'ALMOST US' STARS JM, FYANG GRATEFUL TO FANS FOR RESPECTING THEIR PRIVACY

"ALMOST US" DIRECTOR DAN VILLEGAS RECENTLY REVEALED why he had long wanted to work with the love team of JM Ibarra and Fyang Smith.

- By NATHALIE TOMADA

JMFyang in one of the scenes from the film.

First, it was JM who got him curious after seeing his acting debut in the Cinemalaya 2025 entry, "Child No. 82." Then the filmmaker found out that JM was one-half of the popular post-"Pinoy Big Brother" tandem JMFyang. "Sobrang happy (to direct JM and Fyang) kasi first time kong na-encounter si JM, napanood ko yung pelikula niya sa Cinemalaya. Tapos sabi ko, gusto ko maka-work itong actor na ito. Nung night na yun, nag-research ako tapos nakita ko yung love team niya. Meron pa lang JMFyang," direk Dan shared during a presscon how he finally got to work with the JM and Fyang in Regal Entertainment's romantic-comedy "Almost Us," which opens in cinemas nationwide tomorrow, May 6.

"Tapos pinanood ko yung mga (works) nila, kinikilig ako...Nag-deep dive talaga ako. All of those nights na nagsimula ka lang sa isang video tapos 4 a.m. na natapos na puro JMFyang lang yung pinapanood mo? So, I said, I really want to work with these two."

In "Almost Us," Fyang is a woman obsessed with her celebrity idol Kenzo (Dustin Yu), while JM is the supportive best friend who is secretly in love with her.

According to direk Dan, he was impressed by the love team's professionalism despite being showbiz newbies.

In the Dan Villegas film, JM plays the supportive best friend, who is secretly in love with Fyang.