When the trailer for "Incognito: The Final Mission" dropped about two weeks ago, one of the elements that immediately got fans buzzing was Vhong Navarro's surprise casting in the series' closing arc which wraps up tonight, July 18, on primetime.
And Vhong definitely did not disappoint in this special participation as he fully delivered, so much so that viewers got extremely furious at his character, Gaspar, one of the men on the side of Manuel’s (Joem Bascon) crime group.
Fans hated how he tormented the Kontraks, especially JB (Richard Gutierrez) and Max (Kaila Estrada), and made everyone feel nervous during that intense scene where it looked like he was going to kill Max in the middle of the fight. But thankfully, JB moved fast enough to save Max and end Gaspar's reign of terror.
In an interview with “Showtime Online U” last June 28, Vhong shared that he randomly bumped into Star Creatives boss Des De Guzman and half-jokingly asked if he could join “Incognito,” since he’s been an avid viewer. "Sinusubaybayan ko. Ang gagaling nilang artista. Ang ganda ng konsepto," he confessed.
And because that ‘request’ was said half in jest, he really didn’t expect that about three weeks later, he’d actually get a call inviting him to be part of the teleserye’s final chapter, which was filmed in Marawi City. "Sa totoo lang, medyo kakabahan ka at siyempre merong lungkot na kasama," he said about going to the location, which became a war zone during the 2017 siege that left much of the city in ruins.
But instead of the somber atmosphere he expected, he was surprised to find the people there so warm and welcoming. "Sobra silang masaya kasi dinalaw sila ng cast ng ‘Incognito.’ Parang ang laking bagay na sa kaunting paraan, nakalimutan nila 'yong pinagdaanan nila dahil nabigyan sila ng kasiyahan dahil binisita sila ng mga sikat na bida ng ‘Incognito.’"
"Tapos isa na rin ako sa kasamang nagpasaya sa kanila," he added.
Vhong also recalled feeling both excited and nervous when his manager, director Chito Roño, told him about his character as he'd never done anything like it before. Prior to this "Incognito" stint, he hadn’t done a teleserye since "Kokey at Ako" way back in 2010 so the jitters were definitely there and he even asked himself, "Kaya ko pa bang mag-memorize ng dialogue?" because teleserye work is a totally different rhythm compared to his daily hosting on "It’s Showtime" where he just reads off a prompter and can ad-lib as he goes. In teleseryes, while there’s some room for improvising, he prefers to stick to the script out of respect for the writers’ hard work.
Adding to the pressure was working alongside such accomplished lead actors like Ian Veneracion, Richard Gutierrez, Daniel Padilla, Baron Geisler, Kaila Estrada, Anthony Jennings, and Maris Racal. But he’s grateful with how the creatives and production team guided him throughout the filming process.
And just recently he shared some behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram with the caption, "Isang karangalan na mapabilang ako sa ‘Incognito,’" which was way of showing how much he enjoyed and appreciated the experience.
Vhong surely considers this acting stint one for the books as playing Gaspar is a bold departure from his usual comedic roles. What makes it even more memorable is the group he got to share scenes with. In the photos he uploaded, he’s seen alongside Joem Bascon, Lance Pimentel, Thou Reyes, and Nikko Natividad in their full villain gear.
But off cam and away from the fictional battlefield, they’re simply seen enjoying each other’s company.
The rest of the photos capture the entire cast all in one frame—with no distinction between good or bad guys, just one big team that clearly enjoyed working together.
Don't miss the "Incognito" final episode airing tonight on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), TV5, and A2Z.
*Photos credit to Vhong Navarro, Thou Reyes and Lance Pimentel