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Metro x Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition - AC Bonifacio

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A dancing phenom since she first moonwalked her way into fame, AC Bonifacio has long blurred the line between child prodigy and global performer. From The Ellen Show to Dance Kids, ASAP to Riverdale, the pint-sized powerhouse evolved into a true multi-hyphenate even before reaching her twenties.With millions of followers and international appearances, it might seem like she had little left to prove. Until something came that no rehearsal could prepare her for, a curveball: Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Collab Edition. It’s not usual for a viral sensation to strip down the stage lights and lock herself away while being filmed around the clock. Yet that’s exactly what AC did. When asked what could possibly motivate her to make such a move, she answered matter-of-factly, “Well, I&#x27;ve always been the type of girl to just go for it since the beginning. If I [weren’t] that type of girl, I wouldn&#x27;t be where I am now.”For the 22-year-old star, being in the iconic house was less about strategy and more about soul-searching. “I was just curious. I always like to explore and discover new things, do new talents, and just have new experiences,” shared AC.“When PBB came along, it was just something I wanted to try out because I&#x27;ve never been the type to just let go of it or not try at all. I would rather do it than regret it. Because I knew somehow, someway, it would help me throughout my career or my personal life,” she added.Tagged as “Ang Dance Showstopper ng Canada” during her stint, AC slipped into the environment with ease as she carried her sunshine personality with her. “I was able to get along with everyone super easily. First day pa lang, I felt like we were family agad. We got deep into our stories and our family and all of that. So, we really created a bond right away,” she told Metro.Style.<div> </div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756027843880metro exclusive pbb celeb collab ac bonifacio embed 1.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>AC Bonifacio, as photographed by Dix Perez</div><div> </div>While others might expect PBB to be all drama and games, AC and a few kindred spirits created a sanctuary through shared readings and quiet reflections. Naming fellow housemates like Charlie Fleming, Josh Ford, and Kira Balinger as her closest allies and book club members, the dancer revealed, “I really appreciated them because they were like the calm in all of the chaos.”Of course, life inside wasn’t all book pages and bonding. Even the girl who could command a dance floor with swag struggled with the mundane: the infamous five-minute showers. “I think it was the biggest challenge para sa akin,” she couldn’t help but laugh. “Shampoo, conditioner, and to wash your body in five minutes. I&#x27;m doing [them] at the same time na, kasi the boys would start knocking on the door. They were like, ‘AC, five minutes na!’” Her time in the Big Brother house also tested her endurance emotionally, as vulnerability hit harder than it ever could. While she’s used to the ups and downs of showbiz, the PBB experience amplified everything. “Obviously, we had our down moments. We keep explaining, all of us housemates, [that] you&#x27;ll never understand unless you&#x27;re truly inside. There&#x27;s some sort of magic in that house where you&#x27;re feeling emotions 100 times more than usual. So when you&#x27;re crying there, iyak ka talaga. When you&#x27;re happy, you&#x27;re extra happy,” the dancer confessed.On the line of breaking point and breakthrough, one of the most meaningful moments for AC was a weekly task that pushed her and her housemates to become a full production crew themselves. “We had to be actors, actresses, singers, dancers, prod, [cameramen], directors. We had to be all of it. And that was a different type of communication that we had to go through. So I feel like after that challenge, we also got so much closer,” AC admitted.“I also felt like that was very rewarding, kasi kahit natalo kami, kahit [kulang o] wala kaming budget for that week, we created a special bond,” she happily remarked.The one-take challenge was more than a task for the dancer, as it was a mirror showing her how much work happens behind the lens. It reminded her of the value of every hand in the production machine—a humbling insight for someone always in front of the camera.“It was a lot for us. We never realized how much it was also on your end. So it helped us appreciate you, guys, so much more,” AC expressed.<div> </div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756028681167metro exclusive pbb celeb collab ac bonifacio embed 1 (1).jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div> </div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756039200727acley pbb celeb collab.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>ACLey: AC Bonifacio and Ashley Ortega</div><div> </div>When asked about the people who left an impact on her, AC spoke from the heart. Ashley Ortega, her duo and post-eviction partner in projects, holds a special place: “They only showed a portion of our friendship on the show. But even after, we really became a duo inside and out.”The Kapamilya star further explained, “I got to know her on a whole other level, on a deeper level that nobody else got to see. And we got to talk about our lives and all of that. So now, she&#x27;s someone I truly look up to because she&#x27;s been able to handle her life with everything that&#x27;s been happening to her.”Throughout her PBB journey, it was one piece of wisdom from Kuya that stuck with her long after the cameras stopped rolling: “My mistakes don’t define me.” AC recalled this lesson with conviction, stating, “There are bumps on the road and I&#x27;m never gonna be perfect. Lahat naman po tayo. I&#x27;m always gonna make mistakes. But what matters the most is I learned from my mistakes and I grew from [them].”After stepping out of the yellow house, AC returned to the real world with more clarity, appreciation, and a deeper understanding of herself. “It was also like a big breather after being in a very chaotic world, an industry that can be very noisy. So it was nice to have that little break and then come back into this, appreciating everyone so much more,” she divulged.As for the misconceptions, negative criticisms, and labels the public throws at her: “When people want to make a narrative about me, they will believe it to their heart, to their core. So I&#x27;m not gonna waste my time explaining. I know who I am. People know who I am. If you want to get to know me, come talk to me. I&#x27;m so easy to talk to.” Asked if she’d do it all over again, her answer is a confident yes. “I don&#x27;t regret anything that happened. I learned so much. I gained so many friends. Life is life. I don&#x27;t expect my life to be perfect and just going up the whole time. I learned from the worst. And being down means the only way is to go up,” she noted.The Filipino-Canadian actress-dancer is as fired up as ever. “What can you expect from me? Everything,” she grinned. “Dancing, acting, singing, hosting, and of course, I’m always on ASAP performing. Anything that is given to me, any opportunity, G na G po ako!”<div> </div><div style="text-align:center"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1756028756670metro exclusive pbb celeb collab ac bonifacio embed 3.jpg" style="width:700px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div> </div>Photography by Dix PerezMetro head: Christina LopezSittings editors: Geolette Esguerra, Kate Paras-Santiago, Randz Manucom, and Grace Libero-CruzCreative director: Chookie CruzStylist: Edlene Cabral, assisted by Bullet ReyesMakeup artist and hairstylist: Thazzia Falek and Tin BenomanFashion associate: Carla BuyoEditorial assistants: Iya Baring and Krystel MatiasVideo producers: Giselle Interior and Tricia MatiasVideographer: Charisse Tinio&#x27;s NicePrint PhotoArt director: Alfred AmadoShoot assistants: Mariana Xerez-Burgos, Sophia Ancheta, and Katrice CuasonFood sponsors: Chowking, Bon Chon, and Illo&#x27;s Party TraysSpecial thanks to Pinoy Big Brother, Marcus Vinuya, Patch Bungubung, Charina Fernandez, Pia Laurel, Thess Gubi, and Star Magic

In this Metro exclusive, dance showstopper AC Bonifacio looked back on why she stepped into the iconic "Pinoy Big Brother" house despite a following of millions and a thriving career.

In this Metro exclusive, dance showstopper AC Bonifacio looked back on why she stepped into the iconic "Pinoy Big Brother" house despite a following of millions and a thriving career.

Metro Exclusive: 'PBB' Alum AC Bonifacio Gets Real on the Lessons She Learned Behind Locked Doors

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Metro Exclusive: 'PBB' Alum AC Bonifacio Gets Real on the Lessons She Learned Behind Locked Doors

Leigh Sofia Lazo

Published August 27, 2025 12:55 PM PHT

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