Shaina Magdayao Is Single By Choice, But Can Relate With Her Character In New Movie, 'Single Single', Who's A Single Mom

“SINGLE SINGLE” started in 2015 as a TV series on Cinema One, co-produced with Philippine Star as part of its wealth management advocacy. The first season has 13 episodes and shown on cable TV every Saturday. It did well so it had a second season, and now, it goes to the big screen as a full length movie titled “Single Single: Love is Not Enough” to open in theaters starting May 2.

The show revolves on the story of urban single millennials in today’s complicated modern world with You Only Live Once (YOLO) as their motto. Shaina Magdayao plays Joee while Matteo Guidicelli plays Joey, two individuals with same sounding names who are forced to share a common apartment for convenience.

As they co-exist in the same condo unit, they get to talk about a lot of things like relationships, handling finances, careers and other significant issues in life. Matteo’s character actually comes from a rich family as his mom owns the condominium building where they live. But he wants to be independent so he works as a singer.

Shaina, in turn, is a young hardworking professional who is just forced to share a condo apartment
with Matteo to help make ends meet. Eventually, they become romantically involved. Also in the cast are Cherie Gil as Matteo’s mother plus Ricky Davao, JC Santos, Anna Luna, Brian Sy and Will Devaughn, written by Lilit Reyes.

The TV series was directed by Pepe Diokno of “Enkwentro” and “Above the Clouds” but the movie version is now directed by Veronica Velasco and Pablo Biglang Awa, the team who helmed “Inang Yaya” and “Maling Akala”. We don’t know why they had to change directors when Pepe Diokno is a millennial himself while Roni and Pablo are in their mid-40s. Well, Star Cinema and Phil. Star must have their reasons.

So why was the TV show expanded into a movie? “The series had a huge following and there’s a clamor to make it into a movie,” says Shaina. “I never really thought magiging movie kami. Akala ko lang, there will be a season 3 but it turned out movie pala ang gagawin namin.”

How different is the movie from the TV version? “Season 2 ended with my character announcing that she’s pregnant, but Matteo is not the father,” she replies. “It’s JC Santos. The movie now shows what happens after she got pregnant. Matteo accepts the baby and they become young parents. The subtitle is ‘Love Is Not Enough’ because there is reality check and they get to realize that love is not really enough to sustain their relationship, what with the tough responsibilities of parenthood and other problems that crop up as they live like other married couples. What happens when the magic is gone? You don’t need to see the TV series to appreciate the movie as it can stand alone on its own. It’s about the problems of adjusting to the rigors of domestic life and how it affects their careers and relationship.”

In real life, is Shaina still single or now double? “I’m still very much single. By choice. But I can totally relate to my character in the story as a millennial. This is actually an advocacy film that will help millennials face and solve their problems, from how to handle finances up to challenges they face when their relationship is threatened by misunderstanding and separation.”