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Will Ashley still can't believe the huge change in his showbiz career after his stint in Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition.

“Actually, sobrang nakaka-shock pa rin po talaga yung mga pangyayari,” Will said when GMANetwork.com and other entertainment media spoke with him at the press conference for Bar Boys After School. It is one of the two Metro Manila Film Festival entries that the young Kapuso actor is part of.

He continued, “Kasi sobrang biglaan po, e. Nagulat lang din po ako na paglabas ko, wow! Ganun na yung naging takbo ng karera ko.

“But at the same time, kapag binabalikan ko naman yung mga araw, mga taon na ginugol ko para sa pag-abot ko nga ng pangarap ko, sinasabi ko naman po na kahit papano worth it naman talaga siya.

“Nakakatuwa po, ang mga pangarap ko lang dati, unti-unti na pong natutupad ngayon.”

Aside from gaining more popularity in showbiz, Will has also become noticeably better in acting when the trailer for Bar Boys After School was released.

For Will, this is also one of the effects of his stay inside the Bahay ni Kuya.

He said, “Actually, yun nga po ang pinag-usapan namin ni Direk Kip, e, paglabas ko ng Bahay ni Kuya. Kasi nga, after nung Big Night namin, ito yung nag-shoot kaagad kami ng Bar Boys. Noong nag-workshop po kami, laging sinasabi sa akin ni Direk Kip na parang lumalim nga raw po ako, lumalim ang acting range ko.

“Feeling ko rin po, kasi nga ang tagal ko rin po nakulong dun sa Bahay ni Kuya. Ang dami ko rin pong mga realizations.

“Kumbaga, ang dami kong na-improve sa sarili ko. Ang dami kong mga toxic traits na nabitawan, na-improve. Malaki po talaga yung natulong.”

Because of this, Will doesn't want to miss any opportunities coming his way, which is why he is choosing to focus on work for now.

“Lagi ko nga pong sinasabi, focus talaga muna ako sa work. Lalo na po ngayon, kalalabas lang namin ng Bahay ni Kuya. Napakarami pong opportunities na pumapasok.

“As much as I want, gusto ko pong makapagpatayo ako ng bahay, makapagpatayo ako ng business. Gusto ko pong mabigyan ng magandang buhay yung family ko, yung mom ko, at saka yung sarili ko po.

“Gusto ko muna mag-work and to entertain other people, mag-inspire. Yun po ang focus ko muna.””

Related gallery: Will Ashley marks 23rd birthday with new solo snaps; thankful for greetings

Will also avoids negative issues—such as being compared to fellow PBB housemate Dustin Yu.

It will be recalled that a love triangle issue surfaced because both were being linked to another PBB housemate, Bianca de Vera. The intrigue hasn't stopped, especially since all three are part of the MMFF movie Love You So Bad.

For Will, “Hindi ko po siya nakikita as pinagsasabong, e, kasi pareho naman po kaming may kanya-kanyang talents, may kanya-kanyang skills. I think, kung anuman po ang na-achieve ko o na-achieve niya, pareho po naming sinusuportahan yung isa't isa.”

Similarly, Will is also closing himself off from bashers online.

He admits that some comments affect him personally. However, he said, “Ngayon po pinipili ko na lang yung mga battles ko, e.”

“Kumbaga, tinitingnan ko na lang po kung ano talaga yung may mga meaning na sinasabi. Kung yung criticism ba sa akin ay makakatulong o yung mga criticism na sinasabi lang po nila ay nonsense, para lang po talaga ma-bash ako.

“Kaya ngayon po, siguro hindi na lang po ako talaga nagpapaapekto, kasi nag-focus na lang din po ako… sa dami po ng ginagawa ko ngayon, ayoko na pong intindihin yung mga negative. Kumbaga, dun na lang po ako sa positive, sa tingin ko tamang ginagawa ko, wala naman po akong inaapakan.”

Meanwhile, here are other Kapuso actors who are part of MMFF 2025 movies: