McCoy de Leon has been playing David Dimaguiba for two years now in “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” so you can bet he’s tried it all—intense action scenes, villainous schemes, and even moments that require ‘pa-kilig’ and drama on his part. But with everything he’s done, which scenes are his personal favorites? McCoy revealed them in this exclusive interview!
As he steadily carves out his name in the industry, McCoy takes it as a huge privilege to share the screen with industry veterans, even if that means taking a few slaps and punches from them. He actually takes pride in moments like that, just as he was thrilled to get slapped by Cherry Pie Picache in a scene.
Remember when David had the audacity to talk back to his grandma, Tindeng (Charo Santos), and his mom, Marites (Cherry Pie), immediately stepped in to give him a much-deserved slap? "Blessing sa akin na naramdaman ko 'yung sampal ni Ms. Pie," he quipped. He admits it was painful, but he prefers scenes to feel raw so he can react with authenticity. Besides, not everyone gets the honor of being slapped by a powerhouse actress like Cherry Pie.
The same goes for Charo, who once landed a slap on his face, too. McCoy is well aware of the running joke among netizens that he might lose his job if he messes with Charo's character, knowing how influential she is. Laughing, he said, "Awa ng Diyos, kahit ilang beses ko nang nasaktan at nasabihan ng hindi maganda si Tindeng, hindi pa naman ako natatanggal." He loved that scene where Tindeng slapped David after he cruelly called her life ‘patapon,’ noting the intense fury Charo unleashed in that moment.
On his scenes with Christopher de Leon, who plays Ramon, one he considers memorable was when Ramon almost strangled David with his bare hands after discovering that David secretly did a favor for their family’s rival. Admittedly, he didn’t expect the scene to be that intense, which made it even more unforgettable for him.
"Sabi ko kay Tito Bo, 'Lakasan mo lang, diinan mo lang.' Pero hindi ko alam na gano'n siya kalakas. Wala sa edad niya ang lakas niya," he shared. This made him curious about how the veteran actor keeps himself physically strong. Turns out, it's all in his healthy lifestyle, from his diet to physical activities.
It seems like McCoy has a thing for scenes where he gets beaten up because another one of his top picks is when Tanggol (Coco Martin) finally lost all patience and gave David the beating viewers had been waiting for. In the spirit of collaboration, Coco would let him know what move he’s going for in their on-screen fights. But sometimes the scene would still hurt even with all the preparation. Still, McCoy wouldn’t have it any other way, knowing viewers were satisfied with the outcome.
He also won’t forget the intense brawl between David and Santino (Ronwaldo Martin) in the Dimaguiba living room, not just because of the fight choreography but because of their seamless exchange. He started to adlib, and Ronwaldo picked up on it right away. Their back-and-forth felt effortless even without a script.
He also mentioned a phone conversation scene with John Estrada, who plays his father, Rigor. Here, David was first talking about Olga (Irma Adlawan)’s schemes, then shifted to Tanggol and Marites, and somehow ended with him manipulating Rigor into hating these people.
"Kumbaga, apat na topics 'yung tumatakbo sa utak ko," McCoy shared. He had to stay sharp and make sure the transitions felt smooth, especially since the cast often improvises without a script. That’s why it meant a lot when director Malu Sevilla praised his performance, "Minimal lang 'yung eksena pero natuwa ako kasi napansin ni Direk Malu 'yung mga nuance ko."
As for the viewers, we bet one of your favorite moments was when Tanggol gave David that brutal beating in the recent episode—talk about karma hitting hard! Catch more intense showdowns as a new chapter unfolds in “FPJ’s Batang Quiapo,” airing weeknights on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, TV5, and A2Z!