Here’s a real-life plot twist for fans of the coming-of-age film series “Bar Boys” about buddies navigating law school: the man who inspired one of the characters recently passed the 2025 Bar Exams.

After the Bar results were announced on Wednesday, the film’s Facebook page thanked former model Luke Jickain and said that he served as the inspiration for Kean Cipriano’s role, Joshua Zuñiga.

Jickain shared that he and director Kip Oebanda were buddies in college in an interview with ABS-CBN News. There were four of them in their “barkada,” just as in the movie.

However, Jickain acknowledged that he always considered himself to be the “average student” in comparison to the other members of his social group.

He said, “In part 1 (of the movie), one of the main actors quit school to pursue modeling. And that was really my path because at the time I was really having a hard time. Kip and my barkada, they’re so smart. We all entered college in 2001. They graduated on time, 2005. By 2009, I’m still in college so parang it took me 8 years,”

Jickain said that after some time, he came to the conclusion that modeling was not a viable job.

Like his uncle, Tito Ray, he aspired to practice law.

He said, “He inspired me because he happens to be this guy who solves everybody’s problems. When he’s there, people’s lives just get better. So sabi ko, oh, there’s something about lawyers that really help people,”

However, Jickain said that he had the same difficulties in law school as he had in college.

Jickain said that Atty. Reggie Ukol, his lecturer, was the one who assisted him in overcoming his fears.

Jickain passed the bar on his first try after years of hard work.

This is his message to other aspiring lawyers who are currently having difficulty in their studies or to those who did not pass the bar but are considering trying again.