From “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition” to the big screen, Esnyr and River Joseph are now part of the star‑studded ensemble of the upcoming Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Call Me Mother,” joining the Unkabogable Superstar Vice Ganda and multi‑awarded actress Nadine Lustre.
Esnyr and River opened up about their filming experience through fun, lighthearted behind‑the‑scenes anecdotes in Kapamilya Chat’s “Call Who Mother?” challenge last December 10.
The segment challenged them with a lineup of spontaneous prompts, asking them to identify which member of the “Call Me Mother” cast embodied each description.
When it came to the “mother of wisdom,’’ or the one who shares the most life lessons, they both pointed to their Meme Vice Ganda, with Esnyr adding Nadine Lustre to his list.
“Sa akin, iba-iba po ‘yung napupulot ko na lesson sa mga kasama ko dun lalo na po kina Meme Vice at Mother Nadine… Maraming wisdom sa life in general,” Esnyr said. River chimed in, “Not just in showbiz, in life rin. In any advice we ask, they're very approachable.”
When the conversation shifted to the most unforgettable lesson they received from their co-stars, Esnyr pointed to Vice’s humble beginnings---stories of starting out as “extra-extra lang” to becoming the superstar she is today---something that fired him up as a fellow member of the LGBTQIA+ community.
For River, the lesson was about resilience, “[Ang natutunan ko ay] In this industry we'll go through challenges, bashing, and all that, pero what's important is we stay strong, keep going, and focus on our work, kasi no one can put a good work down.”
The next prompt asked them to identify the “fashion mother” of the group---the cast member whose off‑day outfits prove that OOTD is life.
Esnyr immediately cracked up, sharing how he somehow became the running joke on set. “Hindi ko naman kino-consider na ako ‘yung fashion mother, pero pinagtatawanan nila ako every time na papasok [sa set] kasi siyempre kasama mo si Ms. Nadine, nagkikita kayo off cam, so ako talaga uma-awra ako doon.”
River quickly backed this up, pointing at Esnyr’s outfit for the day. But before he could finish, Esnyr cut in, insisting the title should go to Nadine Lustre instead. “I’ll give it to her,” he joked.
Moving on to the next prompt, they were asked to name the “mother of foodtrip”--- the cast member who always brings a feast to the set.
Esnyr immediately named their “Mowm” Klarisse de Guzman. He recalled how she often arrived with a cooler filled with soft drinks and would surprise the cast with grilled isaw and barbecue waiting in the tent for everyone to share.
River echoed the sentiment, noting that Klarisse’s generosity with food goes all the way back to their “PBB” days. He also mentioned Mika Salamanca, who consistently brought snacks and shared them freely with everyone in the set.
To wrap up the game, they had to choose the “mother of laughs,” the one who brings non-stop energy and good vibes to the set.
For both River and Esnyr, the answer was obvious, their Meme Vice. According to River, “Pagpasok palang niya ramdam mo na ‘yung energy, [‘yung tipong] kapag bad mood ka, makita mo lang siya good mood ka agad.”
Esnyr added that filming with Vice is a riot because she loves dropping surprise jokes mid‑take, leaving everyone struggling not to break character from laughing too hard.
These are just some of the fun and heartwarming anecdotes River and Esnyr shared with us---and there’s even more to discover when “Call Me Mother,” an official entry to the 2025 MMFF, premieres this December 25.