AT A GLANCE
From singers, actors, and musicians to dancers, models, stand-up comedians, and even YouTube personalities, several Filipinos or those with Filipino blood have made it big in the international scene.
Aside from becoming the happiest people on earth, Filipinos also take pride in talent and exceptional skills, hence the term "Pinoy Pride".
From singers, actors, and musicians to dancers, models, stand-up comedians, and even YouTube personalities, several Filipinos or those with Filipino blood have made it big in the international scene.
In celebration of the Filipino-American Month in the US, here's a fresh list of Fil-Am celebrities making waves in the Hollywood scene.
Bella Poarch
Gaining fame after doing the TikTok video "To The B," Denarie Taylor, professionally known as Bella Poarch, became an instant celebrity after gaining 1.9 billion likes and 82.9 million followers on TikTok.
Following her success, Bella also ventured into the music scene by releasing her debut single, "Build a B*tch," one of the biggest YouTube debuts in history with over 307 million views.
She is part of Forbes's Top 50 Fashion Creators for 2023.
Bretman Rock
Dubbed the "Baddest Content Creator," Bretman Rock Sacayanan is a Filipino-American internet star based in Hawaii. Starting to appear online with his make tutorials, Bretman has come a long way from collaborating with big brands like Nike to launching his book entitled "You're That B*tch: & Other Cute Lessons About Being Unapologetically Yourself."
He even became the first gay cover for Playboy Magazine in 2021. Bretman also did a cover for Vogue Philippines in June to celebrate Pride Month.
Bretman has garnered 18 million followers on Instagram, 13 million followers on TikTok, and almost 9 million on YouTube.
Hailee Steinfeld
Known for her character as Kate Bishop on the Marvel series "Hawkeye," Hailee Steinfeld is proud of her Filipino roots. Born in Los Angeles, California, her mother Cheri has roots in Panglao, Bohol, in the Philippines.
In her past interviews, Hailee shared loving words to her Filipino grandfather, Ricardo Doma, who died in 2014.
"One thing about my Filipino grandfather – the amount of pride that he had in me, himself, his background, and his family was unbelievable I realize now that this is maybe something I wish I would have realized sooner. A quality he has and was born with and brought up with is his pride in his family. I am so lucky to have experienced that from him," she said.
Aside from acting, Hailee also ventured into the music scene by releasing her debut song, "Love Myself," in 2015 and another single, "Let Me Go," featuring Alesso, Florida Georgia Line, and Watt, in 2016.
The same year, Hailee went to the Philippines to do a mall tour promoting her E.P., "Haiz."
Olivia Rodrigo
She made waves in the music industry when she debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart with her song "Driver's License" in January 2021. The 20-year-old Grammy winner also did acting stints when she was cast in the Disney television programs "Bizaardvark" and "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series."
Olivia's father is a Filipino American, while her mother is American of Irish and German descent.
Jacob Batalon
Jacob Batalon is another actor based in Hawaii. He is best known for his performance as Ned in the 2017 superhero movie 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' and the 2018 film 'Avengers: Infinity War.'
His Filipino mother, who has always supported his dreams, is Eva Andres, originally from Pangasinan in the Philippines.
From his acting stint on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Jacob also appeared in several movies like Bloodfest (2018) and Let It Snow (2019)
Vanessa Hudgens
Vanessa is an actress and a singer, who gained fame after playing Gabriela Montez of "High School Musical." Now our favorite trio in the "Princess Switch" film series is half Filipina. Her mom Gina Guanco is from Manila, while her father is of Irish, French and Native American descent. She has always been proud of her Filipino roots as well.
Visiting the Philippines for the first time in March, the 34-year-old actress also took the time to shoot a travel documentary film entitled "The Awakening." Directed by Paul Soriano, the film was shot in Palawan and Manila.
During her visit, she was also named the Global Tourism Ambassador for the Philippines, receiving the title from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr at Malacañang Palace on March 30.
H.E.R
Another Filipino-American singer/actress who is making headlines in Hollywood is Gabriella Sarmiento Wilson, also known as H.E.R.
Debuting as the first Filipina Disney princess after portraying Belle on the special TV presentation of "Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration," the Grammy-award-winning singer is a proud Filipino herself. She was born to a Filipino mother and an African-American father, which makes her childhood a mix of Filipino and black culture.
During her visit to the Philippines, H.E.R. revealed that she took her family on a Yacht vacation in Palawan. She also shared that she likes to cook kare-kare for her family.
Nico Santos
Nico Santos is a Filipino-American actor known for portraying the sales associate Mateo Liwanag in N.B.C.'s 'Superstore' and the fabulously gay Oliver T'sien in the hit movie 'Crazy Rich Asians.'
He also appeared in the latest MCU film "Guardians of The Galaxy: Volume 3," where he played the role of Recorder Theel.
Nico was born in Manila and moved to the US when he was 16.
Manny Jacinto
Known for his role as Jason Mendoza in "The Good Place," Filipino-American actor Manny Jacinto is a proud member of a new batch of Hollywood actors representing Asian men onscreen. His family moved to Canada in 1990, settling in Richmond, British Columbia.
Aside from gaining attention as Jason, he also appeared in the "Brand New Cherry Flavor" series.
Jo-Koy
Jo Koy is a popular Filipino-American stand-up comedian who is a frequent panelist for the late night show "Chelsea Lately." He is of Filipino, European, and American descent. He will soon be seen in the animated films "The Monkey King" and "Leo."
