer. He recently shared a conversation he had with an unnamed friend who said he didn’t watch local films and had no time for them, including Under Parallel Skies.

READ:Richard Juan asks for support for Filipino films

“Grabe. Seryoso ba? As a new producer, these words really broke my heart. Ang sakit ❤️‍🩹,” Richard expressed his disappointment.

He mentioned the challenges that local film producers face, even from their own circle of friends. “But this really highlights the challenge that all we Filipino filmmakers face, because let’s be real — lahat tayo may mga kaibigan na ganun din. I get it, not every film will resonate with everyone, and that’s 100% fine. Criticism is part of it naman talaga. But dismissing all local films outright? Wag naman? Sobrang sakit talaga. 💔”

Focusing on changing perspectives, he said, “But that’s the reality that we live in. When they say they want to watch ‘international films’, they always think Hollywood films. Pero hindi ba pwede international film din yung Filipino film? 😳”

“Being the first Filipino romance film distributed by THE Warner Bros., many eyes globally are on us and the whole Philippine entertainment industry. Because what we have in Under Parallel Skies goes beyond simply showcasing actors; but it also celebrates the Filipino and Asian creativity behind the cameras,” he added.

Meanwhile, Under Parallel Skies recently held its Thai premiere night on May 7 at the Siam Paragon Cineplex in Bangkok. It is also scheduled to premiere in Indonesia, Cambodia, Hong Kong, and Vietnam.