Cheyenne Suarez

Daniel Padilla says Team Lakay inspired his hairstyle in 'Incognito'

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1746711742407daniel teamlakay.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA, Philippines – Kapamilya actor Daniel Padilla shared that his inspiration for his hairstyle in Netflix hit series &quot;Incognito&quot; are the Team Lakay fighters from Baguio City.</p><p>In an interview with Esquire, the 30-year-old heartthrob credited the Filipino Igorot fighters, specifically those from Team Lakay, for his mullet hairstyle.</p><p>&quot;I actually got the idea of this hairstyle from our Team Lakay fighters, our mixed martial arts fighters from Baguio City. They compete in ONE Championship and I watch their shows religiously,&quot; Padilla said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/showbiz/celebrities/2025/5/6/daniel-padilla-does-tree-planting-activity-for-30th-birthday-1452"><strong>READ: Daniel Padilla does tree planting activity for 30th birthday<br/></strong></a></div><p>Padilla plays Andres, an Igorot ex-military operative who was dishonorably discharged and was working as a private contractor in the show.</p><p>&quot;When I was watching them, I saw all these Filipinos from Baguio wearing the same hairstyle. Since my character in Incognito is Igorot, and these guys are Igorot, that&#x27;s where I got the inspiration to copy the same hairstyle,&quot; Padilla said.</p><p>&quot;Of course when it comes to roles like this, you have to do research. You have to pay respect to their culture.&quot;</p><p>Further tying the show together with Philippine MMA is its director, Lester Pimentel Ong, who was a member of the Philippine national wushu team when Eduard Folayang and Mark Sangiao were still active with Wushu.</p><p>He won a gold medal with Folayang in the 2005 Southeast Asian Games where he was competing in Taolu, and the former two-time ONE Lightweight MMA World Champion in Sanda.</p><p>&quot;When our director saw me, he already knew the reason behind it, I didn&#x27;t have to tell him,&quot; Padilla said.</p>