Highlights
- Filipino actor Joaquin Pedro Valdes left a career in filmmaking and advertising to pursue musical theatre in the UK, following his first love for the stage.
- Now playing Benny in RENT, he wants audiences to see the character as a complicated human being rather than simply the villain.
- Valdes believes Asian representation in British theatre has improved, but says producers and creative teams still have a long way to go.
Filipino actor Joaquin Pedro Valdes spent nine years working in filmmaking, directing commercials and advertising before deciding to pursue the one passion he could never leave behind. Theatre had been part of his life since childhood, but turning it into a full-time career meant leaving Manila, moving to the UK and rebuilding his professional life in a new country.
Now performing as Benny in the West End production of RENT, Valdes is drawing on his own experiences of ambition, financial pressure and belonging to explore a character who is often dismissed as the musical's antagonist. For him, Benny's story is about more than money. It is about someone who once belonged to a community but chose a different path in the hope of building a better life.
Speaking to Eastern Eye, Valdes reflected on the challenges of pursuing theatre abroad, the importance of representation and the personal experiences that continue to shape his work.
From filmmaking in Manila to the London stage
Valdes began his professional theatre career in the Philippines at around 10 years old. However, opportunities in musical theatre were limited, prompting him to pursue a university education in film and build a career directing commercials and working in advertising.
Despite spending years outside the theatre industry, he continued returning to the stage whenever he had the opportunity. He eventually realised that performing was not something he wanted to keep as a side project.
“I just kept going back to theatre, which was really my first love. Once in a while, if I had a break, I'd go back to the theatre and do a show because that's where I found my soul. That's where I found my artistic soul,” he said.
After getting married, Valdes told his wife that he wanted to pursue theatre professionally. He applied to drama schools in several countries, including the US, Australia and the UK, and received an offer from a British drama school. However, he was also offered a place in the touring company of Miss Saigon in 2018.
His wife encouraged him to take the professional opportunity rather than return to training, and he joined the touring production, beginning a new chapter in his career.
Moving abroad, however, brought challenges he had not anticipated. Valdes described the acting industry as intensely competitive, with thousands of performers seeking work in the UK. He also found the experience of immigration isolating, particularly after leaving behind family, friends and the life he and his wife had established in Manila.
“Manila, as much as we have a lot of history there, doesn't feel like home anymore, but also London doesn't feel quite like home yet,” he said.
After almost a decade in the UK, he described his identity as a constant process of searching and transition. He has gradually built a chosen family in London while remaining close to his family in the Philippines, although the costs of travel and visa restrictions have made it difficult for them to see him perform in Britain.
Why Joaquin Pedro Valdes sees Benny differently in RENT
Jonathan Larson's RENT explores friendship, ambition, money and belonging, themes that Valdes says have taken on new meaning throughout his own life.
He believes Benny is often played as a straightforward villain, with audiences overlooking the fact that he was once part of the same bohemian community as the characters he later opposes. Benny's decision to pursue financial security and marry into a wealthy family separates him from his former friends, but Valdes sees a more complicated motivation behind that choice.
“Benny was very much a part of this community before he decided that he needed to, I guess, have a better life financially. And that's his tragedy,” he said.
Working with director Luke Shepherd and the musical team, Valdes has explored the character's unresolved relationship with his old friends. He wants audiences to consider whether Benny is trying to help them improve their circumstances or whether he is attempting to bring them into a world they no longer want.
The actor also recognises elements of Benny's financial concerns in his own experience of living and working in London, where the cost of maintaining an artistic career can be demanding.
“Am I a sellout? I don't think so. I'm still pursuing this craft and this art that I truly love and am passionate about,” he said. “I think I have a lot of integrity in my work.”
For Valdes, each role presents a different challenge. His West End debut in Heathers: The Musical came as theatre was returning after the Covid pandemic, while his work on Death Note: The Musical included performances at the London Palladium. He has also appeared in smaller productions, including works by Stephen Sondheim.
Rather than judging success by the size of a production or its reviews, he values the moments when audience members tell him that a performance has stayed with them, even when the show itself was not widely seen.
He described his current RENT company as a group of generous and vulnerable performers who are committed to telling the story honestly. With audiences on stage in an intimate theatre setting, he hopes the production feels like an embrace rather than simply a night of entertainment.
Asian representation in British theatre still has a long way to go
Valdes believes his background gives him a distinctive perspective as a performer, but he also recognises that being an Asian actor in Britain can influence how others see him and the roles he is offered.
Growing up in the Philippines, he was accustomed to seeing Filipino performers cast across a wide range of roles. Moving to the UK made him more conscious of how his skin colour, voice and physical appearance could set him apart in audition rooms.
“I didn't realise how Asian I was or othered I was until I came to the UK,” he said.
Although he is encouraged by seeing more Asian performers on major stages, including the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare's Globe and the West End, he believes representation must extend beyond the number of actors being cast.
“In terms of the decision making from the producers and the people who are financially backing these big shows, I think there's still a long way to go,” he said.
He wants creative teams to be more willing to cast Asian performers in central roles that were not necessarily written with them in mind. Valdes believes an actor's lived experience can bring a fresh perspective to a character, but performers need opportunities to demonstrate what they can offer.
His own career has not been without setbacks. At the beginning of 2026, he lost two acting jobs he had already booked because of circumstances beyond his control, leaving him facing an extended period without acting work.
He took on jobs in front-of-house roles, working in a bar, cleaning, collecting rubbish and selling food and drinks. Rather than seeing the experience solely as a setback, he found satisfaction in the work and a renewed sense of connection with other people who had moved to London to pursue creative careers.
The experience reminded him why he wanted to act in the first place. He returned to watching films and plays, reading books about acting and reconnecting with the craft while waiting for his next opportunity.
For aspiring performers hoping to build international careers, Valdes encourages them to pursue their ambitions while remaining aware of what the journey demands. He believes investing in training, developing their skills and experiencing the industry first-hand can help people understand whether the path is right for them.
At the same time, he stresses the importance of maintaining an identity beyond professional success.
“The industry, it will fail you. It will disappoint you,” he said. “But your love for the work, your passion, who you are, your identity, it will always be there for you.”
For Valdes, his relationship with his wife provides a sense of stability amid the uncertainty of the acting profession. As he continues his journey in British theatre, he hopes his experience will encourage Filipino and other international performers to take risks, keep developing their craft and remember who they are beyond the stage.
