Mich Liggayu takes on new project, earns praise from co-stars

MANILA, Philippines – She was best known as one half of YouTube couple Jamich, but Paolinne Michelle “Mich” Liggayu is testing her wings, striking out on her own, and setting her sights on a career in showbiz. (READ: Jamich: A love story for keeps)

Though still recovering after the death of her fiance Jam Sebastian, who fought lung cancer for a year, Mich has taken on her first miniseries TV project with TV5, starring in a week-long adaptation of the Wattpad story called “How To Break Up With A Bad Boy,” to air May 25-29.

In the show, she plays Monique, a young girl torn between two fraternal twins (Vin Abrenica, the fun-loving bad boy, and Martin Escudero, the serious workaholic).

The most daunting task for Mich? Kissing scenes with both leading men, something she thought about at length before moving forward.

It’s something she’s never attempted, even for her YouTube videos with real-life boyfriend Jam.

“Actually, first time ko po yun….Kinausap po ako ni Direk, sabi niya, pag-isipan ko daw po nang mabuti. Tapos nabasa ko po kasi ‘yung story, na hindi talaga siya pwedeng dayain, eh ang ganda po ng story so, pumayag na po ako,” she told reporters at a press conference for the show.

(Actually, it was my first time….Direk talked to me and asked me to think it over. I read the story, and you can’t fake it – the story is really good, so I said yes.)

Her co-stars are quick to point out her professionalism on set, with Vin pointing out that Mich is only doing what is required of the character.

“Si Mich, hindi naman siya ‘yung nandoon eh, siya ‘yung character niya, and ako din,” he said.

(Mich isn’t the one who’s there [on the show], she’s playing her character, and that’s true for me, too.)

In fact, he said that he was actually a fan of Jamich before he knew her.

“Naging fan din nila ako noon, hanggang ngayon actually, I’m still a fan,” he said, saying that he’s seen their short films on YouTube before. “Nakikita ko ‘yung effort nila sa isa’t isa….Iba kasi ‘yung YouTube channel nila, kapag napapanood mo sila, nakakareach sila sa puso mo talaga, so nung nakatrabaho ko siya, feeling ko kakilala ko na siya agad.” (READ: 10 times Jamich made us smile)

(I was and still am a fan of Jamich. I saw the effort they put into it….Their channel is different, when you watch them, they really touch your heart. So when I got to work with her, I felt like I knew her already.)

Martin was quick to follow up with his own praise for Mich.

“Napakaprofessional niya, mabait, madaling kausapin, approachable naman pala. Saka natuwa ako sa kanya kasi hindi siya mahirap katrabaho e,” he said.

(She’s so professional, easy to talk to, and approachable. I was really happy because she isn’t hard to work with.)

Mich also said she was ready to face the challenges that come with a showbiz career, including her share of critics. (RELATED: Mich Liggayu reveals she was physically hurt by ex before Jam Sebastian)

“Pag may problema ka po, try mo na lang may stay sa positive side….Kasi what you express, you expand. Kung magbibigay ka ng love, mas mapapadami yung love,” she said.

(If you have a problem, try to stay positive….What you express, you expand. If you give love, there will be more love.)

She’s also still currently facing a rift between her and Jam’s mom Maricar, who earlier accused her of a number of things, including not returning Jam’s things and keeping some of the money Jam earned that belonged to his family. (READ: Mich Liggayu of Jamich on Maricar Sebastian, Neo Domingo)

“Kung paano po mag-isip ang isang tao hindi po naman natin mako-kontrol iyon, pero kung paano po natin i-handle yung problem, yung situation na binibigay po sa atin, ‘yun po ang nagma-matter.”

“So ako po, rinerespeto ko pa rin po siya, and hangga’t pong hindi ako pwedeng sumagot, hindi po talaga ako sasagot sana sa kanya,” she said.

(We can’t control how a person thinks, but what matters is how we handle the problems and situations we’re given. So for me, I still respect her, and I’d prefer not to fight back.)

“Kasi po hinahayaan ko lang siya, mag-vent out. Siguro ‘yun yung way niya para maglabas ng sama ng loob, ng stress, kaya iniintindi ko na lang po,” she said.

(I let her be, let her vent. That might be her way to release her feelings, the stress, so I try to understand.)

“Why not, why not? Hindi naman po ako nagsasarado ng doors sa kanya (I have not closed my doors),” she said, when asked if she would be okay with working together on a project. She said that if Maricar were to approach her with open arms, she would do the same. – Rappler.com