Ben Madilynn
Lingid sa kaalaman ng marami, ang 53-year-old Filipino-American Hollywood actor na si Anthony Ruivivar ang ama ng Olympian at artistic gymnast na si Levi Ruivivar.
Nagkaroon ng pagkakataon ang entertainment press, kabilang ang PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), na makapanayam si Anthony nang samahan niya si Levi nang pumirma ito ng kontrata sa Viva Artist Agency (VAA) noong Huwebes, Agosto 29, 2024.
Photo/s: Jojo Gabinete
BORN IN HAWAII
Isinilang si Anthony sa Hawaii.
Ang kanyang ama na si Tony Ruivivar ay dating miyembro ng Society of Seven, ang sikat na Filipino pop group sa Hawaii na binuo noong 1969.
Lahad ni Anthony, “I started at an early age in the entertainment industry.
“My father was in the Society of Seven, that’s a Filipino showband with Jun Polistico and Bert Nievera.
“So that’s how I grew up with Martin back in Hawaii.”
Ang “Martin” na tinutukoy ni Anthony ay ang Concert King na si Martin Nievera, na anak ni Bert Nievera.
Pumanaw ang ama ni Anthony na si Tony Ruivivar noong July 3, 2020, sa edad na 79.
The original members of Society of Seven, including Tony Ruivivar (second row, extreme right) and Bert Nievera (first row, extreme right)
Pagpapatuloy ni Anthony, “Yes, I was born and raised in Hawaii. We’re big Filipino family.
“That’s my upbringing. I was raised backstage.
“That’s my foray in the entertainment industry.”
FROM SINGING TO ACTING
Ngunit napagtanto raw ni Anthony na hindi siya magaling na singer kaya nagdesisyon siyang tahakin ang ibang career, ang pag-arte.
Saad niya, “But I decided, I wasn’t a great singer, so I went into straight drama. I went to school, The Conservatory for Acting.
“Then moved out to New York, started doing theater there and I started doing films.”
Ilan sa mga pelikulang ginawa ni Anthony noong nagsisimula pa lamang siya ay ang White Fang 2 (1994), Race The Sun (1996), at Starship Trooper (1997).
Anthony Ruivivar in (from left) White Fang 2, Race The Sun, and Starship Trooper
Pero higit na marami ang bilang ng mga TV series project niya.
Kuwento ni Anthony, “I did John London novel White Fang 2.
“I worked with Halle Berry in Race The Sun, Halle Berry and Jim Belushi. It’s basically a movie about solar car racing, high school students from Hawaii.
“I just kept working from there, and then I did the show called Third Watch [1999-2005].
“I don’t know guys if you have it here but it was from John Wells who did E.R.
“It was basically about cops, paramedics, firemen. I played the paramedic. The show won a lot of awards and my character kinda kickstarted from there.”
Anthony Ruivivar as Carlos Nieto in Third Watch
Kabilang pa sa mga proyektong ginawa ni Anthony ay ang pelikulang Tropic Thunder (2008) kasama sina Robert Downey Jr., Ben Stiller, Jack Black, at Tom Cruise; ang Netflix series na The Haunting of Hill House; at ang TV series na Southland.
Ayon kay Anthony, “I’ve been lucky enough to work in the industry.
“I love the industry but it’s a hard industry. It’s a tough industry, to be an actor and make a living.”
Anthony Ruivivar in (from left) Tropic Thunder, The Haunting of Hill House, and Southland
ANTHONY RUIVIVAR’S WIFE
Artista rin ang asawa ni Anthony, ang Hollywood actress at producer na si Yvonne Jung, na nakilala niya noong mga college student pa lang sila.
Nagkasama rin sila sa drama series na Third Watch.
Photo/s: @yvonnejungruivivar on Instagram
Kuwento ng Hollywood actor: “We met in college, Yvonne Jung, Levi’s mother.
“We never dated in college. I graduated first and then when she graduated, we started dating.
“She’s an actress. We’re both working in New York.
“And then I got Third Watch, which is a paramedic show. I wrote a play that she was in and the producer saw her in this play, loved her work, and they wrote a role for her in the show.
“We became a love interest in the show, which was really wild, and we’re doing, like, love scenes.
“We’re, like, laying in bed and they’ve got the cameras… you know, checking the focus, and we’re talking about our laundry, the things we’re supposed to do. It’s really interesting and funny.
Yvonne Jung and Anthony Ruivivar in Third Watch
“Our characters in the show got married, so in the house, we have two sets of wedding pictures.
“We have our real wedding picture and we have our on camera wedding picture. It’s super cute.”
Nagpakasal sina Anthony at Yvonne noong 1998 at biniyayaan ng tatlong anak ang kanilang pagsasama, kabilang si Levi na pangalawa sa magkakapatid.
Photo/s: @yvonnejungruivivar on Instagram
The Ruivivar family
At dahil contract star na ng Viva Artists Agency si Levi, tinanong ng PEP si Anthony tungkol sa posibilidad na pagpirma rin niya ng kontrata at paggawa ng mga pelikula sa Viva Films.
Natawa si Anthong sa narinig na tanong.
Pero sagot niya, “We’re talking about it.
“At least, when I am here in the Philippines, I can be productive. I’d love to.
“I honestly love to come to the Philippines to do as much as I can.
“So, honestly, if you’re listening Boss Vic…”
