Rachel Alejandro Talks About Difficulties Encountered in Hollywood
RACHEL ALEJANDRO – Filipina actress-singer Rachel Alejandro talked about the difficulties she encountered in Hollywood.
Rachel Alejandro, a highly regarded Filipino singer, actress, and entrepreneur, is widely recognized for her significant contributions to the Philippine music scene, influenced greatly by her upbringing in a musically inclined family. Her father, the renowned Filipino singer Hajji Alejandro, played a pivotal role in shaping her artistic journey.
In the 1990s music scene, Rachel emerged as a prominent figure, gaining widespread acclaim with her self-titled album “Rachel Alejandro” in 1991, featuring hits like “Mr. Kupido” and “Paalam Na.” Her captivating stage presence and formidable vocal talent endeared her to audiences throughout the Philippines.
Recently, Rachel Alejandro has spent nearly a month in Manila, engaging in various performances, including a memorable collaboration with her father titled “Awit ng Panahon: Noon at Ngayon” at the New Frontier Theater in Cubao, Quezon City.
According to a report from Inquirer, Rachel’s relocation to New York was partly influenced by her husband’s career as a Spanish journalist based there. Reflecting on her time in New York during the pandemic, Rachel highlighted the lack of opportunities for singers worldwide, leading to a ten-month stay in the city. Despite this, she found herself attracted to the post-pandemic opportunities available in the US, although it meant missing potential engagements in Manila.
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During her visit to Manila, Rachel has been primarily focused on auditions, particularly for pilot TV shows in Hollywood. She expressed a strong interest in exploring these opportunities while they are still accessible, humorously describing it as catching the wave before it dissipates.
In discussing her Hollywood experiences, Rachel acknowledged the challenges of starting anew in a different industry and country, especially as an Asian actress. While there has been progress in Asian representation in American media, she noted the limited range of roles and prevalence of stereotypes, particularly for Filipino actors. Rachel questioned the lack of Filipino representation in certain roles, such as medical dramas, despite the significant presence of Filipino healthcare professionals in the US.
“We’re not complaining, I’m grateful that at least there’s still representation for Filipinos in Hollywood. Sadly, the roles, up to this day, are still very stereotyped to play certain kinds of roles. It’s always as a domestic helper—not that there’s anything wrong with that. We’ve had fantastic performances, but I’m just confused that with all the nurses in the US and all the medical drama shows being produced, why is no Filipino actor in the cast? They haven’t thought of this? That’s strange,” the singer-actress said.
According to the report, Rachel said work “has been kind of slow moving. In fact, because I’m already a SAG (Screen Actors’ Guild) member, there are a lot of projects I cannot do anymore because they’re non-union. So far, I’m lucky that I’ve done a few commercials, more on print ads, because aside from the acting, there’s also modeling.”