Coco Martin squares off with Kris Aquino

If there's one thing Coco Martin could teach Kris Aquino, it is what "mapusok" means.

The "Prince of Indie Films" Martin, made controversial, if not famous, for his body baring roles in his movies, was on the hot seat on the Tough Ten segment of 'The Buzz' on May 16. But this question--about his biggest regret--is only the fourth toughest question... as it turned out.

In his first-ever live TV interview, apparently upon the prodding of the soon-to-be presidential sister, Martin pointed to his "pagiging mapusok" in his young age as the root of the mistakes he'd made in his life.

Quickly, Aquino asked, "What does mapusok mean?"

"Naging padalus-dalos sa mga bawat desisyon ko sa buhay... Hindi ko pinagiisipan nang tama," Martin replied.

Well showbiz, of course, is not lacking in the reckless people department, that much is pretty obvious. But Martin was quick to point out that his decisions made him who he was.

Martin, it will be noted, is Aquino's co-star in their teleserye, "Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo." Right at the beginning of the segment, Aquino pointed out that Martin already looked "mayaman" at "parang ang kinis-kinis mo." Media savvy enough, Martin readily acknowledged his sponsors.

The first question asked was about being a sellout--of forsaking indie for a bigger-paying job on TV. "Hindi po totoo 'yan... Never akong mawawala sa pag-gawa ng independent movies kasi eto 'yung kaligayahan ko eh. Dito ko nae-express 'yung pagiging artist ko."

Aquino trumped on her being "privileged" and having a certain cut-off for her tapings--at 2am, she revealed--that Martin didn't have. "Kaligayahan na walang tulog," she asked. "Enjoy ka dun?"

"Sabi nila 'pag artist ka raw, kahit gaano kahirap 'yung ginagawa mo, 'yung fulfillment sa craft mo, kapag na-achieve mo 'yun, lahat mabubuhara... lahat ng pagod," he responded.

When asked about any special person that he would not want to lose, Martin said, "Siyempre lola ko, siya kasi ang nagpalaki sa akin at siya ngayon ang kasa-kasama ko.... 'Pag nawala siya, feeling ko mapipilayan ako." He also admitted he might soon be able to afford to buy her a house.

When made to choose between love and money, Martin fumbled a bit but eventually picked love. Gerald Anderson was then prompted on screen to ask which is the better actor between the two of them. Martin was hard-pressed to compare but said Anderson was more a matinee idol type while he is the dramatic kind. For his most daring role "for the sake of art," he said, "Naipakita ko na ang lahat eh."

From an indie star, Aquino pointed out that Martin had become a primetime star, an endorser and also a movie co-producer. She then asked what would be his last wish that, when fulfilled he'd happily die after. "'Yung maayos ko 'yung pamilya ko. Ginagawa ko naman lahat ito, 'yung pagpapaka-pagod ko, para sa kanila. 'Yung ma-kompleto ko 'yung mga kapatid ko. Tatlo kami... tapos meron akong dalawang kapatid sa father's side," he said.

Gina Pareno asked the third toughest question, about what Martin would say to the people who wanted to tear him down.

"Nagpapasalamat ako sa kanila," he answered, to which Aquino reacted with, "Humph!"

"The old Kris bumalik nanaman, sorry... Bakit ka magpapasalamat eh pinapabagsak ka nga," she wailed.

"Kasi para sa akin... sila 'yung rason kung bakit ako nagiging humble. Kung bakit ako nakatapak pa rin sa lupa," he said, and Aquino replied quietly, "Ay ganun din ako!"

Martin continued, "The more na inaapi ka, o sinasabihan ka ng 'di maganda, lalo ka nag-iingat... at lalo mong binabantayan 'yung mga bagay-bagay na hindi makaka-apekto sayo."

Aquino again wailed, "Parang ako!" And turning to the audience, she asked, "Ba't kayo natatawa, hindi niyo ba ma-feel? 'Di ba parang we're so alike na," she laughed.

The second toughest question had Martin admitting he puts too much pressure on himself based on high personal standards. "Pinarurusahan ko 'yung sarili ko... Kung minsan nasa kotse ako, nagkukulong ako--which is weird--pero dumarating 'yung point na naiiyak ako dahil feeling ko mali 'yung ginawa ko sa trabaho."

The last and toughest question came from Kim Chiu, who pointed an old intrigue involving herself, Aquino and Martin. Recall that at one point it was reported that Martin was bullied by Aquino and Chiu. "Nagtampo ka ba sa amin?" Chiu asked.

"Aminin mo na, nagalit ka sa amin kasi feeling mo ba naging wicked witches kami? Or nagulat ka kasi ang dami kong tanong," Aquino added.

"Hindi naman nagalit, nagulat ako. Unang-una, sobrang takot na takot ako sa inyo, Ms. Kris. 'Pag lumalapit kayo, hindi ko alam kung saan ako magtatago. Nung dumating po 'yung point na nakilala ko na kayo, at nakilala ko na mas lalo si Kim, dun na nagkapalagayan ng loob."

Kris, who said she now liked Martin because Baby James also did a lot, apologized to him on the air for asking too many questions, wanting to prove the rumors about him wrong. She said she realized he was sincere and humble, which inspired her. She said even soon-to-be President Noynoy Aquino singled him out and insisted she thank him.

"Gusto kong malaman mo na for the rest of my life, I will be sincere towards you. At nagso-sorry na ako na nakialam ako sa buhay mo nung dapat hindi ako nakikialam dahil hindi pa naman tayo close. But now that I'm a 'new Kris,' hindi ko na gagawin 'yon," she added, laughing. Who knows, maybe a tiger really can change its stripes.

The interview, of course, was a promo for Coco Martin's upcoming, "Noy, The Movie." The movie, which opens locally on May 26, is actually about a character named Agapito, nicknamed Noy, who poses as a journalist commissioned to produce a documentary following the 2010 campaign trail of the presidential bet and his namesake Noynoy Aquino III.

While this has already caused quite a stir among Netizens, chalk this one up to the clever timing and, indeed, a brilliant title pick by the people at Star Cinema.

Indeed, if Aquino could take her brother all the way to Malacañang, we're guessing getting moviegoers to watch "Noy, The Movie" would be a lot easier.