IN THE LIMELIGHT: Of late, numerous actors who trace their roots back to the Philippines have had the great opportunity to showcase their talent beyond the country’s borders. It’s not the first time they graced the global acting stage, but their presence in Hollywood productions seems to have grown remarkably well in the post-pandemic months. Following are some screen performers with roots from the Philippines who appeared in films or television shows.
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DOLLY DE LEON: In May 2022, de Leon made her Hollywood debut when the film “Triangle of Sadness” premiered at the 75th Cannes Film Festival. The story is about a celebrity couple named Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean) who were invited to a yacht for a luxury trip after Fashion Week is told in Ruben Östlund's film. In this dark comedy flick, 53-year-old de Leon played Abigail, a restroom manager on a luxury cruise liner. For her role, she received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
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STEFANIE ARIANNE: The Filipina-Japanese actress appeared in the Japanese film "Plan 75," which won a Camera d'Or Special Mention Award at the 75th Cannes Film Festival. Arianne, 28, plays the character of Maria, an overseas Filipino worker who participates in Plan 75, a government-sanctioned euthanasia programme. Veteran Japanese actors Chieko Baisho and Hayato Isomurai co-star with her in the film. She also acted in a 2019 film "Melancholic" and "Oh Lucy!" in 2018.
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DAVE BAUTISTA: The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestler-turned-actor, appears in one of the most recent Netflix films, “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”, which depicts the narrative of a murder that occurred on a private island in Greece. Glass Onion dropped on Netflix around the world on December 23, 2022, after its premiere in theatres earlier in the year. Bautista, 53, actually Greek-Filipino. On his mother’s side, the family is of Greek heritage. His father, David, is the son of Filipino immigrants. He has also appeared in a number of Marvel films, including "Guardians of the Galaxy," "Avengers: End Game," and "Avengers: Infinity War.”
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BRANDON PEREA: A Hollywood-based actor, Perea is of Filipino-Puerto Rican descent who starred in the science-fiction thriller “Nope”. It recounts the story of a siblings who discover a UFO. Perea, 27, played the character of Angel Torres and he’s grateful for the film's ethnically diverse cast. “One of the great things about the film was having all these leads with different ethnic backgrounds. For myself, being Puerto Rican and Filipino, it took me a while to see the impact of my representation,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m an actor, I just wanted a job. But after the posters first came out, I started having people reaching out to say, ‘Wow, someone who looks like me is in a Jordan Peele movie’,” he added.
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CHAI FONACIER: In the film "Nocebo," the 36-year-old Filipina actress played Diana, an Overseas Filipino Worker. The psychological thriller film chronicles the narrative of Diana, who worked as a nanny in Ireland. She came to assist a fashion designer who was suffering from an unknown ailment by employing ancient folk healing practices. Following screenings in Spain and the United States this year, "Nocebo" is set to debut in the country on January 18, 2023.
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LEA SALONGA: Acclaimed Broadway icon Lea Salonga joined HBO Max Original series “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.” The series follows a group of high school best friends trying to uncover the identity of an enemy called “A” who is terrorising them for something they have done in the past. Salonga, 51, portrayed the role of Elodie Honrada, a queer Filipino mother based in the USA. Aside from Lea, another actress in the series who has Filipino roots in the name of Malia Pyles, who plays the role of Minnie, Elodie’s daughter.
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CONRAD RICAMORA: The 43-year-old Filipino-American actor played Will in the romantic comedy film “Fire Island”. The plot revolves around a group of friends who go to an island for their annual holiday. Conrad is also known for his role as Oliver Hampton on the hit legal thriller TV series “How to Get Away with Murder.” In 2017, he portrayed late senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. in a theatrical musical rendition of “Here Lies Love”.
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SOLIMAN CRUZ: Soliman Cruz, 59, has been cast as the lead in the Romanian film “To The North”, which takes a close look the mostly hidden part of Filipino merchant mariners’ life. He portrays Joel, a pious sailor who discovered a stowaway on a cargo ship. Filipino actors Bart Guingona and Noel Sto Domingo appear alongside Soliman. Domingo played the lead role in the picture. Cruz’s performance received a standing ovation at Venice Filmfest in September for his role in the film.
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JB TADENA: He worked as a satellite engineer before landing in film roles as a full-time actor. Born in Los Angeles, California, 39-year-old Tadena graduated from Pennsylvania State University. He somehow found his into the entertainment industry with TV credits that include “Hawaii Five-0,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “Venom,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “American Horror Story”, “Criminal Minds” and in HBO’s “Westworld”. Tadena was also cast Johnny Bayani in Season 2 of CBS’ “SEAL Team.” Tadena has recently been cast in the newest Disney animated film “Raya and the Last Dragon”, a celebration of Asian talents.
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IÑIGO PASCUAL: The 25-year-old Filipino actor and musician, has joined Fox's musical drama “Monarch” an epic, multi-generational musical drama about the Romans, America’s first family of country music. The 25-year-old actor played the role of Ace Gray, an exceptionally talented country artist and grandson of Dottie Roman and the son of Nikki Roman, who desires to make a name for himself. The show was filmed during the pandemic, originally was set to launch in January 2022, but was pushed back by Covid. “Monarch” is set for an of 11-episode run.
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