From being mere aspirants who once only hoped to break into the local entertainment scene, Anji Salvacion and Gelo Rivera were able to make it, and both have been in the industry for several years now.
While Gelo has focused on becoming a performer as part of the all-male Pinoy pop group BGYO, Anji has already dabbled in singing, acting, dancing, and even becoming a “Pinoy Big Brother” Big Winner.
And this 2025, both of them had stepped into an uncharted territory via the ABS-CBN Studios’ first original YouTube flick, “The Four Bad Boys and Me,” through which they were able to mark a few of their firsts as artists. They were able to talk a bit about their experiences and stints in making the digital film during one of their guestings on Kapamilya Chat.
“For me, it’s just overwhelming and I'm so grateful and thankful na alam mong may mga taong sumusuporta sa inyo, especially din sa project na ito. It’s just overwhelming with gratefulness kaya thank you, thank you po sa lahat ng nanood. At manood pa kayo!” Anji, who plays the nerdy and awkard female protagonist Candice, enthused when asked by the host how she felt about doing the project.
Gelo, who charms us as the arrogant yet thoughtful Jeydon Lopez, meanwhile expressed his gratitude for all kinds of comments and feedbacks that they’ve been receiving with regard to the movie in general and their performances as individual artists and an ensemble.
“I feel so blessed kasi ‘di ko talaga in-expect na sa akin mapupunta itong role na ‘to ni Jeydon. First acting experience ko, lead role pa, [so] ang laking presure no’n sa akin. Kaya salamat sa positive comments, even the negative comments I appreciate kasi nakatulong naman ‘yon sa akin. Maraming salamat sa lahat ng naniwala at nakikisaya sa amin sa movie na ‘to,” he conveyed.
When asked to describe this project, Anji imparted that it was such a rollercoaster experience since it tackles a variety of topics—from family and friendship to love and other dilemmas that the youth commonly face.
On the other hand, Gelo finds it relatable, for he was reminded of the memorable moments he had when he was still in high school, such as falling in love, engaging in mischievous deeds with his barkada and classmates, and going through personal and family problems.
The host then quizzed them about their first-ever taping day, with Gelo recounting that he arrived on the set one hour before their call time. He was actually quite restless during that time, so he just kept himself occupied by poring over his script. Despite being scolded that day—mostly because of the blockings—and feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and drained, he was still happy because he enjoyed what he was doing and learned a lot from it.
Anji confessed to feeling the first taping day jitters, too, especially because this is her first-ever lead role, and to being among those who were reprimanded due to wrong blockings. Since it was apparently their first time working together, she also had to observe the vibe of her castmates in order for her to easily adjust herself and create connections with them.
Gelo then chimed in to add, “Nakakatuwa rin kasi na kahit magkakaibigan o magkakakilala kami lahat doon sa set, first time namin makatrabaho ang isa’t isa, ‘yong iba, ang maganda ay naramdaman ko naman na nagbubuhatan kami o nagtutulungan everytime kahit pa before sumalang. Hindi mo mararamdaman na may kompetensya. Pero siguro kung mayroon man, magagamit mo ‘yon kasi ‘yon ang role mo.”
As the host mentioned their impressive chemistry, Gelo felt that it just came naturally ever since the auditions. And they were able to further make it work by chatting with one another during their breaks on the set, through which they were able to learn a lot about each other’s lives. There are some things that they find relatable with one another, which is probably the reason why they’re able to work as friends and onscreen partners.
Anji, meanwhile, regarded Gelo as someone who’s easy to get along with and a “comforting person,” so she implied that working with him had been very light and uncomplicated.
To wrap up the interview, the host asked them what their respective characters, Jeydon Lopez and Candice Gonzales, might want to tell each other. As Candice, Anji thanked Jeydon for genuinely loving her in silence, which she finds inspiring and kilig. Likewise, Gelo thanked Candice for saving Jeydon and making his heart soft again.
Aside from Gelo and Anji, “The Four Bad Boys and Me” also stars River Joseph, Harvey Bautista, Dustine Mayores, AC Bonifacio, Analain Salvador, Gela Alonte, Brent Manalo, and Krystal Brimner.
Keep showing your love and support to them by watching the movie exclusively on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s official YouTube channel and iWant!