List of Filipino Americans

This is a list of notable Filipino Americans*.

Note that some are of multiracial backrounds, but carry at least some Filipino ancestry.

Arts and letters

Eleanor Academia, proponent of kulintang among other ethnic musical instruments
Byron Acohido, journalist, 1997 Pulitzer Prize Winner, Beat Reporting
Florante Aguilar, classical guitarist
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 "Coming Home" and "Promising Skies" published by Amazon.com Book Surge
Tony DeZuniga, co-creator of Jonah Hex
George Estrada, author, "I Have Tasted the Sweet Mangoes of Cebu", Pulitzer-prize nominee and journalism professor at Humboldt State University, Arcata, California
Jessica Hagedorn, playwright of Mango Tango and Dogeaters
Lloyd LaCuesta, South Bay Bureau Chief of KTVU
Cecile Licad, classical pianist
Aimee Nezhukumatathil, award-winning poet and professor
Alex Niño, comic book artist
Han Ong, playwright and author; recipient of MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant
Whilce Portacio, created Bishop of the X-Men, co-founder of Image Comics
Romeo Tanghal,comic book artist
Alex Tizon, journalist, 1997 Pulitzer Prize Winner, Investigative Reporting
Allison Torneros, visual artist
Corky Trinidad, artist, cartoonist, illustrator
Jose Garcia Villa, poet, writer, generationalist; pre-Beat Generation influence

Business

Diosdado Banatao, Silicon Valley engineer and businessman
Loida Nicolas Lewis, chairman and CEO of TLC Beatrice International Holdings and founder of AALDEF (Asian-American Legal Defense and Education Fund); widow of Reginald Lewis
Josie Natori, CEO, Natori Company, high-end fashionwear
Cora Tellez, CEO, Health Net

Entertainment

Amapola, TV host of "Amapola Presents" show for eight seasons on KEMO-TV-20, Bay Area
Derek Basco, actor, director, writer, producer
Dante Basco, actor, director, producer
Darion Basco, actor, director, producer
Dion Basco, actor, director, producer
Joe Bataan, Latin Soul legend
David Bautista, WWE performer on the Smackdown! brand, former World Heavyweight Champion (Filipino father)
Anthony Begonia, producer, actor
Bernardo Bernardo, actor, singer, comedian
Christian "Chise" Bonoan, Hip Hop Artist,Up and Coming New York Hip Hop Artist
Cheryl Burke, dancer, Dancing with the Stars (Filipino mother)
Amapola Cabase, singer, author, actor, songwriter
Mahnee Cabase, composer of numerous Cebuano classics, played 32 musical instruments
Tia Carrere, actress
Wil Castillo, actor Running Springs
Phoebe Cates, actress (Filipino grandparent)
Emy Coligado, actress, famous for her role as Piama, Francis' wife, in Malcolm in the Middle
Ryan Conferido, So You Think You Can Dance contestant
Michael Copon, actor, known for his role as a blue ranger in Power Rangers Time Force
Billy Joe Crawford, actor
Mark Dacascos, actor, martial artist, Iron Chef America host
Death Angel, Thrash Metal band
Francine Dee, model
Ronnie del Carmen, story supervisor, "Finding Nemo" and storyboard artist "Batman: The Animated series."
DJ BUSY B, Hip-Hop DJ, "Buzz of the Bay Area"
DJ Dave Dynamix, DJ, producer, event promoter, Livemixshow.com, Artist Management: 3-Style Attractions since 1990
DJ Romeo, DJ on market #4 radio station in United States and producer
Kate Earl, singer-songwriter
Jocelyn Enriquez, singer
Jerome Fontamillas, guitarist for the Christian rock bands Switchfoot and Fold Zandura (former member of Mortal)
Jeff Francisco, actor Tweek City
Raquel Gibson, Playboy Playmate of the Month, November 2005
Kat Gutierrez, model
Kirk Hammett, lead guitarist for Metallica (Filipina mother)
Vanessa Anne Hudgens, actress High School Musical
Chad Hugo, music producer and musician; one-half of The Neptunes
Enrique Iglesias, singer, international pop star
Jebson, California Bay area rap star
Honey Labrador, host of Queer Eye For The Straight Girl
Melody Lacayanga, So You Think You Can Dance contestant
Lalaine, child star, one of the main stars of Lizzie McGuire
Rachael Lampa, Christian singer (Filipino father)
Sharon Leal, actress who played Marylin Sudor on Boston Public
Allen Pineda Lindo aka Apl.de.Ap, musician; member of the Black Eyed Peas (Filipino mother)
Alec Mapa, gay comedian. A regular on the UPN sitcom Half & Half
Sabrine Maui, adult film star
Neal McCoy, country music singer
Madison Michele, actress and television host, host of Animal Planet's King of the Jungle
Sam Milby, a Pinoy Big Brother housemate, singer, figure skater, actor and commercial model
Meiling Melançon, actress
Christine Mendoza, model
Vanessa Minnillo, Miss Teen USA 1998 and MTV personality
Paolo Montalban, actor
KC Montero, MTV-Asia VJ. Real name Casey Miller. Born in Washington
Troy Montero, actor. Real name Troy Miller. Born in Washington
Rex Navarrete, comedian
Abe Pagtama, actor
Van Partible, creator/director/writer of cartoon series Johnny Bravo
Paulskee, president of Rock Force Crew (1994-2004)
Jose "Sway" Penala, American Idol contestant
Lou Diamond Phillips, actor
Victoria Principal, actress
Q-Bert, pioneering turntablist
Ernie Reyes Jr., actor
Anthony Ruivivar, actor, Third Watch, plays Carlos Nieto
Lea Salonga, actress and singer, famous for her role as Kim in the musical Miss Saigon
Joey Santiago, guitarist for the Pixies
Nicole Scherzinger, lead singer for the Pussycat Dolls
Rob Schneider, Saturday Night Live performer, actor, comedian (Filipina mother)
Jordan Segundo, singer, American Idol semi-finalist
Shannyn Sossamon. actress, 40 Days and 40 Nights, A Knight's Tale
Charmane Star, adult film star
Jamisen Tiangco, Fame contestant
Tamlyn Tomita, actress, The Joy Luck Club (half-Japanese and half-Filipino)
Jasmine Trias, American Idol contestant
Camile Velasco, American Idol contestant

Military

Rudolph Davila, Medal of Honor Recipent, WWII
Edward Soriano, Lieutenant General (3*) of U.S. Army
Antonio Taguba, Major General (2*) of U.S. Army, author of the Taguba Report which uncovered major prisoner abuses in Iraq

Politics

Peter Aduja, first Filipino American elected to political office
Carlos Bulosan, Filipino American author and labor activist
Robert Bunda, first Filipino American legislative president
Benjamin J. Cayetano, first Filipino American governor in U.S.
Cindy Domingo, Filipina American activist and sister to Silme Domingo. Committee for Justice for Domingo and Viernes (CJDV), Chairperson and activist who won the first US Civil suit against a foreign government for the murder of both Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes
Mike Guingona, Filipino Mayor of Daly City
Gene Canque Liddell, first Filipina American mayor in U.S.
Judge Alfred Laureta, first Filipino American state cabinet member in U.S., first Filipino Federal District Court Judge
Eduardo E. Malapit, first Filipino American mayor in U.S.
Michelle Malkin, right-wing syndicated columnist
Irene Natividad, left-wing Filipina American feminist, social activist
Bobby Scott, U.S. Representative from Virginia (D)
Velma Veloria, first Filipina American legislator of Washington in the 11th district for the House of Representatives (D). Served from 1993 to 2005.
Jose Esteves, Mayor of Milpitas, California since 2002. Served as a member of the City Council from 1998 to 2002.

Sports

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
David Bautista, WWE Superstar, WWE SmackDown!'s former World Heavyweight Champion
Tedy Lacap Bruschi, NFL All-Pro linebacker, New England Patriots
Bobby Chouinard, Baltimore Orioles baseball player
Natalie Coughlin, Olympic swimmer, gold medalist
Dorothy Delasin, LPGA Golfer
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
Malia Jones, Surfing model, People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People
Heidi Ilustre, Beach Volleyball Beach Volleyball player and AVP participant; Bronze Medalist at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games in Manila
Liz Masakayan, Consensus All-American UCLA, US Olympian, beach volleyball legend
Luis Reyes, U.S. Taekwondo Gold medalist
Efren Reyes, Billiards Champion
Raymond Townsend, NBA point guard, first Asian to be drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft Golden State Warriors
Brian Viloria, US Olympian boxer, WBC Light-Flyweight Champion
Brandon "The Truth" Vera, UFC Fighter

Other

Mercedes Tira Andrei, veteran Filipino American journalist, Washington DC correspondent for Business World of Manila and The Filipino Reporter of New York, and former information attache for the Philippine Embassy in Bucharest, Romania, during the 1970s
Angela Perez Baraquio, Miss America 2001
Kiwi Alejandro Camara, a child prodigy and Harvard's youngest law graduate.
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
Andrew Cunanan, serial killer, murdered Gianni Versace in 1997 before killing himself
Joriz de Guzman, child prodigy
Pedro Flores, father of the yo-yo (Donald Duncan purchased the company and renamed it Duncan Yo-Yo Co.)
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.
Benjamin Menor, first Filipino American state Supreme Court justice
Nina Pineda, reporter, WABC-7 New York
Hazel Sanchez, correspondent, reporter/anchor for WCBS-TV New York
Michele J. Sison, US ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
Robyn Watkins, Miss Oklahoma USA 2006