By Janet Susan R. Nepales Siena Nicole Agudong was just seven years old when she was cast in a local production of Willy Wonka at the Hawaii Children’s Theatre. Her older sister,…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales Every Filipino family seems to have a tsismosa in the group, whether it be a tita, a cousin, a sister or a distant relative. A…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales It was our third visit to LAIKA Studios in Portland, Oregon. Our first visit was for its stop-motion animated fantasy film “Kubo and the Two…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales It is heartwarming to witness Dolly de Leon’s remarkable success and international recognition. We first met her at the Cannes Film Festival, where Ruben Östlund’s…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales Australian filmmaker Jennifer Peedom, in her narrative feature debut, captures the harrowing and extraordinary journey of Tenzing Norgay and New Zealand mountaineer Edmund Hillary, who…
Arasha, actor in Jaclyn Backhaus’ play WIVES, at East West Players, co-produced with Hypokrit Live Arts. Photo by Daniel Antonio Vallejo. By Janet Susan R. Nepales At a time when…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales Don’t look now, but Tom Cruise’s latest movie, Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Digger, is not your typical Tom Cruise film. The charming, boyish-looking star of Mission: Impossible fame is…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales “Forgotten Island” had a historic premiere at the newly opened Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in the heart of downtown Los Angeles. George Lucas’s longtime…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales Anya Taylor-Joy, who was born to an Argentine father and an English-Spanish mother, has long felt that she did not quite fit in. The 30-year-old…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales Raul Garcia and Ervin Han come from two different cultures and two different worlds but are brought together by their love for storytelling and animation….
By Janet Susan R. Nepales For Emmy Rossum, Hulu’s “Furious” is more than a crime drama: it is a story about contemporary womanhood, moral ambiguity and the uneasy line…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales Lav Diaz’s film, “Makikiraan Po” (Let Us Through, Dear Ancestors), which has been selected to premiere at the prestigious 83rd Venice International Film Festival and…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales Where in the world does one have to present two valid IDs to get another ID? Only in the Philippines, folks! Such is the…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales Christian Bables is ready to spread his wings internationally as he prepares to attend the 83rd Venice International Film Festival this September with Lav Diaz’s…
Photos courtesy of SUN CHASER By Janet Susan R. Nepales Andree Camille Bonifacio, more popularly known as AC Bonifacio, is a talented 23-year-old Canadian Filipina who moved to the Philippines…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales The best sign of a good actress is when one can do roles out of their comfort zone. Elle Fanning is one. In her latest…
Criers for Hire and Crazy Talented Asians East West Players Flyer. By Janet Susan R. Nepales Don’t look now, but the beloved comedy hit “Criers for Hire,” commissioned by East…
Janet Nepales and Amy Adamsd (Photo courtesy of Apple TV) By Janet Susan R. Nepales One actress who has remained humble, grounded and largely away from controversy is Amy Adams,…
Photos Courtesy-of-Prime-Video By Janet Susan R. Nepales Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham may seem like an unlikely pairing in person, but they are perfect onscreen as partners in the action-adventure…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales Lexi Minetree has big shoes to fill. As the new Elle Woods in the new TV series “Elle,” inspired by the popular “Legally Blonde” franchise…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales Where in the world can you party with friends and strangers, wear your fabulous white outfit, go over-the-top with your all-white table setting, and…
Photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Studios By Janet Susan R. Nepales Don’t look now, but Tom Cruise and filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu have combined forces for the first time…
Photos courtesy of LIONSGATE By Janet Susan R. Nepales I grew up listening to the great Michael Jackson – from his days with the Jackson 5 to his days as…
Photos by Sthanlee B. Mirador BY JANET SUSAN R. NEPALES Maria Ressa received the Daniel Pearl Award for Courage and Integrity in Journalism from the Los Angeles Press Club…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales For over 25 years, the story and the music of ABBA in the musical “Mamma Mia!” have become the ultimate feel-good show. People have fallen…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales Creators Bobby Pontillas and Bernard Badion have done something bigger than themselves. They have not just created an award-winning indie fantasy animated TV series for…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales Creating the first bilingual series on American soil is one thing. Making the first Filipino TV series filmed in Hollywood is another. But making it…
By Janet Susan R. Nepales It was a night to remember when stars gathered and showed up for a cause. The glitterati raised more than a hundred dollars for Operation…
BY JANET SUSAN R. NEPALES It is a very common story in Hollywood or in the music world. You create or compose a song, and before you know it, somebody…
Dreams do come true. Even Hollywood dreams. Indefatigable and hardworking filmmaker-producer Paul Soriano found this out after being introduced to the legendary actor Andy Garcia, by Soriano’s business partner Simon…
