7 famous Hongkongers you didn’t know have Filipino roots: from Still Human’s Crisel Consunji and Bradley Cooper’s Limitless co-star T.V. Carpio, to Cantopop singers Janice and Jill Vidal
From Cantopop superstars and award-winning actors to professional athletes and historical figures, these Pinoys highlight the rich Filipino heritage pulsing through Hong Kong, reminding us all that real talent can make itself at home and shine through anywhere in the world.
1. Janice Vidal
With nearly two decades of chart-topping singles, countless awards and even her own wax replica in Madame Tussauds Hong Kong, this Cantopop queen is still an icon of the city’s music landscape today.
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2. Jill Vidal
As the twin sister of Janice, Jill Vidal has definitely inherited the same genetic predisposition for music and performance. She rose to prominence around the same time as her famous sibling, though she’s forged her own distinct identity and career with catchy singles like “Tattoo”, “Being Told” and “All I Need”.
After a highly publicised arrest in Tokyo for drug possession in 2009, Jill took a lengthy break from recording, but recently returned to live performing. Last year, she released Stages, her first album in 14 years.
3. T.V. Carpio
This film and TV actress was born in Hong Kong before she moved to the US as a teenager. She broke into the entertainment industry as a backup dancer for A-listers like Bruce Springsteen and Whitney Houston before landing covetable starring roles in Across the Universe with Jim Sturgess and Evan Rachel Wood, and Limitless with Bradley Cooper.
If her name sounds familiar, it’s because she’s the daughter of legendary Cantopop singer Teresa Carpio.
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4. Klariza Clayton
This stunning actress was born in Hong Kong to a Filipino mother and British father before moving to South London as a child. She’s been a series regular on hugely popular shows like the cult classic British television series Skins, boarding school drama House of Anubis and Lovesick on Netflix.
5. Crisel Consunji
Born and raised in the Philippines, Crisel Consunji earned praise for her performance in the 2018 film Still Human, which tells the story of a recently paralysed man (played by Anthony Wong) who hires a Filipina domestic worker to care for him.
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Though it was Consunji’s first big role, she earned rave reviews for it, establishing herself as a star in the process. She was nominated at the 38th Hong Kong Film Awards and made history as the first Filipino actor to win the best new performer award.
6. Robbie Capito
Professional billiards player Robbie Capito has been making headlines since he was a teenager as a world-class pool competitor, competing on behalf of Hong Kong in tournaments all over the world.
The Hong Kong athlete was born to Filipino parents and has credited them for introducing him to the sport through a mini-pool table and trips to local pool halls, as previously reported.
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7. José Rizal
Hailed as a national hero in the Philippines, José Rizal remains one of the most famous Filipinos to ever make Hong Kong his home. (Check out the plaque dedicated to him by the Hong Kong Antiquities Authority at his former residence, 2 Rednaxela Terrace in Mid-Levels, if you’re dubious.)
An ophthalmologist by trade and a writer and civil rights activist in his spare time, his novels exposed the abuses of Spanish officials and awakened a sense of nationalism among Filipinos. When he was executed by Spanish authorities in 1896, it sparked the Philippine Revolution against Spain.
- Did you know these 7 Hongkongers are of Filipino descent? From Cantopop talents Janice and Jill Vidal to Skins actress Klariza Clayton, and billiards player Robbie Capito
- Crisel Consunji rose to fame after her breakout role in Still Human, T.V. Carpio is a Hollywood actress and Philippines’ national hero José Rizal used to live in Mid-Levels