IT took a giant leap of faith for Richard Juan to finally pursue his first love when he established his own production company named 28 Squared Studios in 2021.
Little did many people know that business was actually the path the 31-year-old actor-host-turned-producer has been dreaming of entering since a kid.
“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always wanted to do business and my family has always groomed me to do business,” Juan shared.
In a world of business where risks are inevitable, Juan never hesitated to make a bet with a strong belief that any journey would only begin by believing in yourself unwaveringly.
Today, the company he built four years ago has recently achieved a huge feat after the highly anticipated film, “Under Parallel Skies,” had its world premiere at the prestigious 17th Asian Film Awards last March.
The film stars Filipino actress Janella Salvador and Thai star Win Metawin under the direction of award-winning director Sigrid Bernardino.
One might be curious to ask, how did an actor and host like Richard Juan do it all by himself?
In an exclusive interview with republicasia, Juan shared his colorful yet challenging journey from being an influential actor and host in the entertainment industry to being a CEO and film producer.
Richard the host-actor
Juan was born in the Philippines but grew up in the busy streets of Hong Kong for over 18 years, where he studied until high school.
He would later return to the country to continue his studies at the University of the Philippines Diliman, where he graduated cum laude with a degree in Broadcast Communication.
It was his stay here in the Philippines where Juan started his entertainment career after joining Eat Bulaga’s You’re My Foreignoy in 2014.
He then broke into the mainstream when he became a PBB housemate in 2015 and finished sixth.
“Moving to the Philippines [and] getting out of my comfort zone, I was very lucky to somehow be involved in showbiz and it’s an industry that I fell in love with,” the actor-host shared.
Juan later on ventured into the world of acting and hosting. In 2016, he served as the host of UPFRONT at the UAAP, a media sports coverage under ABS-CBN Sports+ Action.
He also hosted a backstage show of Miss Universe 2016 held at Mall of Asia in Pasay.
After doing several cameo roles in acting, Juan finally got a lead role in the TV5’s Wattpad presents: AFGITMOLFM as Art Felix Go.
In 2019, he became part of the ABS-CBN Network’s Love Thy Woman, playing the role of Richie Tan.
Juan returned to Pinoy Big Brother as a host in 2020, appearing in PBB: Connect and PBB Kumunity Season 10.
Last February, the actor-host celebrated his 10th year anniversary in the entertainment industry.
The emergence of a young CEO-producer
Aside from being an actor and host, Juan further expanded his career by becoming a CEO and film producer.
He established 28 Squared Studios in 2021, the production company responsible for producing the upcoming film “Under Parallel Skies,” with Juan as the executive producer.
“My hosting and acting background has been instrumental in this journey, providing me with a deep understanding of the creative and collaborative nature of filmmaking. It has taught me empathy for the artistic process, especially for the talents in front of the camera, and hence allowing me to bridge the gap between the vision and the practical execution as a producer. “
For Juan, 28 Squared Studios is a byproduct of his passion for both entertainment and business.
“The way I always say it is I got my first love, which is business, and my second love, which is showbiz, and put them together, and then now we have 28 Squared Studios,” he shared.
When asked about his experience of being a young film producer, he said that film production is “a whole different world.”
He reminisced about the countless struggles he had to overcome just to pull off the ‘Salvador-Metawin’ project.
Juan went through a lot of negotiations and discussions, pulling all the stops to finish the film, starting from initial production meetings up to the final touches of the post-production.
He even jokingly said that the film was literally the biggest challenge in his life. “I don’t think I have ever worked this hard in my life.”
But if there is one thing he learned throughout his journey as a film producer, it was to have a lot of patience.
“I think one of my biggest lessons is to really have patience. If you wanna do something big, you really need to put in time. So what I am doing right now is really a long-term plan and what I am building right now is slowly trying to get to somewhere, not in a whole year but like in five years, ten years,” Juan shared, while also reiterating the importance of believing in yourself during the process.
Despite being relatively young in the field of film production, Juan believes that everything is possible through extreme hard work, focus, and luck.
He hopes to inspire people who also want to venture into film production by telling them to always believe in themselves and have patience. And his one piece of advice:
“Sometimes, you just have to bet on yourself in order to achieve big dreams.”
Asian representation and Filipino pride
When Juan established his own production company, he had many goals in mind. One of them is to make Asian narratives be seen and celebrated on the big screen, paving the way for cross-cultural films.
As someone who grew up in Hong Kong, a city considered a melting pot of all cultures, he witnessed the interlacing of various cultures across the globe and felt enamored with the beauty of such interconnection.
“I am lucky that I’ve been raised in a very multicultural background. Growing up in Hong Kong, it’s a city where East meets West so somehow, I am connected in that way. I know what the East likes, I know what the West likes. We (28 squared Studios) try to find stuff that can transcend and also connect both cultures,” he said.
“My aim is to tell stories that resonate with real-life, — let it be romance, drama, or any genre — where Asia is not merely a backdrop but a vibrant character in its own story,” he further added.
But more than just articulating Asian cultures to the world through film, Juan’s top-most priority was actually to bring Filipino talents to the global stage.
“It has always been a dream of mine to create content that really brings Filipino talents, not just the ones in front of the camera but also behind the camera, to a regional, if not the global scale. We want to be able to show that Filipinos are able to be on the world stage.”
Juan strongly believes that in the multicultural, interconnected world we have today, Filipino cultures are among the most relatable to the global audience.
With 28 Squared Studios, the actor-producer wanted to produce content that caters to the interest of the audience in the country and abroad.
It is also the reason why “Under Parallel Skies” seemed to be the most special project for Juan yet, as the film embodies all the visions he has been striving to achieve.
“This experience has been a profound journey of growth, collaboration, and a reaffirmation of my passion to connect cultures across borders and bring Filipino talents to the region, if not the world,” shared Juan.
As a film producer, Juan hopes for the country to finally have an Oscar win someday.
“[It] might not be my film, might not be my company film, but it is definitely something that I wish one day that at least the Philippines could achieve and I want to be part of the movement to do that.”
Pursuing multifaceted career
As an actor, host, film producer, and CEO, one may wonder how Juan juggles his time and responsibilities.
For him, success in balancing a multifaceted career requires a strict adherence to discipline and focus, complemented by efficient time management.
He even described this task as “like orchestrating a complex symphony.”
When asked what pieces of advice he would give to people who also want to pursue various career paths simultaneously, Juan mentioned three things—first is to always believe in yourself.
It may sound cliché but for him, it is the very foundation of everything that you want to achieve in life.
The second would be to learn from people who have different perspectives from you.
And if there is one last thing that someone needs to take by heart, Juan said that it is the painful process of getting out of your comfort zone and taking calculated risks.
Richard Juan is currently promoting “Under Parallel Skies,” where he served as an executive producer. The film will have its theatrical release in the Philippines on April 17, Singapore on May 1, and Thailand on May 9.
Check out the previous special issue of Future Forward here. For more stories, visit all Future Forward issues on republicasia.
Managing Editor: Henrick Chiu
Creative Director: Sven Gaffud
Producer: Glycel Galpo
Writer: Joshua Gerona
Video Editor: John Gabriel San Luis
Graphic Artist: Jadelyn Isiderio
Photographer: Bjorn Michael
Stylist: John Lozano
Grooming: Mycke Arcano
Special Thanks to Jeshna Abad from Bulgari Jewelries
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