River Joseph: Still Waters, Strong Voice
Fresh from a stint in the Pinoy Big Brother house—a hotbed of mental health hurdles—River Joseph shares how he was able to cope, and allows us into his past of loss, brought about by mental health challenges.
He isn’t called the “Pambansang Green Flag” for nothing. Many things have been said or written about actor River Joseph’s big “golden retriever” energy. For a reason. He’s just, to put it quite simply, a nice guy, the kind who wears his good intentions on his sleeve. It’s a very positive energy that he carries around, akin to how your friend’s lovable golden retriever makes you smile each time you see him.
Borgy Angeles
Joseph looks the part of a nice guy, as well, getting his start in the entertainment industry by appearing in a string of commercials, before venturing into acting under Star Magic. He’s since taken on roles in series such as He’s Into Her, The Iron Heart, and Pamilya Sagrado. Acting, for him, was one thing, aside from his family, that he longed to return to while closeted inside Bahay ni Kuya.
With his burgeoning career and amiable personality, Joseph seems the type who has it all together. Unsurprisingly, he articulates his thoughts on the importance of mental health well, which he says is so critical, it’s “even more important than physical health.” But it’s a viewpoint that is hard-earned, and comes with a backstory—of loss.
“I lost my brother back in 2017 because of mental health issues, depression, and anxiety,” Joseph shares, “and that really opened my eyes to what mental health really is about.”
Joseph and his brother Richard, who was based in the United States and seeing a psychologist there for various issues, were close, despite an age gap of 10 years. “Back then, I was only 16 or 17, and I didn’t know the gravity of it. I didn’t know how bad it was until it was too late,” Joseph tells us.
As with most stories of unexpected loss, this one comes with a “should have” and “could have,” at least on Joseph’s part. “I remember there was a time that he just needed someone to talk to,” Joseph recalls. “He called me up all the way from the States. I was trying to listen to him, but I had basketball practice, so I said ‘I’ll talk to you later.’ I messaged him right after, but he didn’t feel like opening up again. That’s one of my regrets, not being able to talk to him.”
A few days later, the phone rang again in the Philippines, but this time, it was the police in the U.S., telling the family that Richard had fallen from his apartment building. The sudden and tragic loss, in Joseph’s words, brought his family closer together, and opened their eyes about the importance of mental health—and the importance of seeking treatment.
After going through grief counseling with his entire family, Joseph says that he’s a big advocate of getting professional help to stay mentally healthy, so much so that he mentions speaking to Pinoy Big Brother’s resident psychologist as one of the things he did that kept him going throughout his stay inside the house.
When we bring up that it’s, for lack of a better word, interesting, that, after his personal experiences with regards to mental health, he elected to enter Bahay ni Kuya—a hotbed for mental health challenges—Joseph sneaks a grin and a half-chuckle, admitting, “I actually didn’t know what I was really getting into at first. I didn’t know that we would be doing all these tasks, all these challenges, and they would be hard. And I also didn’t expect to be there for that long.”
It was only as the days went by that the anxiety and isolation began to take a toll, which Joseph dealt with by turning to the other housemates and the in-house psychologist, exercising, and even opening up to the disembodied voice of Kuya himself. “His voice was so calming. It was like therapy, or talking to God,” he quips.
Borgy Angeles
But despite advocating for professional therapy, making himself vulnerable does not come naturally to Joseph. It was something he had to work at while in the house. “That’s one thing that really changed,” he says. “I became more vulnerable, more open, and more self-aware of who I really am.”
Life outside, and after, the PBB house has proven to be in direct contrast to Kuya’s calming voice. It’s noisy, busy, and overflowing with people who all want a piece of each housemate. “I’m super overwhelmed,” Joseph admits. “Right after we left the house, every single day, we’ve been so busy, so packed.” It’s a whole new world that promises to test them mentally.
And to navigate, Joseph can draw from the past, from lessons from his brother and family, which he carries with him up to this day. Or he can draw from the challenges inside Bahay ni Kuya. Either way, he carries both memory and meaning into whatever comes next.
Grab a copy of Allure Philippines’ Wellness Issue here.
Production design: Justine Arcega-Bumanlag
Photographer’s assistants: Rojan Maguyon and Pao Mendoza
Makeup: Anthea Bueno (Bianca de Vera and AZ Martinez), Jake Galvez (Esnyr Ranollo), and Denise Go-Ochoa (Mika Salamanca and Shuvee Etrata)
Grooming: Myckee Arcano (Will Ashley and Brent Manalo), Jake Galvez (River Joseph), and Mickey See (Ralph de Leon and Dustin Yu)
Hair: Myckee Arcano (Will Ashley, Brent Manalo, River Joseph), Bryan Eusebio (Ralph de Leon, Esnyr Ranollo, Dustin Yu), and Renz Pangilinan (Bianca de Vera, Shuvee Etrata, AZ Martinez, Mika Salamanca)
Styling: Joy Bernardo and Jolo Bayoneta of StyLIZed Studio, assisted by Jethro Barrietta, Ayi Custodio , Ashley Jamlang, Beatrize Lagco, and Stephanie Satorre
Art direction: Nicole Almero
Beauty direction: Trina Epilepsia Boutain
Writers: Leira Aquino and Lia Cruz
Special thanks to Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition and Star Magic
