There is something quietly devastating about a love story that never quite gets to be one. It lingers. It resurfaces in the middle of an ordinary Tuesday. And if the early buzz surrounding Almost Us is any indication, that particular ache is exactly what audiences are about to feel all over again.
In an exclusive interview with LionhearTV, rising stars JM Ibarra and Fyang Smith sat down to talk about their upcoming film — a story centered on two best friends — and what drew them to a project that is, at its core, about the connections that almost were.
From the very first question, both actors were quick to push back against the idea that Almost Us is a story made only for today’s younger viewers.
“Maraming part ng pelikula na kapag pinanood ng, honestly, hindi lang ng henerasyon ngayon, kahit yung mga naunang henerasyon — mafi-feel na nangyari rin sa kanila. Na-experience na nila,” said JM Ibarra, noting that the film carries a universality that stretches well beyond its generation.
Fyang Smith echoed the sentiment. “Yung Almost Us naman kasi, yung story nito about best friends, pangkalahatan din talaga sya eh. Mostly naman, hindi lang Gen-Z ang nakaranas ng ganong problem. Hindi lang yung henerasyon ngayon ang nakaranas ng ganitong klaseng problema sa mag-bestfriend,” she said.
Both stars also touched on something more immediate — the weight of daily life in the Philippines today and the quiet necessity of having space to feel something other than worry. “Sa dami ng nangyayari sa bansa natin, nalilimutan na natin ma-entertain ang sarili natin,” JM said. “So, I guess, may ganong part din yung film.” Fyang added, “I hope, suportahan natin to.”
The film raises one of the oldest and most debated questions in love: can timing really be the enemy of a perfectly right person? The two had a spirited back-and-forth on this.
Fyang was direct. “No! Ako, no, kasi kung binigay sya sayo ni God na siya ang right person, hindi Niya agad-agad ibibigay sa’yo yun eh, as per my own perspective.” For her, the people who pass through our lives are not missed opportunities so much as necessary chapters. “Yung mga dumaan sa buhay nating lahat is just a lesson — beautiful lesson para matuto tayo sa susunod nating kabanata.”
JM, characteristically measured, offered a more layered take. “May mga tao na dadating sa buhay bilang blessing kaya mas nabibigyang buhay yung right person at the wrong timing, kasi depende rin sa tao kung anong lagay nila sa buhay kung ano pinagkakaabalahan nila. As long as maganda yung memories — yung aral na nakuha nila sa tao na yun, sapat na yun.”
A beat passed, and he added with a quiet certainty: “So, I guess, ako pa naniniwala.”
When asked what kind of love they hope for in their own lives, the answers revealed a great deal about who these two are off screen.
Fyang didn’t hesitate. “Ako, unconditional love. Kasi, pwede mong masabi na mahal mo yung isang tao pero walang acceptance. Sobrang lalim kasi ng unconditional love na kahit anong mangyari, siya at sya pa rin ang pipiliin mo.” She noted, with a touch of sadness, that this kind of love has become harder to find. “Sobrang hirap makahanap ng ganong klaseng love nowadays, especially ngayong generation na parang ginagawa na parang lipas oras na lang yung love.”
JM’s answer was simple and complete: “Same.”
Almost Us tells the story of two best friends navigating the complicated space between closeness and something more. For JM, the project is deeply personal in the most universal of ways. His character RR, he says, was built from real lived experience.
“Ang sarap lang na sa dami ng ginagawa nila, personally, naibabalik namin yung mga kwento nila sa buhay noon, kung paano — so, sobrang excited,” he said.
That excitement is palpable. Almost Us arrives as a film that does not just want to entertain — it wants to remind you of someone. It opens May 6, 2026, in cinemas nationwide.
