Before ultimately joining the cast of the upcoming stage play ‘Ateng’, actor Kokoy de Santos first said no to the offer personally made by Boy Abunda.
During the mediacon at Azadore in Quezon City on November 11, the veteran talk show host revealed that Kokoy initially turned down the role when it was offered to him after a guest appearance on ‘Fast Talk with Boy Abunda’.
“Tinanggihan ako the first time I offered him the role,” Abunda recalled. “After a guesting sa Fast Talk, sinabi ko I’m doing a play. Sabi ko, ‘Gawin mo ito.’ Sabi niya, ‘Ayoko nga.’ Natatakot siya.”
Abunda said he and playwright-composer Vincent de Jesus had to convince the ‘Gameboys’ star to at least read the script.
“Ang hiningi lang namin ni Vince, pinagtulungan namin siya ni Vince—‘Basahin mo lang yung materyal. Kapag binasa mo at ayaw mo, hindi ka namin pipilitin,’” Boy shared.
Kokoy eventually read the material and immediately changed his mind. “But he said no, [then] he read the material, he fell in love, he’s here, and the rest is history,” Abunda said.
The King of Talk also revealed that ‘Ateng’ marks Kokoy’s first-ever stage play. “I was coming from the assumption na akala ko nag-teatro na si Kokoy,” he said. “Only for me to realize na this is the first play he’s doing.”
Praising Kokoy’s work ethic and passion, Abunda described the actor as someone fully committed to learning and evolving.
“He’s very passionate. He’s very passionate to learn, to maximize, to optimize himself in what he’s doing. Nung nabasa niya ang script, hindi na niya ako tinigilan. Iba na yung naging reaksiyon niya sa materyal,” he shared.
Abunda also drew an intriguing comparison between Kokoy and two Hollywood legends: “There’s something about Kokoy—it’s a combination between Daniel Day-Lewis and Tom Hanks. Alam mo ‘yung nasa gitna nun? Think Daniel Day-Lewis, that insanity of Daniel, and the precision acting of Tom Hanks. Nandun ang Kokoy. Hindi mo alam kung susuntok, hindi mo alam kung hahalik.”
‘Ateng’, written by Palanca Award-winning playwright Vincent de Jesus, returns to the stage nearly two decades after its original run at the Virgin Labfest. Co-produced by Boy Abunda and RS Francisco, and directed by Rem Zamora, the play explores themes of gender, love, and survival through the story of two siblings navigating life, dignity, and acceptance.
The production will run from November 14 to December 7, 2025, at Rampa Drag Club in Quezon City, featuring an ensemble cast that includes Kokoy de Santos, Thou Reyes, Dyas Adarlo, Jason Barcial, Io Balanon, and Vincent de Jesus.
Tickets are available via Ticket2Me and at the venue, with audiences encouraged to join the conversation online using the hashtag #MayRampaSiAteng.