You may remember actor Zaijian Jaranilla as the adorable orphan from the 2009 tearjerker "May Bukas Pa" on ABS-CBN. Now 23, Zaijian is all grown up and is taking on steamier scenes in the upcoming Puregold digital series "Si Sol at si Luna," which will premiere on YouTube on May 31 at 7 p.m.

During the media conference for the digital series at the World Trade Center in Pasay City on May 16, fans were excited when the trailer featured Zaijian in a romantic scene with his on-screen partner Jane Oineza. Zaijian said he was nervous about the public response to his latest project. But he was thankful for the support of ABS-CBN and Star Magic in his career.

"Ang Star Magic po ay sobrang supportive sa mga project na pinipili ko. Ako pa rin ang pumipili ng project ko. Sobrang thankful ko sa kanila dahil hindi nila ako binibigyan ng limitation. (Star Magic is very supportive of the projects I choose. I still choose my projects. I'm very thankful to them because they don't give me limitations.)

"Kinabahan ako noong napanood ko yung trailer kasi hindi ko alam kung ano ang magiging reaction ng tao sa akin. Pero masaya rin naman ako dahil may mga comment na nag-e-explore rin ako sa ibang klase ng role. Gusto ko rin talaga maka-experience ng ibang role dahil iba yung nararamdaman ko kapag gumaganap ako ng ibang character. (I was nervous when I watched the trailer because I didn't know how people would react to me. But I'm also happy because there are comments that I'm also exploring other types of roles. I also really want to experience other roles because I feel different when I play other characters)," the young actor said.

Zaijian admitted that he had fallen in love, which he said helped him portray his character in the series."Sa age ko na ito, na in-love rin naman ako. Napagdaanan ko na rin siya. Nakatulong din siya na magampanan ko yung role ko rito. Masasabi ko lang is marunong po akong humalik. (At my age, I have fallen in love. I have experienced it all, and it has helped me fulfill my role here. All I can say is that I know how to kiss)," he said.

Jane referred to the project as a dream collaboration with Zaijian.

"Ang ganda ng kwento. Noong binabasa ko yung script, hindi ko siya mabitawan. Inabot ako hanggang umaga sa pagbabasa ng script. Gusto mong malaman kung ano ang susunod na mangyayari sa mga episode. Sobrang ganda kung paano ginagawa yung story. Gusto ko ring makatrabaho si Zaijian. Lahat sila gusto kong makasama sa trabaho. (The story is beautiful. When I was reading the script, I couldn't put it down. It took me until morning to read the script. You want to know what happens next in the episodes. The way the story is being done is so beautiful. I also want to work with Zaijian. I want to work with all of them)," the award-winning actress said.

In ‘Si Sol at si Luna,’ Sol (Zaijian) is afilm student working on his thesis, whose life changes when he meets the heartbroken Luna (Jane). As their paths converge, they must navigate their conflicting feelings about attraction, love, and loss, which are amplified by their age difference.

The trailer gives a glimpse of the vibrant and polished visuals coming straight from the eye of director Dolly Dulu. Best known for her feature film The Boy Foretold by the Starsas well as her TV directorial work, ‘Si Sol at si Luna’ is Direk Dolly’s vision come to life.

Direk Dolly initially pitched the story as an entry to the 2025 Puregold CinePanalo Film Festival. Despite being selected as one of the 16 best entries, the project was not included in the final lineup for the festival. Still, the story showed so much promise and depth that Puregold greenlit the project, which has since evolved into a weekly digital series.

The director spoke on the opportunity to bring her story to life. “I’m deeply grateful for the chance to bring ‘Si Sol at si Luna’ to screens,” said Dulu. “Ang saya saya kolang, especially since viewers have free access to YouTube, giving the material a broader reach. Siyempre happy ako na ito ang first series ng Puregold na medyo mag-di-dig deeper yung tema at yung feeling ng narrative.”'

Between glimpses of the first intimate scene for Zaijian and the plot involving an age gap relationship, ‘Si Sol at si Luna’ promises to be the most boundary-pushing series yet.

Puregold’s senior marketing manager, Ivy Hayagan-Piedad, affirms her trust in Direk Dolly’s vision, saying, “Great stories have a way of finding their audience, no matter the path. Direk Dolly’s pitch moved us from the start, and we’re proud to finally give it the spotlight it deserves and share it with viewers through Puregold’s retailtainment platform.”

"Si Sol at si Luna’ follows in the wake of several Puregold Channel digital series, such as ‘My Plantito,’ ’52 Weeks,’ and ‘Ang Lalaki sa Likod ng Profile.’ Over the last few years, Puregold has led the charge in supporting local culture and artists, making waves in series creation, OPM, and even the film industry.

The series is set to premiere on the Puregold Channel on YouTube on Saturday, May 31, at 7 p.m. Subsequent episodes will drop weekly every Saturday at the same time.