Rabin Angeles is having a banner year—and it’s only May.
The breakout star of Viva One’s ‘Ang Mutya ng Section E’ has now been cast in another highly anticipated Wattpad-to-screen adaptation: ‘Mission Impossible: Seducing Drake Palma’.
Angeles was officially introduced as the lead star in a media conference held Thursday, May 8, at Viva Café in Cubao, Quezon City. The new series, which will stream soon on Viva One, is directed by Crisanto Aquino, a multi-awarded filmmaker whose recent work ‘My Future You’ won Best Director at both the 2024 MMFF and MIFF.
In ‘Seducing Drake Palma’, Rabin takes on the role of Drake—an intelligent, aloof heartthrob from a wealthy family. He’s the type who can fall asleep in class and still ace his exams, and while girls chase after him, he rarely takes any of them seriously. That is, until he meets Alys—a quirky, outspoken girl who’s determined to win his heart.
“This is a very different character from Yuri in AMNSE,” Rabin shared during the press con. “Si Drake, kahit di nagsasalita, malalim. Sanay ako madami lines, dito wala masyado. Mata mo lang magsasalita. Mahirap po.”
The series is based on the popular Wattpad novel by Ariesa Jane Domingo, known to her millions of readers as “Beeyotch” (short for “beyond bitch”). The book has amassed 79.5 million reads on Wattpad since it was first published in 2012.
Ariesa expressed her excitement over Rabin’s casting, saying he matched her original image of Drake.
“When I wrote Seducing Drake Palma on Wattpad in 2012–2013, the actor in my head was a K-pop idol—Korean, chinito. Physically pa lang, nung sinend ng Viva si Rabin, I was like, ‘Oo nga.’ And when I visited the set, mas lalo ako naconvince we made the right decision casting him,” she said.
Director Crisanto Aquino echoed her thoughts: “Ako, when I direct actors, lagi ako nakatingin sa mata. Doon mo makita ’yung emosyon kahit walang dialogue. Una sa lahat, si Rabin—Drake Palma siya. Tama desisyon ng Viva. Magaling siya.”
Ariesa also confirmed that the adaptation will stay faithful to the original Wattpad story, to the delight of longtime fans.
Rabin, who shot to fame as Yuri Hanamichi in ‘Ang Mutya ng Section E’, has since enjoyed a string of endorsements—including one from Korean skincare brand The Lab by Blanc Doux—and recently launched his own fragrance line, Bin Perfume, under Viva Beauty.
His performance as Yuri also earned him the Best TV Actor award at the Laurus Nobilis Media Excellence Awards held at the Lyceum of the Philippines–Cavite last April.
Reflecting on his whirlwind career rise, Rabin said, “I still can’t believe everything that’s happening. To be given a lead role in a story that already has a strong fanbase… it’s a dream come true.”
‘Mission Impossible: Seducing Drake Palma’ will premiere soon on Viva One.
