Aside from adjusting to the demands, uncertainties, and challenges of show business, another obstacle that celebrities have to go through, particularly in the early days of their careers, is being able to blend in and forge meaningful and lasting connections with their colleagues either behind or in front of the camera.
Fortunately for content creator, budding comedian-actor, and “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition” 3rd Big Placer Esnyr Ranollo, he really didn’t have a hard time going through that phase in his career, for there were two celebrities, not to mention A-listers, who have embraced and loved him as who he is right at the onset—Kapamilya top Gen Z stars and loveteam Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano.
For those who have been wondering how their unexpected friendship came to be, Esnyr enthusiastically reminisced on how their bond had started a few years ago during his lighthearted chikahan with Kuantie Melai Cantiveros in an episode of “Kuan On One.”
According to him, it all started when Star Cinema reached out to him in 2021 to offer him a cameo role in the romantic comedy flick “Love Is Color Blind,” which was topbilled by none other than DonBelle. It was after he had become immensely popular due to his school-themed skits that were already viral on social media at the time. He seemed initially quite hesitant to accept the role until the staff who contacted him mentioned that it would be starred by Donny and Belle.
Hearing those had prompted him to say, “Go!” right off the bat and asked the staff about the requirements and everything that he needed to do. Even though the staff didn’t mention anything yet about the role he would portray, he told his parents that he was cast as Belle’s best friend in “He’s Into Her” for them to allow him since it was his first time in Manila and he had never been on a plane. His parents believed him, and they immediately booked tickets for him through a travel agency, helped him pack his stuff, and even sent him to the airport with his siblings and friends in tow.
However, the excitement he felt was instantly replaced with dismay when, despite being picked up from the airport and taken care of, he saw his name listed alongside the art department staff and had to stay in the same accommodation as them for a few days. Donny offered to book him a hotel upon learning his predicament when they had already started filming, and he became close to him and Belle.
His supposed brief stay in Manila eventually turned into a month after one of their directors decided to expand his three-second cameo stint for being such a ball of sunshine on the set of “Love Is Color Blind”. The director decided to rewrite the script, to add him to some scenes, and to even give him a character, with “Precious” and the other characters that he created in his multiverse making appearances in the film, too! It was also within that one month when he became friends with Belle and Donny.
“Sobrang nagpapasalamat talaga ako sa pelikulang ‘yon. May something sa akin na nagsabi na, ‘Ituloy mo ang pagkakataon na ito.’ May naramdaman ako na ‘yon ang magpapabago ng buhay ko,” he told Kuantie Melai in Bisaya. He went on to have more friends, then Belle’s manager discovered him, so he’s now under the same management as her and has been co-managed by Star Magic. Since then, he has only been going back to his hometown of Digos City, Davao del Sur for vacation, for he has already decided to stay in Manila for good because he feels like all the opportunities are here.
Those who got to follow his career would know that apart from creating content for his social media pages and YouTube channel, he also went on to appear in more film and TV projects, including the romantic comedy series “How To Spot A Red Flag,” that he co-starred in with DonBelle anew. He played the supporting role of Maxie, the best friend of Belle’s character, Cha.
The closeness and friendship among the three have remained, with DonBelle expressing their support for Esnyr and campaigning for him, especially on his bid to become the Big Winner of “PBB Collab.” Watch out for “Kuan On One’s” all-new guests such as popular Bisdak artists, influencers, content creators, and beauty queens when a new episode drops every Tuesday on ABS-CBN Entertainment YouTube and iWant.