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Frankie McNellis

Josh Mercado

<p>Frankie McNellis is enjoying the time of her life as she pursues her singing and acting career in the United States, with 21,000 Instagram followers and 6.7 million likes on TikTok.</p><p>While landing roles in Hollywood, including the smash sitcom &quot;Black-ish&quot; (available on Hulu and Disney+), &quot;13: The Musical&quot; (Netflix), &quot;Honey Girls&quot; (Sony Pictures), and various Dreamworks animated series, the 18-year-old artist never forgot about her Filipino heritage.</p><p>Her mother, Agnes McNellis, a Filipina, is her biggest supporter and taught her Pinoy values. She had planned to visit the Philippines in November, but due to a special project in Los Angeles, she canceled her trip and hopes to visit soon.</p><p>“I&#x27;ve been singing since I could talk. When I was five years old, my mother put me in piano, voice, and dance lessons. My father is a musician, so we used to play music together growing up, and we still do. He taught me to play the drums and guitar. I am very pleased to be Filipino because of my family. All Filipinos are kind and talented. Tocino is my favorite dish. My mom is the best cook,” <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">McNellis</span> told ABS-CBN News via Messenger app. </p><div><br/></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1731910000315image0 (24).jpeg" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><br/></div><p>When asked about her musical influences, she said, &quot;My father is one of my main influences. He taught me so much about music, and I now have a great appreciation for all types of music. </p><p>&quot;Another person who inspires me is my vocal coach from Arizona, Ms Tracie. She lost her vision a few years ago, and watching how strong she has become has been truly amazing. She has taught me so much and helped me become the singer and performer I am today. </p><p>&quot;My all-time favorite musicians are Ariana Grande, Tori Kelly, Janet Jackson, and Britney Spears. My all-time favorite song is Billy Joel&#x27;s ‘New York State of Mind.’”</p><p>The Fil-Am artist continues to attract the attention of Hollywood producers and talent scouts. Her previous projects were significant, and she hopes to land more big roles.</p><p>Talking about her Hollywood experience, she shared, “I lived in Canada for roughly 8 months, working on two different films. It was the coolest experience to watch professional actors operate on set. I gained a lot from ‘13’ and ‘Honey Girls’ because I got to experience being a lead role, going into the recording studio, having rehearsals with the choreographers and directors, having a table read with Netflix, and so much more.”</p><p>The young singer-actress, who is a freshman in college, has a big goal for herself and plans to achieve it by being real and showcasing her talents to the rest of the world. She also stated that she wants to meet Sarah Geronimo and collaborate with her idols, Ariana Grande and Liz Gillies.</p><p>“I&#x27;m currently working on some animation and music. I have recently appeared in the film ‘Lol Surprise Dolls: The Skate Dance Movie,’ in which I played a preteen girl named Emma Emo. You can actually purchase my doll in stores. Another show in which I just appeared is &#x27;Curses,&#x27; which aired on Apple TV. I portrayed Devi Cuadra, a young Filipino girl. I&#x27;d want to work with Ariana Grande and Liz Gillies in the future. They were both in the original Broadway cast of ‘13: The Musical,’ and it would be fantastic to meet them in person and discuss our experiences with &#x27;13,’” she said.</p><p>Frankie is honored to represent the Filipino-American community in Hollywood. She also told ABS-CBN News that she aims to get the support of fellow Filipinos as she establishes her own name in the entertainment industry.</p><p>“We&#x27;re all really supportive of one another. I hope to visit the Philippines soon to learn more about the country and meet my fellow Filipinos. I am excited to share my talent with the Filipino audience. Also, I&#x27;m learning more Tagalog words,” she ended.</p><div><br/></div>

<p>Frankie McNellis is enjoying the time of her life as she pursues her singing and acting career in the United States, with 21,000 Instagram followers and 6.7 million likes on TikTok.</p>

Frankie McNellis is enjoying the time of her life as she pursues her singing and acting career in the United States, with 21,000 Instagram followers and 6.7 million likes on TikTok.

Fil-Am artist Frankie McNellis talks about career in Hollywood, Pinoy roots

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Fil-Am artist Frankie McNellis talks about career in Hollywood, Pinoy roots

Josh Mercado

Published November 18, 2024 06:26 PM PHT

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Frankie McNellis

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