Richard Gutierrez Hopes To Pass on the Martial Arts Discipline to His Sons

With "Incognito" winding down this week, one of the clear highlights from its entire run is how the show brought together stars who aren't just portraying action roles—they actually have the credentials to pull off the fight scenes and make them feel more real. Case in point: Richard Gutierrez, who got to bring out his martial arts background again after "The Iron Heart."

- By Nathalie Tomada

Off-cam, the 41-year-old Kapamilya leading man is just as serious about the craft, even hoping to pass the same discipline on to his kids.

In "Incognito," Richard is Jose Bonifacio, a discharged Navy SEAL who kickstarted the recruitment of a covert team—played by the ensemble cast of Daniel Padilla, Baron Geisler, Anthony Jennings, Maris Racal, Kaila Estrada and Ian Veneracion—tasked with missions the government can't directly take on.

He previously recalled to The STAR that his preparation for the role involved three months of martial arts training camp with his co-stars—something he welcomed with open arms.

"I did those martial arts before so parang refresher siya sa akin. Like sharpening the tools," he said.

After all, this wasn't new territory for him. A black belter in karate, Richard started young in the U.S., eventually dabbling in jiu-jitsu and weapons training.

"Actually, sa 'Mulawin' (his first action series in the early 2000s) medyo na-showcase ko dun. Kasi nag-training ako ng karate sa States, did weapons training when I was a teenager. I had a trainer (who eventually asked me) to teach the kids' class. Teenager pa lang ako nun pero ako yung nagtuturo ng kids," said the actor whose early action idols were Bruce Lee, Sylvester Stallone and the iconic screen hero James Bond.

Nevertheless, for "Incognito," he learned something new, Pekiti Tirsia, described as a combat-oriented Filipino martial art used for close-quarters fighting with both weapons (i.e., knives) and empty hands.