There are actors who love the spotlight, and there are those who love the work. Vien King falls squarely into the second group.

It’s easy to spot him in a crowd with his thick hair and his boyish charm but what keeps your attention is how grounded he is. He walks with the quiet confidence of someone who’s been doing this for years, yet still hesitates when you hand him a compliment. “I’m learning to accept them,” he says with a smile, almost like he has to talk himself into it.

That humility likely comes from knowing exactly what it took to get here. Raised by a single mom, Vien didn’t grow up with a financial cushion or a safety net. Pursuing a creative career, especially one as unpredictable as theater, is often a privilege—not just of talent, but of resources. For many, it’s a risk you take when there’s something to fall back on. For Vien, that wasn’t the case.

“My first love was singing,” he says. “I joined amateur contests, and from there I found acting through a workshop. Someone saw how easily I showed emotion and encouraged me to try it.” Still, choosing this path wasn’t easy. “There were moments I questioned if I was being selfish,” he admits. “There wasn’t much money, and I wanted to help my family.”

While others might treat the arts as a passion project, Vien had to make it work. And that urgency pushed him to keep showing up. Even when things were uncertain, even when he considered giving up, something always nudged him forward—a new role, a word of encouragement, or simply the feeling that he didn’t belong anywhere else.

Theater wasn’t the practical choice. But it was the one that made the most sense to his heart. So he kept going.

His latest role is Buddy Foster in Sandbox Collective’s Side Show, a Tony-nominated musical that follows conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton as they move from sideshow curiosity to vaudeville stars. Vien plays their manager Buddy, a man whose ambition often blinds him to the consequences of his actions.

It’s a far cry from who Vien is in real life. “Buddy will do whatever it takes to succeed,” he says. “I’m not like that at all. I second-guess myself a lot.” Where Buddy sees opportunity, Vien sees responsibility. Where Buddy pushes forward, Vien often pauses. Still, he finds common ground with the character. “We both know what it feels like to be different,” he says. “Buddy is always trying to fit in. I’m naturally introverted, which isn’t always easy in this industry.”

Vien’s take on Buddy isn’t all edge and ambition. He adds subtlety to the role, leaning into moments that show Buddy’s vulnerability rooted in Buddy’s need for acceptance and fear of being left behind. “I imagined him as someone who’s quiet but determined. He sees people’s potential and wants to make things happen, but he sometimes gets lost in the pressure to belong.”

Working on Side Show has also deepened Vien’s appreciation for ensemble storytelling. “The cast is amazing,” he says. “There’s no ego. Everyone just shows up and supports each other.” It’s the kind of environment he thrives in: collaborative, generous, open.

And while the role of Buddy may not have been what he originally auditioned for, it feels like the right fit. “I tried out for a different character,” Vien recalls, “but they asked me to try Buddy’s song. I wasn’t sure at first, but now I see why they thought of me.”

Now more than a decade into his career, Vien has earned accolades (including Best Actor in a Musical from Gawad Buhay and the LEAF Awards for Passion), but he remains thoughtful about what success looks like. “The award helped me believe I’m doing something right,” he says. “It gave me confidence to speak up more in rehearsals, to share ideas.”

Vien has been building his career one show, one rehearsal, one audition at a time. The awards are great, the roles are meaningful—but it’s the process that keeps him going. “Every project teaches me something new,” he says. “You just have to keep showing up.”

And that’s really what sets Vien apart. Not just talent, but commitment. Not just charm, but follow-through. In an industry that often celebrates shortcuts and spectacle, Vien King is proof that steady work still goes a long way.

🎟 Catch Vien King as Buddy Foster in Side Show, opening on July 26, 2025, and running until August 16, 2025, at the Power Mac Center Spotlight Black Box Theatre in Circuit Makati. For more information, follow The Sandbox Collective on their social media pages.