Benjamin Sapida, formerly known as Vince Saldaña and now going by the stage name Benjamin Alves, is a Filipino actor and model currently under the management of GMA Network. Born into a family with ties to the entertainment industry, Alves is a nephew of renowned Filipino actor Piolo Pascual.
In 2006, Alves relocated to the Philippines with the goal of establishing a modeling career. He entered the show business scene in 2008, adopting the stage name Vince Saldaña and appearing in ABS-CBN's reality model-search competition Close-Up to Fame, where he eventually made it to the finals. This led to his signing with VIVA and his first acting gig in QTV's teen series Posh in 2007. That same year, he appeared in Viva Films' movies Ang Cute ng Ina Mo and Apat Dapat, Dapat Apat. He also landed roles in various television series, including Dalawang Tisoy in RPN 9, Ysabella on ABS-CBN, and Impostora on GMA Network.
In addition to his work on television and film, Alves has also appeared in numerous television commercials and magazine publications. Initially slated to be part of the cast of GMA Network's L.U.V. Pow, he was later withdrawn from the project due to a cast reboot. Alves subsequently left the entertainment industry in 2009 to focus on his education.
After completing his studies, Alves returned to the entertainment industry in 2012. He graduated Summa cum laude from the University of Guam with a degree in English Literature. In a press interview, he revealed that he initially planned to pursue a master's degree but ultimately decided to continue his showbiz career.
Alves was relaunched into the entertainment industry under the management of Mercator Model and Artist Management. He signed an exclusive contract with GMA Network, committing to a three-movie deal and television soap operas. He was officially launched on the Sunday variety show Party Pilipinas on June 25, 2012, as the newest Kapuso star and was dubbed the newest Kapuso heartthrob.
Alves' first film under Regal Films and GMA Films was Guni-Guni, in which he played the role of Paolo Lopez opposite actress Lovi Poe. He also appeared in GMA Films' entry to the 2012 Metro Manila Film Festival, Coño Problems. In August 2012, Alves was announced as part of the cast for the remake of the famous Korean television series Coffee Prince, in which he played the role of Errol, a record-producer and half-brother of Abrenica.
In 2013, Alves starred in the independent film Sana Dati, alongside TJ Trinidad, Lovi Poe, and Paulo Avelino under GMA Films.
