Christopher De Leon shares his secret to staying fit and healthy at 69 years old.
Ahead of his 70th birthday on October 31, the veteran actor shared how he keeps himself strong and addressed whether he has considered taking a break from showbiz during an interview with Ogie Diaz on his YouTube channel.
“Yung lakas is, of course, always coming from God. He gives me the strength and energy. That’s what I pray for also,” he began. “Aside from that, ‘yung regimen ‘di ba? Sometimes, ‘di ba karamihan sa atin, tamad tayo? Ako hindi eh.”
The veteran actor said he makes it a point to work out daily, focusing on at least four parts of his body during his routine.
READ: Christopher de Leon breaks silence on the feud between Lotlot and Ian De Leon
His exercises include squats, bench presses, crunches, and other workouts. He also targets different muscle groups such as his biceps, deltoids, and calves, which he works on alternately throughout the week.
“Tapos magba-bike ako. Diyan sa court na ‘yan, shooting shooting lang ako. Tapos I have a gym here,” he added.
Christopher’s commitment to staying fit has also helped him prepare for the physical demands of his acting projects.
He recalled his time on FPJ’s Batang Quiapo, where he played Ramon, the father of Coco Martin’s character Tanggol. The series required high energy and physical strength, particularly during its action-heavy scenes.
“Rigid ‘yung pinagagawa sa akin ng mga direktor, lalo na si Coco, ‘yun ang requirement niya. So, everyday, prepared ka dapat sa mga eksena.”
Christopher explained that they would usually shoot around three action scenes in a week, while there were also dedicated weeks focused on filming only action sequences throughout.
“An actor prepares. An actor prepares in anything like what if ipinagawa sa’yo ito [or] ito ang ipagawa sa’yo,” he maintained.
Even after more than five decades in showbiz, Christopher said he does not have a specific point in mind when he plans to stop acting.
“Hindi naman ako sagad kasi eh,” he said, adding that he took a good rest after finishing FPJ’s Batang Quiapo before moving on to new projects.
“Sometimes I miss it eh. Namimiss mo ba, as an actor, parang [gan’on].”
The veteran actor also pointed out that age does not necessarily mean a person has to stop doing what they love, citing doctors and lawyers who continue working even when they are already older.
He also recalled the late Eddie Garcia, who remained active in acting before his death in 2019 at the age of 90.
“Para bang ‘yung daily grind mo, ayaw mong nakatunganga ka lang sa bahay...the discipline and the attitude during work, essential [‘yun], it perks you up...kailangan active ka lagi.”
“In some cases, kapag wala ka nang ginagawa, baka ikamatay ko pa ‘yun,” he added with a laugh.
Christopher was only 17 years old when National Artist for Film and Broadcast Lino Brocka introduced him in Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang in 1974.
His performance in his first-ever movie earned him the Best Actor trophy at the 1975 FAMAS Awards.
More than five decades later, Christopher continues to stay active in the industry while making fitness and discipline part of his routine.