Cocoy Laurel, Veteran Actor and Nora Aunor’s Former Leading Man, Passes Away at 72

Veteran actor, singer, and theater performer Cocoy Laurel has passed away at the age of 72, according to a heartfelt announcement made by his niece, singer Nicole Laurel Asensio, on Facebook.

In a moving tribute, Asensio expressed deep sorrow and gratitude to her “Tito Cocoy” for his love, mentorship, and enduring influence on her musical journey. “There will never be another YOU,” she wrote, calling him a “God’s gift to us all” and a “positive force” who uplifted everyone around him.

Born Victor “Cocoy” Laurel, he was a member of the prominent Laurel political and artistic family. He rose to stardom in the 1970s, famously starring alongside the late Nora Aunor in classic Filipino films such as “Lollipops and Roses,” “Lollipops and Roses at Burong Talangka,” and “Impossible Dream.”

Beyond the screen, Cocoy Laurel was a classically trained performer who studied at prestigious institutions like the Juilliard School and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. His talents brought him to major international stages, playing the Engineer in “Miss Saigon” in London and Sydney, and Jean Valjean in “Les Misérables” in the West End.

He was not only an actor and singer, but also a painter and mentor—celebrated for his wide-ranging talents and deeply spiritual life.

Asensio’s tribute described their final moments together and honored Cocoy’s legacy of faith, artistry, and unconditional love:

“You are with Jesus now in paradise… You truly lived a life serving Him with all your heart and your multitude of talents.”

Laurel’s passing marks the end of an era in Philippine performing arts, but his impact will live on through the many lives he touched both onstage and off.

📌 Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced by the family.
🕊️ Rest in peace, Tito Cocoy.