For his first guesting in GMA’s Magpakailanman, actor Kokoy De Santos plays the role of Mark Joseph ‘Aga’ Casidsid, a.k.a. the blind marathon runner.
Although his initial reaction was that of surprise and gratitude towards the network for trusting him with such a role, upon reading the script, Kokoy admitted that it wasn’t an easy assignment, especially since it’s his first time playing a blind person. He had to wear prosthetics throughout the entire production and experience the life of a visually-impaired individual.
Kokoy draws inspiration from the visuals in his environment. But due to the contact lenses, the rising actor found the scenes hard to shoot and kept tripping. However, he isn’t one to back down from challenges and took this experience as an opportunity to expand his craft.
He also had to change his acting style from frequently using adlibs to relying on sound cues from his co-stars to make sure they played the scene aptly. And to properly imbibe the personality of Casidsid, Kokoy watched interviews of the blind marathon runner to get a better understanding of his struggles and experiences due to his condition.
Casidsid awed the public with determination to do something he loves—running. Although he lost his eyesight due to retrolental fibroplasia, a condition caused by premature birth, which results in gradual blindness, he never stopped chasing his dream until it finally became a reality.
Other actors who joined Kokoy in the inspirational episode of Magpakailanman are Snooky Serna, William Lorenzo, Marx Topacio, and Kristoffer Martin. Because of Kokoy’s temporary impairment, they offered help and guidance throughout their shared scenes.
Kokoy even shared that working with Snooky is a memorable experience. Even though they only played a mother and son relationship on-screen, the actor couldn’t help but feel at ease because he felt how the veteran actress looked out for him and guided him in his challenging role.
Throughout the production of the episode for the drama anthology, Kokoy learned several valuable life lessons that inspired him to make the most out of life. Among them is the thought that there’s no reason for him to give up on his dreams.
Apart from his first time starring in Magpakailanman, Kokoy is now also a part of the star-studded line-up of Sparkle GMA Artist Center.
He shared that he has been trying to be a part of Sparkle for some time now, and the process of getting there wasn’t easy. But because he’s eager to learn and expand his horizons, Kokoy takes on different genres and adapts to the situation to the best of his abilities.
Kokoy has also secured himself a spot in GMA’s comedy shows Bubble Gang and Pepito Manaloto, showing that he has the talent and determination to succeed in any role given to him.
Yet despite his busy schedule, Kokoy still finds time to unwind and spend with his family. After all, they’re part of the reason, and inspiration pursues a successful career in showbiz, no matter how demanding or strenuous it might be.