Just almost a year since they officially entered showbiz through “Pinoy Big Brother Gen 11,” JM Ibarra and Fyang Smith, collectively known as JMFyang, feel like they’re finally enjoying the rhythm of the industry. Sure, they were a little lost at first, especially with all the noise and bashing that came with sudden fame, but they’ve slowly learned how to move around the entertainment like it’s their second home.
“Actually, parang hindi ako nagwo-work, ine-enjoy ko lang,” Fyang muses. And it shows in her performance for their first lead role in the rom-com series “Ghosting” on iWant. Like most first-timers, she was nervous but the outcome turned out to be rewarding as many viewers have been praising her performance, which the public says feels so natural. Fyang credits this to the similarities she shares with her character, which made the role fit perfectly.
She also points to JM’s presence as a huge factor, saying, “Grabe ‘yung help niya sa akin, hindi lang sa acting kundi sa growth ko din as a person.” He’s been the kind of partner who reminds her to stay grounded and stay kind despite the challenges of fame.
The two continue to show what real partnership looks like, with JM, being six years older, guiding Fyang to always grow even outside of work, especially when things get complicated. “Kahit hindi man ako tumuloy magtrabaho dito, nasabi ko na sa kanya noon, na hindi ako mawawala sa tabi niya, iga-guide ko pa rin siya,” he says.
And of course, they're happy with where life has taken them, with JM saying that he always enjoys being around Fyang whether they’re working or just hanging out. Fyang adds, “Ayaw kong malungkot siya,” before confessing that her go-to way of making JM happy is to annoy him on purpose. “’Pag may time ako, gusto kong iniirita ko siya, pinapatawa ko siya."
"Siguro ang mas nagpapasaya sa amin is 'yung team po namin at mga fans din po na halos magkakaibigan na kami 'pag nagkikita-kita kami," shares JM. The success of “Ghosting” has also been such a dream come true for them, and they're grateful for having been given the opportunity to portray lead roles right away.
With a cafe date as the backdrop for this “Are U G” episode, the Kapamilya loveteam takes on a laidback round of 'Spin the Bottle' where the one the bottle points to must face a juicy question. During the game, JM reveals his dream role which is to portray a character with a mental disorder because of the challenge it presents, and then mentions Joshua Garcia as his idol in acting. Fyang likewise shares that her dream is to work with Anne Curtis, Vice Ganda, and Kathryn Bernardo.
To level up the fun, the pair takes on a ‘Jenga’ match where some of the blocks hide truth-or-dare tasks. That’s how we find out that JM likes to de-stress by going on road trips, while Fyang gets a kick out of the dare JM draws, which has him giving someone a hand massage.
Since Fyang knocks the tower down, she automatically has to face both a truth and a dare. For the truth, she answers the question, “What’s something you wish people knew about you?” by saying that she’s not a bad person. The dare turns out to be making eye contact with JM for ten seconds, which she pulls off effortlessly. We bet it’s the fans who’ll have a much harder time keeping their kilig in check when they watch this part of the game.
In the next challenge called ‘G or Ghost,’ they react to different scenarios by choosing either “G” if they’re up for it or “Ghost” if they’d rather back out. During this round, the “PBB Gen 11” alums share their thoughts on the Gen Z trend of soft-launching relationships on social media, which they believe has pros and cons. They point out that people tend to interfere once you start openly flexing a relationship online. That’s why soft-launching is neither a clear “G” nor a “Ghost” for the two.
But they both “Ghost” on liking an ex’s post, stalking story views, and being friends with a former flame. They’re also against the idea of no-label relationships while dating. As Fyang puts it, dating already comes with expectations, hence no-label situationships only cause overthinking and raises red flags. Her advice is to get on the same page before you even start dating.
This scenario actually connects to themes from their series “Ghosting,” but beyond that, JM hopes the show resonates with young viewers by teaching them to recognize their self-worth and strike a balance between their own needs and selflessness, as reflected in his role as Wilberto. In turn, Fyang, who plays Jaja, believes her character imparts the lesson that love should not be forced or chased because it will come naturally, which is a message that feels especially relevant to young people today who often seem in a rush when it comes to love.
Catch JMFyang in "Ghosting," streaming exclusively on iWant.