Tom Ellis talks in Tagalog and the Pinoy fans of “Lucifer” break the internet. In episode 7 of the show’s fifth season, Lucifer and detective Chloe Decker (Lauren German) talk to the owners of a flower shop.
Ellis spoke in Filipino because that’s the only language the grandmother can speak and she is key in solving the case. Decker tells the grandson that Ellis is like a Swiss knife and that he can speak all the languages in the world.
“Nagsasalita ba siya ng Tagalog?” Ellis asked. He’s conversing with the grandson played by an actor of Filipino descent Glenn Fernandez. The actor is also a tenor and an emergency room (ER) doctor.
Fernandez has been part of 20th Television/Fox’s “9-1-1.” He’s busy as a front-liner but lately he’s also been doing press rounds for his YouTube video “You’ll Be Back (in ER).” The “Hamilton” parody has gone viral for its message. It speaks of the price you pay for not wearing a mask during the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. He warns people who think the virus is a hoax, telling them “(you) will be back with me, your lungs will swell.” He gets more visual with the lyrics when he sang, “I will shove a nine-inch tube down your trachea to remind you of my love.”
In “Lucifer,” Dr. Fernandez played the character of the florist Danilo. Showrunner Ildy Modrovich told Super in an interview that Fernandez was the best who auditioned for the role. Fernandez said that the audition was held at the Warner Bros. lot. He described the whole process as very pleasant.
“I actually am not fluent in Tagalog. However, my parents speak it, so I’ve been around the language my whole life. Also, I learn languages quickly, since my background training is in opera, and I have to be able to learn long expanses of music in different languages like French, Italian and German,” he said.
The entire family helped him out for his role. His dad, uncle and aunt gave him tips and quick mini lessons over the phone. During filming, Fernandez said that Christy Algoso, who played Jovita in the scene, helped with the wording. Algoso, he said, was the one who was fluent in Filipino.
Fernandez said that, “I was there more for encouragement. Tom did the bulk of the work, of course. Also, Nathan the director made the whole atmosphere on set very collaborative and professional, so it was easy to work through the scene.”
“It really means a lot to me. Being chosen for a role ‘because of’ your looks and heritage instead of ‘in spite of,’ really can be empowering for a minority actor in Hollywood; and it is really encouraging as I’m finding my place in Hollywood,” he said. For that, he said that he was grateful to director Nathan Hope and writer Julia Fontana for allowing him to play a Filipino character.
Fernandez’s mom is from Los Baños, and his dad is from Manila. The actor was born and raised in rural Louisiana. He moved to Los Angeles to try his luck in singing and acting. He’s only been to the Philippines twice.
“Even though I haven’t been there much, I really feel connected to the culture, because I am very close to my family. And my family really is a blending of the Filipino and American cultures,” he said.
The actor said that there were times when he felt like his ethnic background made him stand out in an uncomfortable way when he was in Louisiana. But now he sees his presence on stage or on set as a small victory for diversity in the entertainment industry.
