Actor Dante Basco argues that Filipino and Filipino American stories need to be told by Filipino creators themselves, not outside writers, as Hollywood shifts toward more authentic representation.

• Most film and TV stories have historically been written by white men, which shaped whose perspective got told on screen.
• Basco says that era is not inherently biased, just limited in viewpoint, and audiences now expect more authentic storytelling.
• He points to global hits like Squid Game, where Korean characters speak Korean, as proof audiences embrace authenticity over old Hollywood conventions like foreign characters speaking accented English.
• He frames it as a generational responsibility: Filipino creatives now need to take ownership of telling their own stories rather than waiting for others to tell them.

Outlook: Expect continued growth in Filipino-led and other culturally authentic storytelling as more creators from within these communities move into writing and production roles.