Having grown a close friendship that started inside the Pinoy Big Brother house in 2024, JM Ibarra and Fyang Smith can be considered one of the country’s most well-loved tandems. From being part of the ensemble cast of the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival entry Shake, Rattle, & Roll: Evil Origins last December to their upcoming solo film Almost Us this year, the two continue to grow closer.
In their exclusive interview with PUSH Bets this month, JM talked about what he has discovered with Fyang after finishing PBB Gen 11 more than a year ago. “Yung image niya kasi sa loob ng bahay sobrang feisty and then paglabas, na-discover ko na mas malawak pala yung soft spot niya and sobrang fragile, na hindi niya na-po-portray nung time niya sa loob ng bahay. So ayun, happy ako na na-discover ko yung paglabas,” he shared with PUSH Bets host Gary Ann Lastrilla.
READ: JM Ibarra thanks Fyang Smith for giving him confidence: ‘Ikaw ang unang naniwala sa'kin’
The 25-year-old actor, who was first introduced in the PBB house as the “Ang Poginsyanong Pilo-ToBe ng Quezon,” also attested to Fyang’s growing maturity.
“Siguro yung maturity niya yung sobrang yun yung kapansin-pansin sa akin. Sa dami ng work na kami magkasama, kasama yung journey namin sa loob ng bahay and until now, yun yung bagay na napapansin ko sa kanya. Yung mga bagay na nagagawa niya noon dahil sa immaturity o sa lack na maturity, nagagawa niyang i-avoid ngayon. Hindi ko kasi nasasabi sa kanya ng personal pero yun yung pinaka napapansin ko sa kanya. And I’m glad habang nagma-mature siya, nakikita ko. Isa ako sa nagiging witness. Every time na may bago na namang issue, may bago na namang ipinapalabas na alam kong hindi totoo, kumbaga yun yung pinakamalaking napapansin ko sa kanya,” he admitted.
READ: JM Ibarra and Fyang Smith to lead first-ever solo film ‘Almost Us’
JM even pointed out a specific moment where he was convinced that Fyang had really changed and grown as a person since he first met her inside the PBB house.
“Siyempre nung paglabas niya sa bahay, alam ko na ito din yung napapansin niyo. Kasi nung lumabas siya sa bahay, isa ‘to sa mga napansin ko talaga na matured na. Paglabas niya ng bahay, kung ano mang criticism na mabasa niya tungkol sa kanya, talagang bino-bosesan niya. Mag-la-live pa yan tapos nakataas pa yung kilay niya. And ngayon, I’d say na ang laking improvement na hindi na siya nagpapadala kasi mas kilala na niya yung sarili niya and yung dignidad niya, hindi lang as a celebrity or as an actress, kundi bilang tao. Yun yung nakaka-proud, siyempre.’ Isa lang yun sa mga napapansin ko kung bakit ko nasabi ko na matured na siya,” he said.
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH FYANG AND JM ON PUSH BETS HERE:
He also commended his Almost Us co-star for being more aware of practicing self-care and prioritizing herself more now.
“Feel ko ako lang yung nakakapansin nito. Ayoko kasing ma-take ng mga manunuod na negative pero noon kasi, sobra yung pagiging selfless niya. lahat ng sobra hindi na maganda lalo na kung sa sarili mo na yung nawawala, ikaw na yung nawawalan. And ang laki ng progress niya dun na ang dating sa akin, mas naiintindihan na niya yung sarili niya, mas minamahal na niya yung sarili niya kesa sa iba. Hindi masama yung pagiging selfless noh, pero dapat at the same time, may natitira na sarili mo, ganun. So yun yung isang napansin ko sa kanya,” he added.
Watch new episodes of PUSH Bets, hosted by Gary Ann Lastrilla, every Friday at 7:30 p.m. on ABS-CBN.com and on the PUSH YouTube channel, and catch them every Sunday at 11:05 p.m. on Kapamilya Online Live. Subscribe to the Push channel.