Richard Gutierrez

Richard Kristian Rama Gutierrez (born January 21, 1984), known professionally as Richard Gutierrez, is a Filipino actor. He is regarded as the original "Fantaserye King" for top billing a string of hit television series such as Mulawin, Sugo, Lupin, Codename: Asero, Zorro, Captain Barbell, Kamandag, Ang Panday, La Luna Sangre, and The Iron Heart.

Gutierrez is a recipient of a FAMAS Award and three PMPC Star Awards for Television. In 2010, "Planet Philippines" won a Bronze World Medal for Environment and Ecology at the New York Festivals Television and Film Awards. The same year, he became the spokesperson of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for the National Arts Month-Philippine International Arts Festival (NAM-PIAF). Gutierrez was also the celebrity spokesperson of Greenpeace Southeast Asia. He is also referred to as the "Valentine Box-Office King" for headlining several box office hits like Let the Love Begin, When I Met U, My Best Friend's Girlfriend and My Lady Boss. In 2015, he was handpicked by the Korean producers to host the first ever KPop Icon Search Pinoy Edition (KisPinoy).

Early life
Richard Kristian Gutierrez was born on January 21, 1984, in Beverly Hills, California, United States with his twin brother, Raymond Gutierrez to actor Eddie Gutierrez and Annabelle Rama. He has five siblings (Ruffa Gutierrez, Rocky Gutierrez, Elvis Gutierrez, Raymond Gutiérrez and Ritchie Paul Gutierrez) and two half-brothers (Tonton Gutierrez and Ramon Christopher Gutierrez).

Career
Gutierrez began acting as a child with his twin brother. He has worked in many movies with his father and his brothers. He appeared on the GMA-7 show Click and primetime series Ikaw Lang ang Mamahalin and Habang Kapiling Ka with Angelika dela Cruz. He starred in the TV fantasy series Mulawin which aired from August 2, 2004, until March 18, 2005, where he played the lead character Aguiluz. The series led to a feature-length film of the same name (Mulawin: The Movie). Since then he has played lead roles in other GMA-7 shows including Sugo, Kamandag, Codename: Asero, Zorro, Lupin, Full House and Captain Barbell (both the 2006 prequel and the 2011 sequel). Gutierrez signed a non-exclusivity contract with Viva Artists Agency in 2008, wherein he worked in a movie Patient X and where his ex-girlfriend Anne Curtis is a talent; in 2015, he, his twin brother Raymond and sister Ruffa signed an exclusivity contract with Viva Artists Agency.

In 2012, Gutierrez headlined GMA Network's upcoming Heavy Drama & Action Series entitled Makapiling Kang Muli. He is also an Greenpeace spokesperson and environmentalist and hosted documentary and reality series and television specials such as Anatomy of a Disaster, Full Force Nature, Pinoy Adventures, Signos: Banta ng Nagbabagong Klima, Planet Philippines, the third and fourth seasons of Survivor Philippines, Oras Na, Wildlife for Sale, Extra Challenge Extreme and Puso ng Pasko: Artista Challenge.

Gutierrez was a freelance actor following the end of his exclusive contract with GMA Network on June 26, 2013. On August 7, it was reported by the Philippine Entertainment Portal that Gutierrez had fathered a child with Sarah Lahbati, a boy whom they named Zion back in April 2013. He later confirmed the news on the first episode of It Takes Gutz to Be a Gutierrez, a reality TV program that revolves around his family's life. The show began airing in June 2014.

In 2017, Gutierrez signed a contract with ABS-CBN, and starred in the horror fantasy series La Luna Sangre and became a new Star Magic artist in 2018. He joined the cast of Ang Probinsyano as Lito Valmoria in 2020. In 2022, he will lead his own series titled The Iron Heart.

Controversy
In 2009, Gutierrez was charged with reckless imprudence, arising from the death of his production assistant, Norman Pardo, who died in a car accident in May 2009. Gutierrez and Pardo were driving to Manila from Silang, Cavite. Gutierrez was injured, and Pardo, seated in the passenger seat, died on the spot.

In August 2012, the Court of Appeals reinstated the charge of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide. The appellate court granted the petition filed by Pardo's widow seeking the nullification of the two resolutions that had been issued by former justice secretaries Agnes Devanadera and Alberto Agra, respectively. The appellate court stated, "To the mind of this court, if indeed private respondent was not driving fast, it would have been easy for him to stop his car and thwart any untoward incident."

Personal life
In March 2020, Gutierrez married Sarah Lahbati in the city of Taguig. They have two sons together, Zion (born 2013) and Kai (born 2018). Sarah Lahbati confirmed on March 1, 2024 her breakup with Gutierrez but are coparenting their two young sons Zion and Kai.

After her breakup with Diego Loyzaga in February 2022, and with her former boyfriend, JM de Guzman, Barbie Imperial is reportedly dating Gutierrez according to Ogie Diaz who confirmed the relationship from a "very reliable source."

Awards and nominations
Golden Screen TV Awards UPLB Gandingan Awards PMPC Star Awards for Television FAMAS Awards German Moreno Youth Achievement Award GMMSF Box-Office Entertainment Awards
 * 2011: Outstanding Adapted Reality Competition Program Host Nominee for Survivor Philippines: Celebrity Edition
 * 2011: Outstanding Natural History/Wildlife Program Host Nominee for Anatomy of a Disaster
 * 2013: Outstanding Adapted Reality/Competition Program Host Nominee for Survivor Philippines: Double Celebrity Showdown
 * 2013: Outstanding Natural History/Wildlife Program Host Nominee for Oras Na
 * 2011: Gandingan ng Edukasyon Special Citation
 * 2012: Best Lifestyle/Travel Show Host Winner for Pinoy Adventures
 * 2013: Best Reality Competition Program Host Pending Nominee for Extra Challenge
 * 1988: Best Child Actor Nomination for Takbo, bilis... takboooo!
 * 2009: Best Actor Nomination for For the First Time
 * 2015: Face of the Night with Toni Gonzaga
 * 2004: German Moreno Youth Achievement Award Awardee
 * 2003 Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation: Most Promising Male Actor
 * 2004 Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation: Prince of RP Movies
 * 2006 Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation: Prince of Philippine Movies & TV (for Let the Love Begin)
 * 2008: Prince of Philippine Movies (for The Promise) and King of Valentine Movies
 * 2009: Valentine Box-Office King Winner (with Marian Rivera) for My Best Friend's Girlfriend and Prince of Philippine Movies & TV for For the First Time