Photo from Gerald Anderson's Instagram page
MANILA – Gerald Anderson fondly looked back at his experience as a housemate of “Pinoy Big Brother” (PBB) in 2006, saying it’s something he would never forget.
In an interview with Korina Sanchez, Anderson acknowledged he had a relatively easy “entry point” because all he had to do at that time was to stay true to himself.
“Sabi ko nga, kung naging artista ako ngayon or nag-start ako ngayon – with how easy it is to be celebrity dahil sa YouTube, social media, mag-post ka lang, celebrity ka na – mahihirapan ako ngayon maging artista,” he said.
“Mahiyain ako eh. Hindi ko kaya 'yung magkaroon ng sariling YouTube channel,” he added.
Anderson said “PBB” was a very good experience for him and it served as his stepping stone in showbiz although he did not think of it that way then.
After “PBB,” Anderson never thought his life would take a 180-degree turn. “Luck is a big part of it. Sinuwerte lang talaga ako,” he said.
When he exited the reality show, Anderson and fellow housemate Kim Chiu, who were also a real-life couple for a time, would become one of the most successful screen pairings in local showbiz.
They co-starred in four TV series within the first four years after their “PBB” exit, and then reunited for another teleserye in 2017. They also appeared in a number of movies together.
“Ang nangyari po paglabas namin ng PBB, parang ginawa na kaming bida sa mga shows. Imagine, two months to three months prior niyan, nasa Gen San lang ako nagba-basketball lang. Again, parang nung galing akong States na pumunta ako sa Gen San, culture shock talaga.”
“Paglabas namin, gulat kami parehas. 'Yung impact and pagsalubong sa amin ng tao. Again, we are very lucky. You mix that with hard work,” he added.
While no longer a love team, Anderson and Chiu remain among the most visible stars in the country today.