The Filipino wave
There’s a new wave slowly but surely rising over the ocean of celebrity and it’s propelled by Filipinos, especially rising tennis star Alexandra “Alex” Eala.
Forbes declares, “Alex Eala is already one of the most famous figures in her home country. But the US Open provides a stage where a national hero can become an international superstar—and be served supersized paydays.”
Alex is on the crest of the Filipino wave, bringing glory to the Philippines and allowing Filipinos to virtually share the spotlight on center court by wearing her love of country on her sleeve—and her sampaguita earrings.
I asked Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez over the weekend if this Eala phenomenon has boosted the morale of Fil-Ams and he said, “Absolutely, she is giving Filipinos a lot of pride in being Filipino because she is proud to be Filipino.”
I also asked him if his fellow diplomats have congratulated him for Eala’s astonishing tennis skills and popularity, and he answered, “Everyone in Washington admires her!”
According to an article in The Economist, “At odds of around five percent, Alexandra Eala is far from the favorite for the US Open, the final tennis grand slam of the year, which begins in New York on Aug. 30th. But in the competition for attention, she is the front-runner.”
Eala just opened her 2026 US Open campaign against American qualifier Mary Stoiana at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York and won!
The Economist reported, “Nike released shirts emblazoned with names of the world’s top players, including Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner (the highest-ranked female and male players). But it was Ms. Eala’s shirt that sold out in hours, thanks to her legions of fans around the world.”
Former Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, for her part, said, “We had the young Filipino star, how interested she is in fashion and how she wants to learn about it and follow it.” To be mentioned by Wintour is a score on world fashion’s center court.
Eala is truly a “moving” experience in the Big Apple, featured prominently on public transit buses.
‘Proud of you’
Eala and Filipino-American Jordan Clarkson also met ahead of the US Open singles tournament and talked about their Filipino roots in a meeting featured in a video posted by ESPN.
“You’ve been doing great,” he began.
“I am proud of you, so proud of you,” Clarkson told Alex, to which she retorted bashfully, “Oh, don’t make me blush.”
The Fil-Am basketball star who used to play for Gilas Pilipinas and now plays for the New York Knicks added, “I’m a fan so I will be watching you.”
“I wear my culture on my sleeve. I’m sure you can understand. It brings so many people together,” Eala, on her part, said, while congratulating Clarkson on winning the 2026 NBA title with the Knicks.
My niece Maniya Ysabel Parungo, an expat in Toronto, watched Alex play against Alycia Parks in the Canadian City earlier, a match the Filipina won. How did she feel?
“It was surreal to watch her. It was amazing. The crowd, the vibe. For someone who hasn’t been home in a while and misses home, it kind of feels like she brought ‘home’ to Toronto,” Maniya said.
No Filipino since Manny Pacquiao, who is still stopped everywhere he goes in the United States by people of all races for a photograph and an autograph, has caught the world’s eye as Alex does. Of course, many are quick to point out that Manny’s saga is a rags-to-riches story, while Alex is a product of privilege. It doesn’t diminish their hard work.
What matters is what they have achieved despite their vastly different circumstances: deprivation, in Manny’s case, and, in Alex’s, a comfortable life that may have eased her hunger to excel. Whatever their beginnings, both possess a winner’s mindset and have made the most of what they had—or didn’t have—to rise to the top of their games. Both champs are also humble and approachable, and yes, are proud bearers of the Filipino flag, the Filipino spirit, the Filipino aspiration.
Pinoy doc in 'The Pitt'
And in my favorite medical TV series, The Pitt, said to premiere Season Three in January 2027, Filipinos in the cast are increasing.
According to online reports and sneak previews, aside from the Filipinos originally in the cast who are returning, there is another Pinoy joining the cast.
After all, there is hardly any hospital in the United States and Great Britain without a Filipino nurse and doctor, so it would be unrealistic not to have Filipinos in the multi-racial cast of The Pitt.
The cast includes Isa Briones as Dr. Trinity Santos, Amielynn Abellera as nurse Perlah Alawi, Kristin Villanueva as nurse Princess Dela Cruz, and now, JB Tadena in a recurring role. The actors bring authenticity to the screen by speaking Tagalog and showcasing real cultural nuances in the emergency department.
Tadena is going from “Pitt” to The Pitt, so to speak. He appears in Brad Pitt’s upcoming film, The Adventures of Cliff Booth, and reportedly plays Dr. Reed Thomas, an attending physician at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center.
According to online sources, Tadena was raised in Virginia, the son of immigrants from the Philippines. He received his bachelor’s degree from Penn State. After college, he worked full-time as a satellite engineer in Washington, DC, while acting at Studio Theatre in the evening. Tadena’s first professional acting role was on Grey’s Anatomy, another medical drama series, in 2014. He also acted in SEAL Team, Westworld, and NCIS. In 2024, he joined the third season of The Cleaning Lady in a recurring role as Paolo Bazella, according to Deadline.
Not every Filipino can be a Manny Pacquiao or an Alex Eala. But we have Pacquiao and Eala, and they are choosing to be Filipino again and again, especially in the victories of their lives. Hopefully, more will follow in their footsteps.
See that Filipino wave?
