ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Big Brother (PBB), one of the country’s biggest reality hits, kicked off its 20th anniversary with PBB Celebrity Collab Edition — featuring celebrities that you may or may not recognize.
On March 9, the season premiere introduced 15 celebrity housemates entering the bahay ni Kuya. Unlike past celebrity editions, where housemates came from various fields of show business (e.g. comedy, acting, etc.), this season features only actors. Adding to the excitement of the show’s 20th anniversary, this is the first season to bring together stars from both GMA’s talent agency Sparkle and ABS-CBN’s Star Magic.
“I think the decision came because of previous collaborations [with GMA],” Star Magic director Laurenti “Lauren” Dyogi shared in a press conference. “From Unbreak My Heart to It’s Showtime, napag-uusapan [na] ano pa ‘yung [p’wedeng] mga possibilities. Nu’ng nabanggit ang PBB, because it will bring together artists from [the] two groups…it was a natural, easy decision.”
While both networks have been hyping up the latest season with its star-studded lineup, fans have quickly pointed out that many of the celebrity housemates are far from household names. “Isipin mo na lang regular edition char,” wrote one X user. “Mga starlets! Dapat PBB Starlets Edition!” Another X user commented, highlighting the fact that the housemates are still in the early stages of their acting careers.
This latter observation holds some truth: although the housemates have significant online followings, they are all still emerging stars. Esnyr, one of the Star Magic contestants, first made his start as a content creator and only recently made the pivot to acting as a supporting cast member in the 2021 rom-com Love is Color Blind. Sparkle contestant Josh Ford first appeared in commercials but only recently signed with the talent agency after returning from the United Kingdom. Even the more established actors, such as Will Ashley from the teleserye Unbreak My Heart, or Ashley Ortega from the teleserye My Destiny, are still building their careers and expanding their presence in the entertainment industry.
However, their emerging fame isn’t necessarily a bad thing. PBB has had a history of discovering rising stars and propelling them into the national spotlight. Filipino actress Maris Racal first came to prominence in 2014’s PBB: All In, where she finished as the Second Big Placer. Filipino actor and singer James Reid was named the Big Winner of PBB: Teen Clash 2010, which led to him landing the leading role in the 2014 rom-com Diary ng Panget. “Sabi ko sa kapatid ko sino sino mga to…pero am pretty sure after PBB mgiging household names na din sila,” wrote one X user about the latest season’s lineup. “I think eto naman talaga intention ng pbb,” commented another user, “People we don’t know tapos we watch para makilala sila.”
