Edward Barber, 22, skyrocketed to fame as a housemate in Pinoy Big Brother: Lucky 7. Since placing fourth in the reality show, the talented lad has been capturing Filipino audiences’ hearts as an actor and singer and, these days, showcasing his hosting skills, too!

As one-half of the sensational love team MayWard with his fellow housemate Maymay Entrata, Edward top-billed the movie Loving in Tandem (2017) and Princess Dayareeese (2021), toured different countries to do shows, and held a concert together. As a solo act, Edward also landed a role as Aga Muhlach’s son in the movie First Love (2018).

Edward Barber Photography by Dookie Ducay

To say that he has been unstoppable at working and achieving new feats these past years would be an understatement. Though his schedule is packed and he is booked and busy, there is no room for complaints and complacency.

In 2019, Edward dabbled as a VJ on music channel Myx and it is through this stint that he got to show a different side of himself as an artist. With his experience here and the way he looks so good and comfortable in what he does, he has established himself as one of the go-to hosts in ABS-CBN as well.

And as he now treads a different path in showbiz as a rising host, Edward looks back on the work he is so grateful for, saying, “I don’t consider it as work kasi this is something na na-e-enjoy ko po since it is my passion.”

He adds that more than the work itself, it is the opportunity to inspire others that he appreciates more: “’Yung mga nakakapanood po sa’min... To be able to put a smile on their faces kahit saglit lang, and also being able to travel around the world, to be able to perform in different countries… it’s really something that I enjoy. There’s a lot of things to enjoy in this line of work.”

As one of the stars on Metro’s 2022 year-end cover, featuring the next gen artists of Star Magic in time for the talent management’s 30th anniversary in the industry, Edward talks about finding a family within this circle. Surrounded by these passionate people, he is inspired and motivated to grow as an artist and individual.

He tells Metro.Style, “You’re not closest to everyone, especially in a big family, but it’s good that you have great people leading the way. And you have brothers, sisters, younger, sometimes older, sometimes to your side, [telling you] 'I can walk with you.'

The best part about anything in a family is the dynamic you have with them, I think. So, there’s a lot of times where someone like AC [Bonifacio] bounces off the wall with energy. Someone like Darren [Espanto] gets annoyed at the energy. Someone like Kyle [Echarri] doing something weird in the background. Someone like Direk Lauren [Dyogi], rolling his eyes at us. And you know, it’s like if you were to capture like a picture—you know those things that you kind of see in magazines sometimes, where it’s like a beach trip or something like that and then there’s a still frame—it’s like a picture, but everyone’s doing something weird, like a different activity. That’s kind of like if you go with Star Magic, it’s just the dynamic of everyone’s so different. Everyone’s kind of unique and it takes everyone else’s uniqueness to remind you that you have your own 'star magic.'”

And different can be good, as what can be imagined in the description Edward painted. Taking cues from all the learnings from his mentors at Star Magic and in the industry in general, he is now taking steps to personal growth, excited to dabble in the different aspects of his career and the things he has always wanted to do.

The Star Magic artists gathered for a 2022 year-ender cover feature, to cap Metro's celebration of Star Magic's 30th anniversary in the industry. Photography by Dookie Ducay and Jharwin Castañeda

Related Story: Star Magic's 30th Anniversary Celebration Culminates With This Metro Cover Feature

Photography by Dookie Ducay

Creative direction by Eldzs Mejia

Art direction by Raff Colmenar

Sittings editor: Grace Libero-Cruz

Grooming by Aimee Grey

Styling by David Milan

Interviewer: Grace Diez

With texts by Angelica Tordesillas

Shoot coordination: Red Dimaandal and Kate Paras-Santiago