5 celebs you didn’t know were Filipino, from Bruno Mars to Olivia Rodrigo

A growing awareness in the West of the importance of cultural representation is finally resulting in greater diversity in the entertainment industry. In May, New York-based Average Socialite hosted its second Annual Filipino Forces Feast & Fiesta in LA, in honour of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In attendance were E! News host Erin Lim, YouTuber Nava Rose and Dancing with the Stars winner Cheryl Burke.

For a long time, aspiring actors might have chosen to downplay their racial background in an attempt to blend in and land more mainstream roles, rather than risk being typecast.

With the rise of social media and shift in the culture, individuals from all backgrounds have been given a platform – something that rings true beyond the entertainment industry. Among these, a growing number of talents with Filipino backgrounds are making their mark in their respective creative industries. Here, we look at artists, actors and creatives representing their Filipino heritage in mainstream pop culture.

1. Bruno Mars

Mars was born in Hawaii in 1985 to a Filipina mother and Puerto Rican-Jewish father. Having begun his career in the 2000s writing songs for other artists, Mars hit the charts in his own right in 2010 with tracks including “The Lazy Song”, “Grenade” and “Marry You”. He also produced ballads such as 2011’s “It Will Rain”, part of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 film soundtrack.

2. Vanessa Hudgens