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Joaquin Arce, Lella Ford, Kai Montinola and Kyle Echarri. ABS-CBN News

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Anna Cerezo

ABS-CBN News

<p>Kyle Echarri and Kai Montinola are keeping things real as they team up for their first movie together, “First Sem.”</p><p>Asked about their bond, Echarri said they remain genuine with each other, adding, “What you see is what you get.”</p><p>“Wala kami gagawin na peke para magpa-extra kilig. What you see is what you get, and we are super happy to finally have a project together,” Echarri said in an interview in Quezon City on Thursday.</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2092930124744396881&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-08-28T01%3A09%3A19.075338%3Add29e1e1-45e9-4825-abde-7981528ccf90%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=3e4b2cd4747a07a4818642064e3f4fd427e16135&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:576px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="2092930124744396881"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>For Montinola, the project comes with added pressure as she takes on her first-ever leading role. Thankfully, she said her previous work with Echarri has helped them build a strong foundation both on and off screen.</p><p>“Siyempre sa gano’n na project, to a film now as a leading lady for Kyle Echarri, and with Lelquin — siyempre na-feel ko &#x27;yung pressure. It is a bigger scope and challenge,” Montinola admitted. “Inisip ko mas mahihirapan ako dito, but as I’ve worked with Kyle in &#x27;ASAP&#x27; productions and &#x27;Roja,&#x27; we have built a strong foundation together and on screen.”</p><p>While the tandem is grateful for the support of their fans and welcomes “shippers,” they also hope people can keep things positive and respectful rather than spreading hate.</p><p>“Tulad ng sinasabi ni Inday kanina [Kai] — marami sila nasasabi. Everyone is entitled to their opinion… You can love who you want and pair who you want. Pero kung di man punta or matuwa kayo sa nakikita niyo, di niyo kailangang maging negative. We are all here to work, have fun, we are all friends,” he reminded.</p><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:655px;display:block" width="655"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178787601589263edff6b-5821-4afb-8d76-15b26b6fc765.jpg" style="width:655px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="655"/><span class="fr-inner">Joaquin Arce, Lella Ford, Kai Montinola and Kyle Echarri. <em>ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span>Echarri also said he feels no need to explain rumors connecting him to different personalities.</div><p>“Di na kailangan i-explain&#x27;yung rumors. Everyone knows their own truth. Gano’n naman talaga. We can’t make everyone happy,” Echarri said when asked about his reaction to online posts romantically linking him to people.</p><p>Recently, Echarri became the subject of online speculation after he and BINI’s Aiah were spotted together in Japan.</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-1&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2092916919808708807&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-08-28T01%3A09%3A19.075338%3Add29e1e1-45e9-4825-abde-7981528ccf90%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=3e4b2cd4747a07a4818642064e3f4fd427e16135&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:673px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="2092916919808708807"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>Joining Echarri and Montinola in “First Sem,” which revolves around college students, are Joaquin Arce and Lella Ford. The Netflix offering also marks the movie debut of Arce and Ford’s tandem.</p>

<p>Kyle Echarri and Kai Montinola are keeping things real as they team up for their first movie together, “First Sem.”</p>

Kyle Echarri and Kai Montinola are keeping things real as they team up for their first movie together, “First Sem.”

Kyle Echarri, Kai Montinola to lead first movie together

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Kyle Echarri, Kai Montinola to lead first movie together

Anna Cerezo,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 28, 2026 11:39 AM PHT

Read More:

First Sem

Kyle Echarri

Kai Montinola

Joaquin Arce

Lella Ford

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