Dannyka Manangan

Fyang Smith and JM Ibarra on working with director Dan Villegas: ‘Hindi pa tayo napapagalitan!’

Article (news)

Rhea Manila Santos

<p>As the lead stars of the upcoming film <em>Almost Us</em>, Pinoy Big Brother alumni Jm Ibarra and Fyang Smith are slated to make their fandom swoon once again in the new romance project. The film also marks the collaboration between Regal Entertainment and Project 8 Projects, the production company founded by director-couple Dan Villegas and Antoinette Jadaone.</p><div><br/></div><p>During a recent interview with PUSH Bets, Fyang couldn’t help but admit how intimidated she was by the directors during their first day of shooting the film. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><iframe class="instagram-media" id="instagram-embed-5" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWdVEkVD1-t/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A5%2C%22os%22%3A485790.700000003%2C%22ls%22%3A228367.80000000447%2C%22le%22%3A228379.5%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="0" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-5" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px;min-width:326px;padding:0px;position:absolute"></iframe><blockquote class=" instagram-media-registered" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWdVEkVD1-t/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" id="instagram-media-payload-5" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15);margin:1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:calc(100% - 2px)"><div style="padding:16px"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWdVEkVD1-t/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%" target="_blank"><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;align-items:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:40px;margin-right:14px;width:40px"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:100px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:60px"><br/></div></div></div><div style="padding:19% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:block;height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px"><br/></div><div style="padding-top:8px"><div style="color:#3897f0;line-height:18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding:12.5% 0"><br/></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:row;margin-bottom:14px;align-items:center"><div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(0px) translateY(7px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;height:12.5px;transform:rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px);width:12.5px;flex-grow:0;margin-right:14px;margin-left:2px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;height:12.5px;width:12.5px;transform:translateX(9px) translateY(-18px)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"><br/></div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"><br/></div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"><br/></div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"><br/></div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"><br/></div></div></a><div style="color:#c9c8cd;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWdVEkVD1-t/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Regal Entertainment, Inc. (@regalfilms50)</a></div></div></blockquote><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>“Nung first day ko nag-e-expect ako na baka pagalitan ako ni direk Dan, ni direk Tonet, pero thank the Lord, hindi pa tayo napapagalitan. Grabe yung dalawang yun. Grabe yung mga directors na yun. Grabe sila mag-handle ng artista, in a nice way. Grabe yung passion nila sa work nila, na hindi sila basta-basta. Sobrang grabe yung art nila sa isang work na ginagawa nila. Sabi ko grabe, isa sa mga nirerespeto kong director here in the industry. So grabe yung pressure ko nung hindi pa kami nag-te-taping ng <em>Almost Us</em>. Sabi ko hala, baka ganito si direk Tonet, baka mapagalitan ako ni direk Tonette. So grabe yung overthink ko nung hindi pa kami nag-te-taping. Pero nung nag-taping na kami, sabi ko grabe itong mga taong ‘to noh, grabe sobrang bait,” she shared. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-0" src="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWdVEkVD1-t/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A228684.5%2C%22ls%22%3A228367.80000000447%2C%22le%22%3A228379.5%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="889" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-0" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-1" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVvXHnLAELB/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A228701.6000000015%2C%22ls%22%3A228367.80000000447%2C%22le%22%3A228379.5%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="823" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-1" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2026/3/27/jm-ibarra-on-bringing-fyang-smith-to-mt-pulag-i-m-sure-na-walang-signal-dun-0845"><strong>READ: JM Ibarra on bringing Fyang Smith to Mt. Pulag: ‘I’m sure na walang signal dun!’</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>Working for the first time with <em>Exes Baggage</em> and <em>The Breakup Playlist</em> director Dan Villegas, Fyang shared the one important rule his actors must follow if they want to please him. </p><div><br/></div><p>“Simple lang naman yung gusto ni direk Dan, huwag kang ma-late. Huwag kang ma-le-late sa kanyang set and don’t come to his set ng hindi mo memorize (yung lines mo). Yun lang. Sobrang simple lang naman. So sundin na. Hindi naman mahirap,” she admitted. </p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2026/3/15/exclusive-jm-ibarra-says-fyang-smith-has-become-more-mature-now-yun-yung-nakaka-proud-0854"><strong>READ: EXCLUSIVE: JM Ibarra says Fyang Smith has become more mature now: ‘Yun yung nakaka-proud’</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><p>For JM, getting the chance to work closely with the two directors was a very collaborative experience. </p><div><br/></div><p>“Si direk Tonet kasi, every time na nasa set kami, tahimik lang siya. Pinapanuod lang niya yung nangyayari and then sila yung nag-co-collab ni direk Dan. Hindi namin ini-expect na pati pala kami ino-observe ni direk Dan so sobrang happy namin na nagbigay pala siya ng words na ganun. Nakakataba ng puso. Working with them naman sobrang gaan. Ipaparamdam talaga nila sa amin na yung filmmaking, hindi lang ito basta director kami, actor kayo, DOP (director of Photography) siya. It’s a collaborative art so mag-collab tayong lahat ng hindi kami na-iintimidate, ng hindi kami na-pe-pressure. So sobrang gaan ng trabaho. Ang saya lang,” he recalled. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><iframe class="instagram-media instagram-media-rendered" id="instagram-embed-3" src="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUvaAhsk6i3/embed/?cr=1&amp;v=14&amp;wp=768&amp;rd=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com&amp;rp=%2F#%7B%22ci%22%3A3%2C%22os%22%3A330755.200000003%2C%22ls%22%3A228367.80000000447%2C%22le%22%3A228379.5%7D" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="847" data-instgrm-payload-id="instagram-media-payload-3" scrolling="no" style="background:white;max-width:540px;width:calc(100% - 2px);border-radius:3px;border:1px solid rgb(219, 219, 219);box-shadow:none;display:block;margin:0px 0px 12px;min-width:326px;padding:0px"></iframe></div><script async="" src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/movies-series/2026/2/3/jm-ibarra-and-fyang-smith-to-lead-in-first-ever-solo-film-almost-us-1541"><strong>READ: JM Ibarra and Fyang Smith to lead first-ever solo film ‘Almost Us’</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH FYANG AND JM ON PUSH BETS<strong> </strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbG4sflCUqI"><strong>HERE</strong></a><strong>: </strong></p><div><br/></div><p>Watch <em>Almost Us</em>, starring JM Ibarra and Fyang Smith. The film also includes cast members Yuki Takahashi, Sam Samarita, JM Salvador, Baus Rufo, Che Ramos, and Lotlot Bustamante. Produced by Regal Entertainment Inc and Project 8 Projects. Catch it cinemas nationwide starting May 6, 2026. </p>

<p>'Almost Us' stars Fyang Smith and JM Ibarra share their experience working for the first time with directors Antonette Jadaone and Dan Villegas.</p>

'Almost Us' stars Fyang Smith and JM Ibarra share their experience working for the first time with directors Antonette Jadaone and Dan Villegas.