Richard Yap Aka Papa Chen Plays Lead Role Opposite Jodi Sta. Maria In 'Please Be Careful With My Heart'

RICHARD YAP is a late blooming actor who gained fame as Kim Chiu’s dad, Papa Chen, in “Binondo Girl”. A TV commercial model who’s married with two kids and has a regular marketing job, he’s 44 but looks younger than his age. Doesn’t he wish he joined showbiz earlier? “No, I never thought of acting until they got me for ‘Binondo Girl’, and now, I’m enjoying it,” he says. “If I joined showbiz when I was younger, siguro I won’t make it. Now is the right time for me.”

He feels lucky that for his first show, he got to act with the likes of Cherry Pie Picache and Ai Ai de las Alas who helped him act since he’s a newcomer. Now, he plays the lead role opposite Jodi Sta. Maria in “Be Careful with My Heart” that starts airing on Monday. Its presscon started with him and Jodi singing the title song of Jomari Chan on stage. It turns out he really sings.

Writer Mel del Rosario says they wanted something light for a show that will pre-program “It’s Showtime” and their peg was “The Sound of Music” and “Wanted Perfect Mother” where the widower dad falls in love with his kids’ nanny. In “Be Careful”, Papa Chen is also a widower with three kids while Jodi is a “promdi” who dreams of being a flight attendant but ends up being the yaya of Papa Chen’s youngest child, Mutya Orquia.