American actor turned film director Lou Diamond Phillips was born in the Philippines and belonged to mixed ethnicity. Fans are curious about his background because of the diverse ethnicity of his parents.
Phillips rose to the pinnacle of success after his breakthrough came as Ritchie Valens in the biographical drama film La Bamba.
The La Bamba made his debutant in acting on Broadway with the 1996 revival of The King and I, which landed him a Tony Award nomination for his portrayal of King Mongkut of Siam. Apart from this award, the actor received the Independent Spirit Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Stand and Deliver.
The actor served as a member of the advisory council for the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment. This organization champions diversity through educating, networking, and encouraging Asian American descent actresses and has been in entertainment and media.
Quick Facts
| Name | Lou Diamond Phillips |
| Age | 58 years |
| Date of birth | February 17, 1962 |
| Place of birth | Subic Bay Naval Base, Philippines |
| nationality | Filipino-American |
| Ethnicity | Mixed |
| net worth | $6 million |
| Height and Weight | 6ft/76kg |
What Is Lou Diamond Phillips Ethnicity And Nationality?
The son of Marine KC-130 crew leader Gerald Amon Upchurch and Lucita Umayam Aranas, the actor who won the Independent Spirit Award, was born on February 17, 1962, at the Subic Bay Naval Station in the Philippines.
Lou is of mixed race; his father was an American of Scots-Irish and Cherokee ancestry, and his mother is a Filipina from Candelaria, Zambales.
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The American actor holds American-Filipina nationality. Her renamed after the US Marine Leland "Lou" Diamond. After his father's death, his stepfather adopted and changed his surname to Phillips.
Philips graduated from Flour Bluff High School in Corpus Christi and the University of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Drama.
Phillips belongs to the Canadian nonprofit organization Artists Against Racism. He participated in the NoH8 LGBTQ equality movement in 2020.
Lou Diamond Phillips's Wife
He met Julie Cypher, an assistant director, while filming Trespasses. On September 17, 1987, they got hitched. On August 5, 1990, they got divorced. Cypher transitioned to lesbianism following their divorce and had a committed relationship with Melissa Etheridge.
On the film Shadow of the Wolf set, he met Jennifer Tilly, to whom he was briefly engaged.
In 2004, Phillips started dating Yvonne Boismier, a cosmetics artist. In 2006, accused of assaulting her at home.
Their daughter, in October 2007, Indigo, was born after their marriage in August 2007. They collaborated to write and create the illustrations for Lou's debut book.
He wed makeup artist Kelly Preston in 1994, and the two of them had twin daughters named Grace and Isabella in 1997 and Lili in 1999. After a tricky mediation process, their divorce finalizing in July 2007 after separating in 2003.
Awards And Achievements
| 2012 | Winner of Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off |
| 2009 | King of the Jungle I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! |
| 2005 | Asia Pacific Islander Heritage Award for Excellence in Entertainment and Arts |
| 2003 | Cinemanila Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award (Philippines) |
| 2001 | Filipinas magazine "Achievement award for Entertainment" |
Lou Diamond Phillips Parents' Background
The American actor is the proud son of Lucita Umayam Aranas and Gerald Amon Upchurch, a Marine KC-130 crew chief of Filipina-American ethnicity.
Indian Country Today has reported that Phillips is part Cherokee on his father's side but the Native American community and was adopted by an Oglala Lakota Sioux family in a traditional ceremony in 1991. His Lakota name translates to "Star Keeper." Phillips hosted the "The Winds of Life" event in 1990 to raise money for Native American causes.
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In addition to writing the Miramax film Ambition, Phillips co-wrote the screenplays for HBO's Dangerous Touch and Trespasses. The science fiction adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen Tinderbox: Soldier of Indira, written by Phillips and illustrated by his wife Yvonne, was announced in 2019 by Aethon Books.
Phillips made his Broadway debut in The King and I, a musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Phillips received a Theatre World Award and nominations for both the Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for his portrayal.
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