Kaitlyn Santa Juana and Teo Briones with their on-screen mother, Rya Kihlstedt, in Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025). | New Line Cinema
CEBU CITY, Philippines – You can’t cheat death—and growing up watching Final Destination, I learned that the hard way.
The franchise turned everyday life into a minefield. A loose screw, a stray wire, a gust of wind—all agents of fate, conspiring against anyone who thought they could outrun their end.
James Wong, the director of the first Final Destination movie, put it best: “We decided to make the world at large, in the service of death, our antagonist… The entertainment value is in the ‘ride’ not in the outcome.”
That ride was my childhood nightmare.
My family owned blu-ray copies of Final Destination 1 and 2, but for the next three films, we made do with bootleg versions—because, honestly, what was more fitting than watching inevitable death unfold through grainy, pirated copies?
Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025) puts two part-Filipino leads as siblings in a family trapped in death’s web.
And for Filipino fans like me, that means something.
For years, these films haunted me, made me wary of elevators, tanning beds, and rogue logs on the highway.
But now, I get to see faces that look like mine, navigating the terror I grew up obsessing over.
Spotlight on Filipino talents
Kaitlyn Santa Juana and Teo Briones aren’t just the newest faces in Final Destination: Bloodlines—they’re making history for Filipino representation in Hollywood horror.
Santa Juana and Briones at the world premiere of Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025). | @/kaitlynsantajuana (Instagram)
Santa Juana and Briones at the world premiere of Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025). | @/kaitlynsantajuana (Instagram)
Santa Juana is a Filipino-Canadian actress with Czech and Slovak roots. She starred in The Friendship Game (2022), The Flash (2022), and the 2019 Canadian production of Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway.
Her role as Stefani Reyes in Bloodlines goes beyond the script. She worked closely with the directors to ensure Filipino family dynamics—from cultural traditions to sibling banter—felt authentic on screen.
Briones, a Filipino-American actor, comes from a family deeply rooted in the industry. His father, Jon Jon Briones, is a veteran actor, and his sister, Isa Briones, is known for Star Trek: Picard.
Teo has built his own path in Hollywood, starring in Chucky (2021-2024) before taking on Charlie Reyes in Bloodlines.
READ: Part-Filipino actors talk about their roles in ‘Final Destination Bloodlines’
His real-life bond with his sister helped shape his performance, bringing depth to his on-screen relationship with Santa Juana.
Their casting as siblings isn’t just a win for representation—it’s visibility.
For decades, horror has been shaped by Western narratives, but Bloodlines shifts that perspective.
This time, Filipinos aren’t just watching the nightmare unfold—we’re in it.
Pinoy pride versus social media skepticism
Filipino representation in Hollywood always comes with mixed reactions.
Some celebrate it as a win, while others dismiss it as unnecessary—or even embarrassing.
Social media reflects this split.
Excitement from those who see it as progress. Skepticism from those who think it’s forced. Indifference from those who don’t care either way. And outright rejection from those who believe it makes Filipinos look desperate for global validation.
The comments say it all:
The debate isn’t new. From Hollywood casting to international sports victories, Pinoy Pride has always been met with both celebration and criticism.
The question remains: Is representation something to embrace, or is it just another fleeting headline?
Hollywood’s struggle with Filipino representation
Filipino actors have long been overlooked in mainstream Western films.
When they do appear, they’re often lumped into broader Asian categories, erasing the nuances of Filipino identity.
Hollywood has a history of sidelining Filipino talent, casting them in minor roles or as background characters.
Rare Filipino-led roles are either groundbreaking or tokenistic—sometimes a genuine step forward, sometimes just a diversity checkbox.
Why Filipino representation matters
Filipino visibility in Hollywood still matters, no matter the skepticism.
Every casting choice chips away at decades of underrepresentation.
Kaitlyn Santa Juana and Teo Briones aren’t just actors in Final Destination: Bloodlines. They’re part of something bigger. Their roles push back against Hollywood’s habit of lumping Filipinos into vague ‘Asian’ categories.
Representation isn’t just about being seen. It’s about belonging and being seen right.
Watching the sixth Final Destination film alone in a Cebu City theater, I knew what to expect—creative, gruesome deaths, a fresh twist, and a connection to the iconic past films.
But this time, I felt something else.
Filipinos, though not full-blooded, were now front and center, navigating death’s relentless grip.
A franchise known for making life itself a death trap now had faces that kind of looked like mine.
As I sat there, waiting for the next brutal accident, I remembered what the franchise taught me: “In death, there are no accidents, no coincidences, no mishaps, and no escapes. We’re all just a mouse that a cat has by the tail.”
And for those who scoff at seeing Filipinos lead a Hollywood horror film?
Well, they might want to watch their step. Death doesn’t like killjoys. /clorenciana
