Joey “Coco” Diaz has been pounding the show business pavement for years, working as a standup comedian and actor. He’s appeared in television series like “Law and Order” and had small supporting roles, including in the current blockbuster hit, “Spiderman 2.”
But the North Bergen native has been hoping and praying for the role that would finally constitute his big break.
Then, Diaz got word that a casting director was looking for actors to portray different characters in a remake of “The Longest Yard,” the popular 1970s comedy/drama that featured a football game being played in prison, with Burt Reynolds as the quarterback and star player for the inmate team called “The Mean Machine.”
The remake, which will now use Reynolds as the coach of the team, will feature Chris Rock and Adam Sandler – and Joey “Coco” Diaz.
The set-up
Diaz found out about the movie when preparations were already being made to film it in New Mexico. Diaz wanted to make sure he got a chance to audition for a role.
“I had lunch with Chris Rock and Adam Sandler and we talked about it,” said Diaz, who has become friendly with Rock through performing at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles. “Chris Rock told me he could get me an audition.”
There was only one problem.
“The casting director refused to see me,” Diaz said. “I don’t know why.”
Word is that the part that Diaz was auditioning for, the role of a New Jersey union organizer who ran afoul of the law, was being set aside for former NFL great Tony Siragusa, who is a sideline reporter for FOX Sports and has also a featured role on “The Sopranos.”
“They wanted a John Gotti-type guy,” Diaz said. “Just one who could play football. I figured I could do that.”
The last time the 41-year-old Diaz played football, it was during his freshman year at North Bergen High School.
Intent on getting the role, Diaz went the extra yard.
“I made an audition tape,” Diaz said. “On my own. I went out and got a football jersey two sizes too small, pants two sizes two small with my butt hanging out. I got kids’ football shoulder pads and ran around the field with a cigar in my mouth. As I ran around, I had to stop and pull the pants back up. I did some of my comedy in the tape. I had to do something to impress them.”
On the tape, Diaz said he was “Big Tony Tedesco” from North Bergen.
“I had my agent stay on top of it after I sent the tape,” Diaz said. “I figured I had nothing to lose. With Spiderman 2 coming out, I didn’t even have time to think of it.” (Diaz’s role in “Spiderman 2” is “Bulky New Yorker.”)
On the day that Diaz knew the casting director was going to cast the part, Diaz was a nervous wreck.
“I went to do a comedy show at Universal City,” said Diaz, who has been called “the Cuban Jackie Gleason.” “But after it was over, I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat. I didn’t want to go out. I felt I needed this part. I could feel it.”
Three days later, the casting director called Diaz and told him the good news. Not only were they giving him the part, but the screenwriters liked the name on the audition tape so much that they are writing it into the script.
So Diaz is currently in Santa Fe, New Mexico, getting ready to open the shooting of “The Longest Yard.”
“Incredibly, I got three offers the same day,” said Diaz, who had been working on a situation comedy pilot for FOX. “But this is the one I had to take. This is it. It’s big-time. I move into the big leagues now.”
Prison football
Diaz will become a member of the prison football team, where he will be paired with such NFL greats as Michael Irvin, Bill Romanowski, Brian Bosworth and wrestling hero “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.
Considering the robust Diaz hasn’t tried to run in years, the role will be a challenging one. After initial shooting for a few days in Santa Fe, Diaz is being shipped to the San Francisco 49ers training facility, where he will be whipped into football-playing shape for two weeks.
“I’ve been getting ready by walking a lot more,” Diaz said. “I was very athletic until I was 35. I used to take boxing lessons. I’m not intimidated by these guys at all. I’m friends with Michael Irvin. He’s a gem. He tells me I can handle it. OK, so I’m intimidated a little. I’m 41. I hope we’re not going to do full hitting, that we’ll just slam each other around a little. I hope.”
In any case, Diaz is there. He said that he was calling his old friends, the Ascolese family of North Bergen, to send out North Bergen football t-shirts to see if they will let him wear them while shooting the football scenes.
“I have to take care of my hometown,” Diaz said. “At the first meeting, I spoke about Coach [Vince] Ascolese and the impact he had on me. He’s still my man.”
Diaz said he spent two entire days calling his friends back home to tell them the good news.
“Everyone was so happy to hear,” Diaz said. “They know I’ve waited a long time for this and that I’ve worked hard for this. It’s too unbelievable. Ever since I got the call, I’ve stayed in the house, because I’m afraid I’m going to get hit by a bus. I feel like this is a dream. I don’t want to wake up. I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like to be there.”
Once he meets Romanowski or Bosworth on the football field, Joey Diaz will be ready to hear that alarm clock ring and that it’s no longer a dream.
“Still, it’s pretty amazing, no?” Diaz asked.