List of Filipino Americans

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of famous Filipino Americans.

[edit] Arts and letters

• Alfredo Alcala – Filipino comic book artist.
• Lynda Barry – mestiza cartoonist, most known for Ernie Pook's Comeek and Marlys, published in Salon.com and other independent papers; she created the prototype for what would become the cartoon hit series, The Simpsons
• Amapola Cabase – author of Fiction novels: "Coming Home" (Winner of 3 Book Awards), "Promising Skies" among others.
• Eugene F. Castillo – conductor, born in Hollywood, CA, is now the Music Director of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, Cultural Center of the Philippines.
• Ernie Chan – comic book artist/inker for Marvel Comics and DC Comics.
• Howard Chua-Eoan – Time Magazine senior editor.
• Dorothy Cordova – Activist, professor, co-founder of the Filipino American National Historical Society.
• Fred Cordova – Author of "Filipinos: Forgotten Asian Americans"; co-founder of the Filipino American National Historical Society.
• Sharon Delmendo – St. John Fisher College Professor of English; author of "The Star Entangled Banner"; researches the unique anthropoligcal, cultural and political entanglements that have arisen as a result of the colonial relationship between the U.S. and the Philippines; youngest person in the history of her institution to attain the rank of full professor.
• Tony DeZuniga – co-creator of Jonah Hex
• George Estrada – Humboldt State University professor of journalism; author of "I Have Tasted the Sweet Mangoes of Cebu"; former reporter with Oakland Tribune and Associated Press; columnist with the Philippine Times of Las Vegas.
• Dina Gan – former editor-in-chief of A Magazine and co-editor of "Eastern Standard Time"
• Jessica Hagedorn – playwright/author (Mango Tango, "Dream Jungle", "The Gangster of Love", Dogeaters)
• Chabeli Iglesias – journalist (Filipina mother)
• Rafael Kayanan – comic book artist and master level instructor in Sayoc Kali.
• Lloyd LaCuesta – South Bay Bureau Chief of KTVU
• Nick Manabat – creator of Cybernary, comic book artist for Wildstorm Productions
• Aimee Nezhukumatathil – award-winning poet and professor
• Han Ong – playwright and author; recipient of MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant
• Whilce Portacio – created Bishop of the X-Men, co-founder of Image Comics
• Eileen Tabios – poet
• Romeo Tanghal – comic book artist
• Alex Tizon – Pulitzer Prize Winner
• Jose Garcia Villa – poet, writer, generationalist; pre-Beat Generation influence
• Jacqueline Chan – writer, graphic designer
• Marisa De Los Santos – writer,of Loved Walked In
• Matthew Libatique – Cinematographer, credits includes Requiem For A Dream, The Fountain, Inside Man and Iron Man
• Carlos Bulosan

[edit] Law & Politics

• Peter Aduja – First Filipino American elected to public office in the United States
• Ruby Andrew–Law professor, Southern University
• Mariano Laya Armington (1908–1994)–Filipino community and labor leader
• Luisa Blue – Filipino American labor leader;first Filipino American national president of Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO
• Carlos Bulosan – Filipino American author and labor activist
• Robert Bunda – first Filipino American legislative president
• Christopher Cabaldon – openly gay mayor of West Sacramento, California
• Romeo Munoz Cachola – Honolulu City Council member
• Benjamin J. Cayetano – first Filipino American governor in U.S.
• Jose Esteves – mayor of Milpitas, California since 2002; served as a member of the City Council from 1998 to 2002.
• Juventino “Ben” Fajardo – Former Mayor, Glendale Heights, Illinois
• Mike Guingona – Filipino mayor of Daly City
• Michelle Malkin – strongly conservative syndicated columnist
• Pablo Manlapit – Filipino labor leader in Hawaii
• Royal Morales – Filipino American community leader; author of "Makibaka," first text on Pilipino American history; founder of Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) in Los Angeles
• Francis Padua Papica – Lawyer-Philanthropist
• Ron Menor – Hawaii State Representative
• Richard Pio Roda – President, Filipino Bar Association, California
• Victor Romero–Law Professor, Penn State University
• Manuel S. Rustia – early Pensionado and professor at the University of Washington and the University of Puget Sound
• Bobby Scott – U.S. Representative from Virginia (D)
• Philip Vera Cruz – Filipino labor leader in California, co-founded the United Farm Workers Union with Cesar Chavez
• Rose Cuizon Villazor – Law professor, Southern Methodist University
• Michele J. Sison – U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
• Kiwi Camara -Youngest law graduate from Harvard at 19 years old.

[edit] Business

• Diosdado Banatao – Silicon Valley engineer and businessman
• Manuel Alcantara Donesa Jr. – Hot Import Nights General Manager, leading import car show producer.
• Caterina Fake – Cofounder, Flickr.com, acquired by Yahoo! Inc.
• Josie Natori – founder, The Natori Company
• Loida Nicolas-Lewis – chairman and CEO of TLC Beatrice International Holdings, Inc.
• Reno Ursal – founder, BrownJungle.com, Rhythm Drive Records, creator of Holidays in the City

[edit] Entertainment

[edit] Actors & Singers

• Ruthie Alcaide – MTV Real World Hawaii cast
• Anjanette Abayari – Model / Actress / Raiderette
• Amapola – Singer; Author; Actor; Host of "Amapola Presents Show" for 8 years on KEMO-TV
• Gerald Anderson – Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition cast, star Sana Maulit Muli
• Alley Baggett – model, actress (half-Filipino)
• Dante Basco – actor, director, producer
• Darion Basco – actor, director, producer
• Anthony Begonia – producer, actor
• Bernardo Bernardo – actor, singer, comedian,writer, director
• Gil Rivera Blas – actor
• Q Allan Brocka – director, producer, actor, best known for directing the Film Eating Out
• Eileen Boylan – actress (South of Nowhere, General Hospital)
• Cher Calvin – actress, news anchor, KTLA Morning News
• Daniel Campos – (aka Cloud), dancer, actor
• Joemarpe Capul – actor, Business mogul TFC
• Tia Carrere – actress
• Phoebe Cates – actress (Filipino maternal grandfather, 1/4 Filipino)
• Emy Coligado – actress, (Piama, Francis' wife, Malcolm in the Middle)
• Michael Copon – actor, (Blue Ranger in Power Rangers Time Force; 1/2 Filipino)
• Annie Cruz – adult film star
• Dennis Cruz – Singer/songwriter
• Mark Dacascos – actor, martial artist, Iron Chef America host (1/8 Filipino)
• Ava Fabian – actress, model
• Von Flores – actor
• Dan Gabriel – comedian, host of Asian Street Comedy
• Sumi Haru – actress, activist, First National Vice-President of the Screen Actors Guild. National Vice President of the AFL-CIO
• Melissa Howard – actress-comedienne(half Filipino)
• Stella Hudgens – actress
• Vanessa Hudgens – actress, singer, stars in Disney's High School Musical
• Radmar Agana Jao – actor
• Jan Christian Ambata-Rodriguez – actor (High School Musical),(The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift)
• Cris Judd – actor, choreographer
• Kevin Kleinberg–actor, (Blue Ranger in Power Rangers Time Force; 1/2 Filipino)
• Lalaine – (1987) TV star ("Lizzie McGuire")^[1]
• Sharon Leal – actress who played Marylin Sudor on Boston Public
• Kaylani Lei – adult film star
• Brandon Lee – porn star
• Tiffany Limos – actress
• Jose Llana – Broadway actor, Drama Desk Award Winner
• Natassia Malthe – Actress, Model
• Alec Mapa – gay actor and comedian (currently Adam Benet on Half & Half)
• Sabrine Maui – adult film star
• Sean Michael (1988–) film/television actor (Akeelah and the Bee)^[2]
• Madison Michele – actress and television host, host of Animal Planet's King of the Jungle
• Vanessa Minnillo – model, host MTV's TRL (Total Request Live)
• Mimi Miyagi (née Melody Damayo)–adult film star, candidate for Governor of Nevada
• Paolo Montalban – actor, model, starred as Kung Lao in Mortal Kombat
• Troy Montero (né Troy Miller)–actor, model, born in Washington and brother of KC Montero
• Jaclyn Ngan – actress Freedom Writers
• Nia Peeples – actress
• Lou Diamond Phillips – actor, La Bamba
• Victoria Recaño – correspondent The Insider, actress CSI: Miami
• Ernie Reyes Jr. – actor, martial artist
• Rob Schneider – Saturday Night Live performer, actor, comedian (Jewish father, half-Filipina mother); "Mom's family had the better food; Dad's family had the better jokes."
• Shannyn Sossamon – actress, 40 Days and 40 Nights, A Knight's Tale
• Charmane Star – adult film star
• MissDianne (Dianne Carla Deguzman)–Filipino and Spaniard. Model. [Elle Girl]]
• Anna Maria Perez de Tagle – actress (Ashley from Hannah Montana)
• Chuti Tiu – actress, Desire, 24, Dragnet, Beautiful,The Specials (half-Chinese, quarter-Filipino, quarter-Spanish)
• Tamlyn Tomita – actress, The Joy Luck Club and The Karate Kid, Part II (mother is half-Japanese and half-Filipino)
• Lori Trespicio–MTV Real World Cast: New York
• Hervé Villechaize – actor (Tattoo from Fantasy Island)
• Joel de la Fuente – actor
• Sam Milby – singer, actor, model
• Joe Bataan – Latin soul legend
• Death Angel – Thrash Metal band
• Cassie (Cassandra Vergara Ventura)–Half-Filipino and half African-American R&B, pop and hiphop singer, and former fashion model. She is best known by her stage name Cassie and for the hit song "Me & U".
• Billy Crawford – recording artist, singer
• Revik Delfin – recording artist, singer
• Kate Earl – singer-songwriter
• Jocelyn Enriquez – singer
• Rhica Fernandez – singer in Epic Voices
• Vanessa Anne Hudgens (1988–) singer, television star (High School Musical)/teen idol^[3]
• Enrique Iglesias – singer, international pop star (Filipino mother)
• Julio Iglesias Jr – singer, international pop star (Filipino mother)
• Rachael Lampa – Christian singer^[4]
• Allen "apl.de.ap" Pineda Lindo – singer, member of The Black Eyed Peas (Filipino mother)
• Melinda Lira – American Idol contestant (season 4)
• Maile Misajon – singer of Eden's Crush
• Jose Penala – American Idol contestant (season 5)
• Neal McCoy – country music singer
• Nicole Scherzinger – lead singer for the Pussycat Dolls (Filipino father)
• Josephine “Banig” Roberto – singer, Star Search Winner
• Amber Rowley – singer
• Jade Villalon – singer, actress
• Lea Salonga – singer/Tony Award winner
• Jordan Segundo – singer, American Idol semi-finalist (Season 2)
• A.J. Tabaldo – American Idol contestant (season 6)
• Jasmine Trias – American Idol contestant (Season 3)
• Camile Velasco (1985–) American Idol contestant (Season 3)^[5]
• Emm Gryner – singer-songwriter
• Sharyn Maceren – singer-songwriter
• Kimee Balmilero – actress (Cast member of Hi-5 Kid's TV show)
• Jenilee Reyes – actress/model (Deal or No Deal)
• Danny Lee – actor

[edit] Wrestlers

• David Bautista – WWE performer going by the name of Batista on the WWE Friday Night SmackDown! brand, current World Heavyweight Champion (Filipino father)
• Benny Cuntapay – also known by his ring alias B-Boy. Performer in CZW or Combat Zone Wrestling
• Scott Epperson – also known by his ring aliases Scott Lost. Performer in PWG, or Pro Wrestling Guerilla
• T.J. Perkins – also known by his ring aliases Pinoy Boy and Puma.

[edit] Misc.

• Blue Scholars – Geologic of the Seattle hip hop group.
• DJ P-Trix–1999 DMC USA Champion & 1999 Dirtstyle World Champion DJ.
• DJ Babu – DJ of the World Famous Beat Junkies & member of the Hip Hop Group Dilated Peoples.
• Kimee Balmilero – member of the American version of Hi-5, a children's musical group^[6]
• DJ RockyRock – World Battle DJ & Jeepney Music exec; part of the Dirty Heads (Warner Bros).
• DJ Q-Bert – SF Bay Area Hip-Hop DJ.
• Gerald Anderson – Pinoy Big Brother teen housemate.
• Cheryl Burke (1984)–professional dancer, participant in Dancing with the Stars^[7]
• Francine Dee – glamour model
• Dianne de Las Casas – author and award-winning storyteller^[8]
• Ronnie del Carmen – story supervisor, Finding Nemo; storyboard artist, Batman: The Animated Series
• Dean Devlin (1962–) screenwriter and producer of many films including, Independence Day, Godzilla and Stargate, also occasional actor^[9]
• DJ Q-Bert – pioneering turntablist
• Jerome Fontamillas – guitarist for the Christian rock bands Switchfoot and Fold Zandura (former member of Mortal)
• Arthur Fulinara – film writer/director
• Native Guns – Bambu and Kiwi of the LA hip hop group.
• Christine Nubla – SF Bay Area Reporter
• Malou Nubla – SF Bay Area On Air Personality
• Randy Romero – Writer
• Raquel Gibson (1985)–swimsuit model, Playboy's Playmate of the Month for November 2005^[10]
• Kat Gutierrez – model
• Jenascia Chakos – America's Next Top Model cycle 2 contestant.^[11]
• Kirk Hammett – lead guitarist for Metallica (Filipina mother)
• Chad Hugo – music producer and musician; one-half of The Neptunes
• Melody Lacayanga – contestant on So You Think You Can Dance
• Christine Mendoza – model
• Sam Milby – a Pinoy Big Brother housemate, singer, figure skater, actor and commercial model
• Vanessa Minnillo – Miss Teen USA 1998, MTV personality
• KC Montero (né Casey Miller)–MTV-Asia VJ, TV host, born in Washington and brother of Troy Montero
• Rex Navarrete – comedian
• Braxton Olita – guitarist, ashlee simpson band (half Filipino/Puerto Rican)
• Van Partible – creator/director/writer of cartoon series Johnny Bravo
• Elisa Prevot – model (half-Filipina)
• Joey Santiago – guitarist for the Pixies
• Chuti Tiu – America's Junior Miss (first non-Caucasian winner)
• Leeann Tweeden – model, television personality
• Sam Khurana – contestant (Team Geniuses) on Treasure Hunters. Half-Indian and Half-Filipino^[12]
• Ryan Conferido – contestant on So You Think You Can Dance
• Brad Virata – contestant on Survivor: Cook Island
• Lorene Machado – Director, Margaret Cho concert films, "Bam Bam and Celeste"
• Jenny Guzon-Bae – contestant on Survivor: Cooks Island

[edit] Sports

• Megan Abubo – multiple times world champion surfer (father born in the Philippines)
• Benny Agbayani – New York Mets, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals baseball player
• Chris Aguila – Florida Marlins baseball player (Filipino father)
• Eugene Amano – NFL offensive guard/center, Tennessee Titans
• Tai Babilonia – Olympic figure skater (African-American mother; Filipino and Hopi-Indian father)
• Bobby Balcena – Cincinnati Reds baseball player
• Tedy Lacap Bruschi – NFL All-Pro linebacker, New England Patriots
• Bobby Chouinard – Baltimore Orioles baseball player
• Natalie Coughlin – Olympic swimmer, gold medalist
• Victoria Manalo Draves – diver who was first woman to win two gold medals in springboard diving at the 1948 Olympics in London.
• Roman Gabriel – former NFL quarterback, Los Angeles Rams
• Sunny Garcia – surfing world champion, surfing legend
• Taryn N. Ignacio – University of Kentucky's first NCAA Champion - 10 Meter Platform Dive 2006. Father is full Filipino and mother is American.
• Malia Jones – surfing model, People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People
• Rafael Nepomuceno – Bowling world champion, has the title of most world cup titles in the Guinness World Records since 1993, youngest to win the bowling world cup. Record still unbroken.
• Chris Rix – former FSU Quarterback, Tallahassee (Filipino mother)
• Willy Santos – a professional skateboarder
• Brandon Vera – UFC Fighter (nicknamed Brandon "the Truth" Vera)
• Brian Viloria – US Olympic boxer, former WBC light-flyweight champion

[edit] Military

• Jose Calugas – Medal of Honor Recipient, WWII
• Rudolph Davila – Medal of Honor Recipient, WWII
• Eleanor Mariano – First Filipino-American to reach the rank of admiral. White House physician
• Edward Soriano – Lieutenant General (3*) of U.S. Army
• Ramon S. Subejano – PFC U.S. Army, WWII, Awarded 17 medals for killing more than 400 Germans in battle. One of the medals was the Silver Star
• Antonio Taguba – Major General (2*) of U.S. Army, author of the Taguba Report which uncovered major prisoner abuses in Iraq

[edit] Other

• Angela Perez Baraquio – Miss America 2001
• Cristeta Comerford – first woman executive chef at the White House. She worked as an assistant chef for 10 years. After a ten-month search, she was appointed by First Lady Laura Bush on August 14, 2005.
• Pia Clemente – The first Filipino to be nominated for a competitive Academy Award for the live action short, "Our Time Is Up". (2004)
• Veronica De La Cruz – CNN News Anchor
• Pedro Flores – father of the yo-yo (Donald Duncan purchased the company and renamed it Duncan Yo-Yo Co.)
• Andrew Gonzales–Famous Bass Player
• Fritz Friedman – Senior Vice President, Worldwide Publicity Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment
• Dan Inosanto – Head of Bruce Lee's JKD, Head of Lacoste / Inosanto FMA
• Andrea Jumapao – first Filipino American to participate (on a national level in the United States) in the Miss USA-World 1976 competition held in Boston, MA as Miss Oregon.
• Claire Leka – former CNN Business Reporter (half Filipino half German Irish)
• Elita Loresca, meteorologist WSVN (Fox) in Miami
• Monique Lhuillier – Hollywood Fashion Designer
• Loida Nicolas-Lewis – chairman and CEO of TLC Beatrice International Holdings, Inc., a two-billion-dollar corporation of 64 companies based in 31 countries. TLC is a marketer of ice cream in Spain and the Canary Islands, the leading manufacturer of potato chips in Ireland, and a prime distributor of beverage in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Thailand. As a businesswoman, Nicolas-Lewis was ranked number 1 among the "Top 50 Women Business Owners in America" by the Working Woman magazine (1994)
• Maria Quiban – Weather meteorologist & news anchor for KTTV/KCOP-TV in Los Angeles
• Maria P. P. Root – Psychologist
• Hazel Sanchez – correspondent, reporter/anchor for WCBS-TV New York
• Michele J. Sison – US ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
• Oscar A. Solis‎ – First Filipino-American Roman Catholic bishop in the United States
• Robyn Watkins – Miss Oklahoma USA 2006
• Christina Marie Williams (1985–1998) murdered child^[13]
• Dr. Mariano Yogore (1921–2006) Professor and head of Institute of Public Health - Univ. of the Philippines. Research Associate and Professor -5/8 Dept. of Molecular Genetics and Cellular Biology - Univ. of Chicago. Master of Public Health (1948) and Doctor of Public Health (1957) - Johns Hopkins University. World Health Organization Fellowship (1954) USPHS Post Doctoral Fellowship at the Univ. of Chicago, Dept. of Microbiology. Full Professor in Univ. of Chicago Dept. of Microbiology since 1959. Various memberships to several honor societies and professional organizations. Listed as Philippine Man of Science (1964) and American Men and Women of Science No. 1218. Senior author and co-author in about 50 scientific publications. Published in Library of Congress

[edit] See also

• Filipino people

[edit] References

[edit] Footnotes

MARIA DEGUZMAN- A PINAY.