On March 20, Working Boys 2 cast members Nikko Natividad, Wilbert Ross, Mikoy Morales, and Andrew Muhlach recounted how the cast almost had a brawl while filming their upcoming movie.
At the media conference for Working Boys 2: Choose Your Papa at Vertis North, Quezon City, Muhlach first cited how Natividad almost punched him because of a prank.
“Si Nikko po, muntik akong suntukin, kasi dahil sa prank, ‘Ganyan pala si Andrew Muhlach no, napakayabang naman niyan.'”
Ross and Morales then provided more detail about how the prank almost resulted in a fight.
“Sabi pa nga niyan, ‘Yang Mikoy, ang yabang ang sarap basagan sa ulo,'” Ross stated.
“Parang sana all may trabaho, pwedeng sumegway sa locked in,” said Morales.
“Wala kasi siya sa look test. So sabi ni Mikoy, ‘Ah may ano ba sa look test,'” Ross added.
“May exemption pala, may special treatment sa look test na kapag bago, kapag galing Star Magic, ganon, may special treatment. Eh si Andoy nilalaglag narin kasi first time niyang makasama, tapos si Nikko, niyaya na niyang umalis si ano–sila sa tindahan. Tapos doon siya nag-ano kay Wilbert na, ‘Sumusobra na ‘to.’ Muntik pa ngang mag-sumbong sa manager namin,” Morales continued.
Ross and Morales also narrated how the duo seemingly escalated the prank.
“Na-record ko kasi lahat. Tapos nag-aaway away na kami nila Mikoy na parang malapit na kaming magsuntukan,” Ross confirmed.
“Kasi ang role naman ni Wilbert nun, parang dinedefend niya si Nikko, kasi kaibigan na nga niya ng matagal ganon,” Morales explained.
Morales also referenced the competition between ABS-CBN and GMA Network artists during the high point of the prank.
“So at the end of the day para matapos na, ang conclusion noon, nagkapikunan kami ni Wilbert kunwari na parang, ‘O bakit mo ba prino-protektahan ‘yan? Ganyan ba kayo kapag magkakasamang hashtags, pinagkakaisahan ninyo ‘yung isang GMA.'”
Ross then revealed that he was the mastermind behind the prank on his close friend.
“Kasi prinank namin siya, kasi si Nikko, parang ilang daw siya. Sabi niya, ‘Bro, tulungan mo ako sa mga biro mo ha, kasi bago pa lang ako. Kasi ngayong bago ako.’ So sinabihan ko sila na naiilang si Nikko. Ngayon nag prank kami na–.”
Morales noted that the entire cast was in with the prank on Natividad.
“Totoong pinailang namin siya.
“Parang sabi ko na, ‘ah ganon pala, bawal plus one sa locked in pero ‘yung isa jan may driver.’ Parang nagpaparinigan na kami.”
Natividad responded that he felt bullied at the time, but it made him realize how patient he was.
“Bullying talaga, kumbaga naramdaman ko ng time na ‘yun nabu-bully na ko kasi nga ang gagaling nilang umarte na doon ko nalaman na mahaba pala pasensya ko. Kasi, kumbaga sa prank na ‘yun tumagal siya ng isang oras din.”
Ross spilled more details about Natividad’s rant, which included the former Hashtags member using his influencer status on Instagram as a comeback to his co-stars.
“Matagal talaga, kasi noong nasalabas na kami, nag-rant na siya. ‘Bakit ganon ‘yung mga kasama mo, ang yayabang nila, ganon ba sila kapag may bagong dating.’ Ganon siya, tapos noong nag tindahan kami, sabi niya, ‘Ito bro ha, isa na lang, pag ‘yung isa ‘yung humabol, si Bob, hiniritan ako, sasabihin ko talaga, bakit ilan ba followers niya sa IG.’ Kapag sinabi na, ‘o bakit may driver?’ Eh 2.8 M ako sa IG.”
He then clarified that the entire ruse made the cast work more comfortably with each other.
“Prinank namin si Nikko. Kasi kaka-sign lang niya sa Viva noong time na ‘yun pero kami magkakilala na kami. So parang prinank namin siya na parang nag-rereklamo kami na bakit may driver siya, ba’t VIP siya, na ganon pala pag galing ng Star Magic. Pero close po kaming lahat.”
Director Paolo O’Hara attested that the prank helped build a bond between the actors.
“It’s actually a good thing kasi ‘yung worry noong una is ‘yung bonding nila no and Nikko came in late, so noong prinank nila si Nikko, nagkaroon sila ng bond sa set and in real life.”
Working Boys 2: Choose Your Papa stars Ross, Morales, Vitto Marquez, Muhlach, and Natividad.
The cast also features Bayani Agbayani, Angela Morena, Debbie Garcia, Lea Jane, Angelic Guzman, Divine Aucina, Bob Jbeili, Marissa Sanchez, and Juliana Parizcova Segovia.
Under the direction of Paolo O’Hara, Working Boys 2: Choose Your Papa, opens in cinemas nationwide on March 29.