“Pinoy Big Brother: Gen 11” housemates and breakout stars, Fyang Smith and JM Ibarra, are set to lead their first full-length film together in “Almost Us,” a romantic comedy from Regal Entertainment and Project 8 Projects.
Produced by Regal Entertainment in partnership with Project 8 Projects, the romantic comedy marks a major milestone for the pairing known to fans as “JMFyang,” now being positioned as a new-generation love team in Philippine cinema.
Directed by award-winning filmmaker Dan Villegas, the film explores modern relationships shaped by fandom, social media, and emotional timing. It centers on the idea of “almost love” — when feelings are mutual but circumstances fall short.
Villegas said the project did not begin with a finished script, but rather with a clear vision of who he wanted to bring together onscreen, which eventually shaped the story itself.
“We actually thought of JM and Fyang first before developing the concept. I was with an associate producer, and we were brainstorming ideas. Since she’s Gen Z, she brought up the idea of an alternate universe or the AU concept. From there, we built the story about a girl who becomes obsessed with an idol, while her best friend fights for her,” Villegas said during a press conference.
The director recalled that his interest in Ibarra as an actor came from an earlier independent film, which prompted him to look deeper into the young actor’s work and eventual pairing.
“The first time I encountered JM was in ‘Child No. 82,’ and I was really impressed. I told myself I wanted to work with him,” Villegas said.
“That same night, I did a deep dive and discovered their love team, JMFyang. I watched their clips and found myself getting kilig. A few days later, I met with Keith, pitched the idea, and everything fell into place,” he continued.
Producer Keith Monteverde said their previous experience working with the pair made it easier to commit to the project.
“We had already worked with JM and Fyang in ‘Shake, Rattle and Roll,’ and they were so good. We were thinking about what project would suit them next. Then Direk Dan messaged me on Facebook to pitch a concept, and we immediately said yes,” Moteverde said.
The film also reunites Villegas with Project 8 Projects, the production company he co-founded with director Antoinette Jadaone, and features a screenplay by veteran romcom writer Miguel Sevilla.
Villegas emphasized that beyond talent, what stood out to him most was the professionalism and mindset both actors brought to the project, which he believes will help sustain their careers.
“I believe there are many talented people, but what’s very important is how they approach the craft. I think these two will go far because they’re not only talented, they also have the right attitude toward work,” Villegas pointed out.
Meanwhile, for Smith and Ibarra, taking on their first film as lead stars together carries a sense of responsibility especially with growing expectations from their fan base.
“I’m excited because this is our first film together. But what excites me more is for the audience to see it. I’m 100 percent sure that once they watch this, Fyang’s strength as an actress will leave a stronger mark,” Ibarra said.
Smith, for her part, shared that working closely with Ibarra allowed her to see a different side of his acting.
“He’s really good. I was amazed by how he portrayed RR, my best friend. It’s not far from reality because we’re best friends in real life too, but I was still surprised by how well he did,” Smith enthused.
Beyond their onscreen chemistry, the pair’s real-life dynamic has also become a point of public interest, especially after Ibarra confirmed in a previous interview that he is courting Smith.
Addressing the matter openly, Smith said they have chosen to be transparent while still taking things at their own pace.
“We’re very open about it. He’s courting me, and he still is up to now. It’s still too soon. We don’t want to rush something that doesn’t need to be rushed, and of course, we’re also focused on our careers while doing our thing,” she said.
Ibarra echoed her sentiments, noting that he has been consistent about his intentions from the beginning.
“That’s true. I’ve been vocal about that from the start,” he said.
Meanwhile, when asked directly who she would not want to be labeled as “almost” in her life, Smith did not hesitate in saying, “I won’t go far — JM. I don’t want us to be labeled as just ‘Almost Us.’ I’m not giving a showbiz answer — we’re already in this situation, and he’s courting me.”
The film also stars Yuki Takahashi, Sam Samarita, JM Salvado, Baus Rufo, Che Ramos and Lotlot Bustamante, with special participation from Dustin Yu.
“Almost Us” is set for nationwide release on May 6.
