Pinoy Big Brother Connect ex-housemates Ralph Malibunas and Gail Banawis are set to not just make us kilig with their team up, but to impress us with their acting talents, too, as they topbill Star Magic Studios launching film “Connected” alongside their fellow PBB alums Richard Juan, Amanda Zamora, Chico Alicaya, Kobie Brown, and Andi Abaya.

The promising loveteam talked about everything about their first movie together, as well as their respective guidelines when it comes to dating and relationships in the fun and insightful “My Rules Challenge” in this episode of Hotspot.

After their lighthearted kumustahan with gregarious host DJ Jhai Ho, Gail went on to explain what the movie is all about. “Connected” is one big story that connects three different love stories. It may be a youth romance, but it will also tackle other topics, such as the life and experiences of young people and a lot of issues that their generation is going through, to which people of all ages and from different walks of life can definitely relate to, as well.

Ralph plays the role of Gen, who he described as hopeless romantic, makulit, and jologs to whom he’s able to relate with. On the other hand, Gail gives life to Finn, an “astigin, very reserved, mukhang mataray at the outside pero inside very soft-hearted” Filipina-American music producer from New York City. She also related that their characters were actually written based on their personalities since they were handpicked by the management to take part in this project.

When asked how they felt about it, Ralph wasn’t able to hide his happiness and exhilaration as he imparted how everything was completely surreal for him since it was his first time to experience doing this kind of production. He also felt nervous and pressured at the same time, but Direk Theodore Boborol was so hands-on in directing them throughout their lock-in taping.

Although this is not really new to Gail anymore since she’s performer prior to joining PBB and had already done an acting project before, yet she was still a bit shocked with how spontaneous Direk Ted could be. She recalled that there were instances when he came up with new ideas out of nowhere, so they really need to be flexible, be prepared, and be on their toes all the time because of the possible sudden changes on the script. Besides, they also learned the need to fully embody their character in order for them to execute their scenes accurately.

With regards to their “Connected” co-stars, Ralph confessed that he was initially intimidated by Richard Juan because of how level-headed he is. But that instantly changed when they got to hangout with him off-cam and discovered that he could get along with them pretty well, even though he’s the only who came from an earlier batch.

For Chico and Amanda, the two enthused how amused they were of how serious the two could be when the reels were rolling, and how they could be playful behind the scenes. Meanwhile, both of them have learned a lot from Kobie and Andi just by simply observing them since they’re more experienced than them, having been included in the ongoing series Love in 40 Days.

DJ Jhai Ho asked them regarding the people to whom they wish to get reconnected with. For Ralph, it would be to the people who underestimated him and the so-called “user-friendly” who only befriended him for their convenience, because he wanted them to see that he made it. Meanwhile, Gail got emotional as she mentioned her late nanny who she fondly called “nanay” since she’s the one who kindled her dream of becoming an artist by introducing her to TFC and ABS-CBN when she was still a kid in the United States.

When asked how they stay connected to the people they love, the “Ang Na-nice Boy Nanny ng France” said how much he values communication despite not seeing them much or often. The “Ang Sing-ternational Survivor ng New York,” on the other hand, wants to determine the “love language” of each of her loved one in order to show them her love the way they want.

DJ Jhai Ho then quizzed them about their respective dating checklists or guidelines as they took on the “My Rules Challenge.” It wasn’t actually a game wherein someone between them would win, as they just plainly laid down the things they wish or expect to their future partners.

When it comes to “hanging out” Gail and Ralph agreed that one must be genuine or just true to oneself and not fret much about impressing their partners. For the “location,” Gail wants their first date to take place somewhere with many people, so that she can gauge the attitude of the guy towards stranger, while Ralph is going to likely bring his girl in an amusement park.

It’s also a big no-no for both of them to get your partner’s password nor to sneak through his/her phone since they believe that everyone has right to privacy. As how Gail put it, “I think everyone is entitled naman to their own privacy, so I don’t have to know it. If I’m supposed to know something, you let me know. And if not, karma will let me know naman e.”

They also wish that their future partner would respect their time for their family, friends, and self, as well as would never, ever lie to them since they both abhor liars. The two also believe that it’s really a must for couples to have an open communication, which allows them to express themselves and how they feel on certain moments.

And lastly, since both of them are family-oriented, they want the person they’re seeing to have a tight bond with his/her family, too.

Catch Ralph and Gail in their digital movie “Connected,” now streaming via KTX.PH, iWantTFC, TFC IPTV Video on Demand, and Sky Cable Pay-Per-View!