Xian simply shrugs bashers off

Most celebrities have learned to deal with bashers, particularly online. Xian Lim is one who looks at bashers positively because to him, it’s a sign that he’s doing something right.

“Every time I read na merong haters, may bashers, I love the feeling,” declares Xian. “Kasi ‘pag walang gan’un, ibig sabihin I’m not making a name for myself. But once I hear they’re there, ibig sabihin, people actually care na they’re criticizing me. It makes me feel that I’m making an impression on them. Gustong-gusto ko. Lalo na sa Instagram. Lalo na if I keep on hearing na ang daming kung anu-ano, ang daming nagsasalita. I like that; it’s a challenge. You know what they say: ‘No pain, no gain.’”

Xian has had a good year this 2013. He had excellent career breaks, including a major movie with Kim Chiu, Bakit Hindi Ka Crush ng Crush Mo. The film did well at the box-office, making their onscreen partnership even stronger. On his own, Xian has also bagged major endorsements and exposure for himself. His career has grown and continues to grow, and so does his fan base. The detractors can’t be helped, but he has learned to accept them as well. “Everything that’s happening, it feels really good. I feel really blessed,” he says. “But I’m trying not to let it go to my head. They keep on giving me work; I’ll keep on getting the work and I’ll give them my 100-percent best. Siyempre there are detractors along the way, but it makes me feel better na merong ganu’n eh.”

Because of the success of his film team-up with Kim, fans have been asking when the two of them will do another project together. Xian shares the good news that they are making another movie together, to be directed by Mae Cruz. “After the movie, we have another movie coming up and I’m sure our supporters are really excited. I’ve been reading the comments online, and people have been telling me that sana meron pang susunod, at wag naman daw sanang magpahinga ng matagal. I think they’ll be glad to know that we’re working on it.”

To fans who are interested to know how he and Kim are doing, Xian says that right now, the two of them are just trying to have fun all the time. “Nandoon pa rin ang trust namin sa isa’t isa,” says Xian. “We have to always work on the trust kasi hindi naman ‘yan automatic, na parang ‘Okay, you have my trust’ tapos tigil na doon. I feel na on my part, I always have to keep working so that she (Kim) trusts me even more sa mga eksena, and especially as a person. Hindi lang naman sa trabaho ‘yon eh. Bilang magkaibigan, ako bilang tao, pinapakita ko sa kanya na I’m this kind of a person, that I’m a nice guy.”

After the good year he had in 2013, Xian is looking forward to an even better year in 2014. “I want next year to be a bigger year,” he says. “I wish for more projects. I want it to be ‘More, more, more’ for me. I wish that whatever happened from the start of 2011, to 2012, to 2013, to keep growing. I want next year to be even bigger.”

Xian confesses though, that there are times that he doubts himself, or isn’t quite sure that he can already say that he’s arrived, or that he is a star. Up to this day, he still feels that same nervous energy; he is still as hungry as he once was, when he was just starting out. “Sobra pa din ang hunger ko, and I’m still a bit nervous. I still need more time, and more projects,” he says.

He is still a bit nervous about his standing in the industry. “I still need more time, I think. I still need to prove myself,” he says. “I know I’ll get there eventually. Basta 100 percent lang all the time.”