Here is a photo of me around the age of 9 on a family trip to Los Angeles and Hollywood Boulevard, positively glowing because I felt like I was touching Hollywood (as personified by Arnold @schwarzenegger the Kindergarten Cop)! Please know that today, Filipinos will be taking over the red carpet in front of the historic TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood to celebrate the premiere of @eastersunday the first-ever studio film to center on a Filipino family (THANK YOU STEVEN SPIELBERG FOR OPENING THIS DOOR!!!!). It pains me that I cannot be there in attendance as I am filming another project (I had a killer dress too! 😩) but it warms my heart to know that young kids like this girl pictured here will finally get to see themselves on the big screen where they are the centre of the story and where who they are is highlighted and celebrated. I still get emotional when I see AAPI-led films, and I think it’s because it makes me realize how much of that was missing growing up and how easily I put myself in the background in my own life because that’s mostly what I saw. I thought that was just my place. I do think that it is symbolic that today, the same day of the Easter Sunday premiere, I start shooting a new project where I am the lead of a romantic comedy; something I’ve been fighting to do for a very long time. I hope the next wave of Asian actors don’t have to wait so long in their careers to witness this kind of shift in representation because we are beautiful, we are deserving, and we are in HOLLYWOOD BABY!!!!!!!!!! Sending all my love to my fellow cast mates and creatives (@jokoy this is all you bro!) who will be celebrating this historic moment on Hollywood Boulevard tonight! Have a drink for me and SHINE!!!! ✨✨✨🎥🎞🍿🇵🇭 #EasterSunday #EasterSundayMovie #filipino #AAPI