Ever since their memorable stint in “Pinoy Big Brother Gen 11” in 2024—where Fyang Smith emerged as the Big Winner and her well-loved tandem with JM Ibarra, fondly known as “JMFyang,” was born—the two have steadily risen as among the most sought-after young stars and loveteams of their generation.
Just a few years into their careers, the Kapamilya pair has already landed several projects that highlighted not only their onscreen chemistry but also their promising acting prowess, earning praise for their standout performances along the way. Among these is ABS-CBN Studios’ newest romance-drama series “Love Is Never Gone,” now streaming on Prime Video Philippines, where they portray supporting characters Raya Verona and Ronnie Manalang—a privileged heiress and a simple young man whose lives eventually intertwine.
Ahead of the release of the series’ two newest episodes this Friday, JMFyang gamely answered questions from the media during the latest episode of the Star Magic Spotlight Presscon, which was livestreamed on Star Magic’s official YouTube channel last Thursday, May 21.
Asked about the most valuable advice they had received from their seasoned co-stars in the series, JM shared that instead of focusing solely on acting techniques or character portrayal, the veterans emphasized the importance of professionalism and proper work ethics, especially since they are still relatively new in the entertainment industry.
Fyang shared that Dina Bonnevie, whom she affectionately calls “Mama D” since they play mother and daughter on the series, constantly reminded her to show respect to everyone on set. One way of doing this is by always arriving on time, as every minute matters not just for Dina but for the entire production unit.
JM, meanwhile, said that aside from not being tardy, they were also taught the value of “pakikisama,” or building good relationships with co-workers and making everyone feel equal regardless of status.
When quizzed about her noticeable closeness with Dina, whom many people in the industry find intimidating, Fyang enthusiastically talked about their bonding moments off cam. According to her, whenever they had no scenes to shoot yet, she would often visit Dina’s dressing room just to playfully disturb her, such as hugging her while she was asleep. There were also moments when Dina herself would visit the dressing room Fyang shares with co-stars Jane Oineza and Ivana Alawi, where they would spend time chatting about almost everything under the sun.
“I can say na super close kami ni Mama. As in kaya ko nang mag-open sa kanya, gano’n ‘yong point ng closeness namin,” Fyang imparted. “Nakakatuwa kasi at first, natatakot talaga ako kay Mama D. Parang first day pa lang ng taping namin, naging close na kami. Hindi ko alam paano, pero bigla kaming nag-click. Maingay din kasi si Mama D.”
Apparently, the affection goes both ways, as Dina also has an adorable nickname for Fyang, which is “Little Shrimpy," due to Fyang’s penchant for shrimp. Fyang related that it began when Dina invited her and JM to appear on her YouTube channel for a vlog and requested buttered shrimp when asked what she would want to eat. Despite being allergic to shrimp herself, Dina still made the effort to fulfill her beloved anak-anakan's request with the help of her real daughter Danica Sotto-Pingris—a gesture that deeply touched Fyang.
“Kahit ako, una pa lang, hindi ko ine-expect na gano’n ‘yong closeness nila ni Fyang,” JM said when asked to comment about Fyang’s closeness with Dina. “Isa rin ako sa mga hindi nag-expect no’n, so ramdam na ramdam ko kung gaano kalalim ang bond nila as ‘mag-ina,’ may script man o wala.”
JMFyang also opened up about the challenges of portraying their respective roles. Fyang described Raya Verona as the cherished “princess” of the wealthy Verona family, with the characters of Dina Bonnevie and Michael de Mesa as her parents and Jameson Blake as her brother. She admitted that Raya’s personality is completely different from her real-life self.
“Merong times na sobrang mahal na mahal niya ‘yong family niya and may mga times din na gusto niyang kalabanin ‘yong parents niya,” Fyang shared while carefully avoiding spoilers. “Makikita ‘yong shift ng character ko sa episode 6 kasi doon talaga makikita n’yo kung sino ‘yong pipiliin ni Raya.”
For JM, one of the biggest challenges was ensuring that each of his projects had a distinct emotional treatment, especially since they were simultaneously preparing for two films when “Love Is Never Gone” was pitched to them. Fortunately, his character in the series and his role in their first movie together in starring roles, “Almost Us,” carried entirely different emotional truths and backgrounds.
The interview concluded on a heartfelt note as the loveteam exchanged sweet words for one another, both expressing how genuinely proud they are of each other.
Step into a story of love and betrayal in “Love Is Never Gone,” streaming exclusively on Prime Video across more than 240 countries and territories, with two fresh episodes dropping every Friday.
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