Dustin Yu and Sassa Gurl make MMFF debut with dual entries

Dustin Yu and Sassa Gurl find themselves among the lucky few trusted with two films each in the 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival opening on Christmas Day.

For Dustin, starring in ABS-CBN Star Cinema, GMA Pictures and Regal Films’ “Love You So Bad” and Regal’s “Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins” meant working on both films almost simultaneously.

“Actually, nung sinu-shooting ko po siya, sabay siya,” he shared in an interview with The STAR and another news outlet during the MMFF Celebrity Golf Tournament at the Wack Wack Golf & Country Club.

“Palit-palitan. Every other day, iba — ‘Love You So Bad’ and ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll.’ So tuluy-tuloy siyang ganun.”

The challenge, he said, came from constantly shifting between genres. “For me, both were difficult. Pero yung mahirap (yung) magkaiba kasi ng genre (romantic comedy-drama and horror). So, doon ako nahihirapan, yung pag-switch.”

The contrast between the two projects was stark. In “Love You So Bad,” Dustin is LA, a varsity swimmer who gets involved with Savannah, the character of Bianca de Vera, making up a “love-triangle” arc with Will Ashley, who plays the campus leader Vic.

In “Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins,” he joins the third episode as Riel, the younger brother of Rosdan (played by Richard Gutierrez) — both fighting for their survival in a dystopian Philippines (year 2050) overrun by aswangs.

“Sobra, yes. Very different. Kumbaga sa ‘Shake,’ talagang sigawan, takutan. Tapos biglang dito sa ‘Love You So Bad,’ pa-kilig.”

Despite the shoot demands, Dustin said he enjoyed both experiences.

“‘Shake, Rattle & Roll,’ I enjoyed it kasi iba yung thrill habang nagsu-shooting ng horror,” he said.

“Kumbaga, nalalabas mo yung ibang atake ng pagiging artista or pagiging actor. Kasi mahirap gumawa ng horror film, aminado naman ako diyan.”

On the romantic film set, the atmosphere was very different. “Sa ‘Love You So Bad’ naman, masaya kasi kasama ko, mga housemates. Mga malalapit sa puso ko. So, enjoy rin talaga sa shooting.”

Aside from Bianca and Will, the film also stars fellow “Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition” housemates Vince Maristela, Ralph de Leon and Xyriel Manabat.

That closeness, especially with Bianca and Will, has fanned speculation, something Dustin has consistently addressed.

“Si Bianca talaga, matalik na kaibigan ko siya talaga. Kumbaga, tuluy-tuloy lang kung ano yung pinagsamahan namin sa ‘PBB,’ of course,” he said, speaking on romance rumors.

“When we came out of the house, we got to know each other more, and our friendship has just become stronger,” he added.

Asked about Will, Dustin was direct. “Friends,” he said. “Kita niyo naman kami ni Will, we’re really friends. We’ve been supporting each other.”

Fan-fueled rivalries, he stressed, have not affected their bond. “The fans, hindi naman natin mapipigilan ang mga iyan. Pero wala, ganoon lang talaga sila. May kani-kanya talaga silang mga sinusuportahan. Pero kami ni Will, suportado naman kami para sa isa’t isa.”

There’s no competition even though “pilit kaming pinag-aaway or kung anu-anong mga sinasabi ng mga tao,” Dustin said.

“Of course, at the end of the day, we don’t want to ruin the friendship… Hindi kami gagawa ng isang bagay para masira iyong friendship.”

Like Dustin, Sassa Gurl is also participating in the MMFF 2025 with two films — 901 Studios’ “Bar Boys: After School” and “Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins” a milestone she described as very special.

In the former, she plays law student Trisha Perez, while in the latter, she joins the young ensemble cast in the second episode, set in the present year, where they are terrorized by a serial killer — or rather, serial killers.

“You know, this is a very, very special moment for me,” said Sassa, who is making her MMFF debut this year, in a STAR interview during Jojo Bragais’ Christmas Sale event in Scout Borromeo, QC. “Bata pa lang ako, nanonood na ako ng MMFF.”

She recalled watching the festival with her parents and drawing inspiration from the films she grew up with. “Sobrang na-inspire ako noon, kaya siguro naisip ko rin na in my later life, maging artista.

“Especially ngayon, kasi this is my first-ever MMFF — and dalawa agad yung films ko this year,” she said. “I’m very thankful for the opportunity given to me.”

According to Sassa Gurl, this is not just a “big, big moment” for her, but for the LGBTQIA+ community as well.

She added, “Bihira yung MMFF na dalawa ang entries ng isang actor.”

She took time to acknowledge those who paved the way before her. “Gusto ko ring pasalamatan yung mga nauna sa akin — sina Mama IC, Mama John Lapuz, Meme (Vice Ganda) and a lot of queer stars — who opened the doors for me. I’m thankful for them.”

She said she hopes to share the opportunity with those who dream of entering the industry. “And of course, I’m also sharing this opportunity with those younger than me who want to enter the industry. Gusto ko na may space na para sa lahat. Yun lang talaga yung gusto kong mangyari.”

Taking on two MMFF films, she admitted, was not easy. “Sabi ko nga, ang hirap magkaroon ng dalawang MMFF films,” she said. “Iniisip ko pa noon, ipu-push ko ba ‘to? Kasi sobrang hirap talaga.”

“Yung promo pa lang sa totoong buhay, ang hirap na — mauubusan ka talaga ng pera,” added the popular content creator, who transitioned into acting through the 2024 Cinemalaya entry “Balota,” also helmed by “Bar Boys” director Kip Oebanda.

“But I really pushed for this for the community and for my ka-Nakshie.”

Sassa Gurl also shared that as a newcomer, one co-star left her starstruck this MMFF season — the legendary Odette Khan in “Bar Boys.” On the first day of shooting the film, where the veteran actress plays the law professor Justice Hernandez, she recalled how nerves were high.

“Sobrang starstruck ako nung first time naming magka-eksena. Kinabahan talaga ako… nararamdaman kong nanginginig yung paa ko. I was shaking. She noticed how nervous I was. Kasi talagang hindi mo matatakpan. Sinabihan niya ako: ‘Don’t do that, you’re shaking. That’s a sign that you’re anxious,’” Sassa shared.

“After that, I applied that in my life and my being an artista. Konti lang ang nabibigay niyang words of wisdom sa akin, pero sobrang laki ng impact niya sa career ko. Simula noon, tinapangan ko lang talaga.

“Buti na lang mabait siya at may control sa akin, which I really appreciate. Dito ako natuto bilang actor. Iba talaga! I realized that the acting industry is very cut-throat. If you don’t accept criticism and comments from your seniors, you won’t get anywhere. You really need discipline.”

Besides Dustin and Sassa Gurl, the other actors who figure in more than one MMFF entry this year are “PBB: Celebrity Collab Edition” housemates Will Ashley (“Love You So Bad” and “Bar Boys: After School”) and Klarisse de Guzman (“Call Me Mother” and “Bar Boys: After School”), as well as seasoned actors Soliman Cruz (“Manila’s Finest” and “Rekonek”), Janice de Belen (“I’mPerfect” and “Shake, Rattle & Roll: Evil Origins”) and Joey Marquez (“Manila’s Finest” and “I’mPerfect”).