8 International Celebrities Who Said Good Things About The Philippines
By Wincy Aquino Ong
8list.ph
The Philippines. It’s definitely not paradise. Dan Brown could be right on some points.
But despite the flak our nation has received from international media from time to time, there still must be something pleasant about our nation, right?
Yes, there are many bad and ugly things about The Philippines. But if one can see past a cartoonized Third World reputation, surely there is gold to be found here, to paraphrase the great Steven Seagal.
Read on, because for every naysayer out there, there’s one or two who genuinely enjoyed their stay here.
The Philippines. It’s definitely not paradise, but we’re sure as hell it’s not inferno either.
Quentin Tarantino | Director of Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill
- "I've been wanting to come to the Philippines since I was a little boy, and to actually come here, actually have people know who I am and actually welcome me in this way...it's overwhelming. Absolutely overwhelming!
- In 2007, film auteur Quentin Tarantino visited Manila for the Cinemanila International Film Festival. And guess what? Being a lifelong fan of grindhouse movies produced in our archipelago in the ‘70s, Tarantino had a blast riding the pedicab on his way to Malacañang to meet then-president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He even wore a Barong Tagalog in the event’s ceremonies.
Mark Millar | Comic Book Writer of Wanted, Kick Ass and The Ultimates
“The Manila signing was the best signing I’ve done. I was amazed at the patience of the people queuing up to eight hours. What a lovely country and people!”
In 2012, Scottish comic book scribe Mark Millar visited for a fan signing of his book Supercrooks at Glorietta 5 in Makati. In a heartwarming and hilariously written blog entry about his visit, he waxes about how his jetlag disappeared upon witnessing the crowd of Filipino fans who cheered.
Neil Gaiman | Writer of Sandman and American Gods
"#itsmorefuninthephilippines hashtag is a true one. They applaud loudly and hug you a lot."
The award-winning fantasy author Neil Gaiman has been to the Philippines numerous times to host his fiction-writing contest for Fully Booked. Greeted by his legion of fans during his many book signings, Gaiman has developed a love for the Filipinos and even cited the mananangal as his favorite Filipino mythological monster.
Rachel Weisz | Actress
“Palawan is more like the Emerald City. It’s like a fantasy. Maybe it’s real to you but to me, it looked like a fantasy place.”The Oscar-winning English actress visited the Philippines to shoot the third act of The Bourne Legacy in Manila and Navotas. It seems like she enjoyed the food here, like lumpia, adobo, and, yes, Soup Number 5. She also seemed to have a grand time in Palawan, comparing the island to the Emerald City.
Zach Efron | Actor
“We had lunch on top of a volcano!”
In an interview with Ellen Degeneres, the High School Musical star and Penshoppe endorser raved about the wonders of our archipelago, when he toured Legazpi City. He even shared his experience about eating balut.
Ernest Hemingway | Writer of The Old Man and The Sea
On what makes a good novel: “It’s a good story if it is like The Manila Hotel
In 1941, one of America’s greatest novelists stayed for a long stopover as a war correspondent at The Manila Hotel. It seems that he liked the tropical clime of the city and enjoyed the gentle breeze from Manila Bay.
Johnny Depp | Actor
“We landed in the Philippines on March 2, 1986. It was just days after Marcos had left the country and Corazon Aquino had taken power, and they were trying to figure out what to do with Imelda’s shoes. There were tanks in the streets. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life. All in all, it was, as I’ve said, an amazing experience.”
The eccentric character actor’s first trip outside the United States of America was Manila for a shoot of Oliver Stone’s war drama Platoon. Coincidentally, it was also around the time of the 1986 EDSA Revolution, so Depp, who was bunkered in a hotel, witnessed the spectacle of nuns and civilians stopping tanks with roses and songs—a story he often tells during interviews.
David Pomeranz | Singer and Composer
Need we say more? David Pomeranz has become so ubiquitous in our country that he practically lives here.
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