Entertainment
Darren Criss spotted in Manila
FILE: “What an awesome way to open the month of April!” (Photo: @francislibiran8/Instagram)
Thirty-two-year-old The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story star Darren Criss, also known as the very first Filipino to win a Golden Globe, was spotted in his mother’s home country, the Philippines.
Darren, who also received an Emmy this year, was seen with designer Francis Libiran, among others, at the Grand Hyatt Manila. The designer posted a photo on his social media account with the international star, captioned, “What an awesome way to open the month of April!! Welcome home, Darren,” adding, “So glad to spend some quality time with you on your first night in Manila.
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The two knew each other prior because the actor wore a Francis Libiran barong Tagalog to his wedding with long-time girlfriend Mia Swier last February 16. In response to the exposure, Libiran ecstatically shared, “What a great Pinoy Pride moment!! Francis Libiran is featured on Vogue Magazine as the fashion designer of multi-awarded Hollywood star Darren Criss, who honored his Filipino heritage by proudly wearing a traditional barong Tagalog on his extravagant wedding. Mabuhay!”
The actor’s mother, Cerina Bru, is a proud Cebuana, Darren himself mentioning his mother’s heritage in numerous of his interviews and acceptance speeches. As he received his Golden Globe success last January, he attributes a lot of his hard work to his mother, stating, “This has been a marvelous year for representation in Hollywood, and I am so enormously proud to be a teeny tiny part of that as the son of a firecracker Filipino woman from Cebu that dreamed of coming to this country and getting to be invited to cool parties like this.” He dedicates his award to Cerina, stating, “Mom, I know you’re watching this.
You are hugely responsible for most of the good things in my life. I love you dearly. I dedicate this to you. Congratulations to all of you. This is totally awesome.”
The reason for Darren’s visit to Manila has yet to be confirmed, however, it was reported that he was accompanied by manager Ricky Rollins and stylist Ashley Weston.
