CinemaBravo

For Bar Boys: After the School, co-writer and director Kip Oebanda isn’t just talking about talent. He believes the heart of his new cast members is what makes them stand out. In his own words, the reunion of ‘Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition’ housemates Will Ashley, Klarisse De Guzman, and Emilio Daez is something to watch out for as they make an interesting addition to the story for being genuine and good people.

“Ako, number one, totoo sila e! (For me, number one, they’re real.) There’s no pretension, there’s no artifice,” Direk Kip said in our exclusive on-set interview where CinemaBravo asked him how he finds his newest artists.

He pointed out that people connect to truth and authenticity, and these three have both. “People connect to truth and authenticity. Kasi, kung magkukuwento ka ng story ng isang tao, ta’s nararamdaman mo na may pretension (Because if you tell a person’s story and people sense there’s pretension), you feel duped, and you feel it’s not true. And that’s, I think, their strength.”

Beyond their on-screen work, the award-winning director described them as quietly generous. “Mabait silang mga tao. Marami silang ginagawa for others na hindi nila bino-broadcast.” (They’re kind people. They do a lot for others without broadcasting it.)

He also noted that he respects them even more for helping without seeking public recognition.

Will Ashley: ‘one of the best loved figures in the Philippines‘

In the sequel, Kapuso star Will Ashley plays Arvin, a gifted child turned struggling working student who, along with his OFW mother, supports their extended family. Arvin’s intelligence and drive are clear, but financial hardships slow his law school journey. Still, he remains determined to give his family a better future.

Will auditioned just two weeks before entering the Pinoy Big Brother house and has since trained with Oebanda and fellow writer Carlo Catu after his PBB journey. For the director, the challenge was grounding the actor’s performance in the reality of Arvin’s difficult life.

“Yung character niya, lugmok sa buhay, inaapakan ng lipunan (His character is downtrodden, stepped on by society), working student, struggling — but right now, he’s one of the best loved figures in the Philippines, he’s on the pedestal, so we needed to ground,” Direk Kip explained.

He said this process not only improved Will’s acting but also helped him reconnect with humility. “Because immediately tumalon siya sa gano’ng character, hindi nawala yung empathy, hindi nawala yung pagka-grounded, hindi nawala yung humility at yung love for the ordinary people na pinanggalingan niya.” (Because he immediately jumped into that kind of character, the empathy wasn’t lost, the groundedness wasn’t lost, nor the humility and love for the ordinary people he came from.)

Klarisse De Guzman: ‘an absolute revelation‘

Kapamilya singer Klarisse De Guzman makes her acting debut here. She takes on the role of a breadwinner sister named Mae, who’s hilarious, optimistic, and a hopeless romantic. Her character becomes the emotional anchor for a law school study group and is the fan club president of a former teleserye leading man-turned-law student.

“With Klang, she’s an absolute revelation for me,” Oebanda admitted. “Siyempre, ang insecurity niya, hindi siya marunong pang umarte — according to her, right? Pero sa experience ko, ang dami ko nang naka-work na dating singer na naging actor.” (Of course, her insecurity was that she doesn’t know how to act — according to her — but in my experience, I’ve worked with many former singers who became actors.)

To play to her strengths, he asked her to treat the script like song lyrics without a melody, using her vocal inflections to bring variety and emotion to her delivery.

Emilio Daez: ‘the right fit‘

Out of more than 70 auditions, Emilio Daez landed the role of Ziggy, a wealthy young business owner who struggles to express emotions but has a deep care for his workers. His background, voice, and physical presence made him a perfect match.

Workshops began in July, including an intense 11-hour session with award-winning actress Sue Prado. “Emilio was the right fit: from the voice, to the height, to the physicality, to the [corporate] background.”

Direk also shared enthusiastically, “I showed a short clip to the fans of Emilio; they couldn’t recognize him… Napaka-intense pero walang ginagawa. (Very intense yet doing nothing.) That’s not the Emilio we usually see.”

MMFF hopes and a bigger message

Direk Kip hopes the sequel makes it to the Metro Manila Film Festival but is open to the possibility of organizing block screenings instead (during a regular run outside any festival). Demand has been high since the script announcement, and he knows the first film’s impact reached far beyond law students.

“There are even cancer survivors who say, ‘Ito yung inspiration ko habang nilalabanan ko yung cancer ko’ (This was my inspiration while I was fighting cancer),” he shared.

For the sequel, he says, the question shifts from simply chasing dreams to exploring purpose and meaning.

With returning cast members Rocco Nacino, Kean Cipriano, Enzo Pineda, and Carlo Aquino joining the three new faces, among others, Bar Boys: After the School aims to inspire anyone in pursuit of something bigger than themselves.