Jo Koy remembers the first time he saw a Filipino American actor in theaters, in the 1991 film ‘Hook.’ Koy said learning that the actor who played Rufio, Dante Basco, shared his ethnicity was one of the greatest moments of his life. “I was finally seen,” he told @NBCAsianAmerica. “There’s another American right there on the big screen. He just happens to be Filipino.” That’s why it was so important to him that his new film, ‘Easter Sunday,’ secured a theatrical release rather than launch on Netflix. He wanted other Filipino Americans to see themselves on the biggest screen possible. ‘Easter Sunday,’ which hits theaters Aug. 5, tells the story of a family gathering for Easter that’s based on Koy’s life. References to Filipino American culture abound in the film, from a Santo Niño statue to halo-halo and karaoke. “I think the minute we put race in anything, we have to separate ourselves,” he said. “Family is family no matter what ethnicity you are. We do some things different, but overall it’s the same thing. It’s just a story about a family that happens to Filipino.” Full story at the link in bio. 📸 Ed Araquel / Universal Pictures