Just watched Superman, and I have so many feelings.
James Gunn’s newest vision of the caped hero doesn’t scream invincibility, it aches with humanity. It’s a Superman who isn’t bulletproof emotionally, who isn’t trying to dominate but to connect. For me, this film wasn’t about flying although there was lots of it. It was about finding sanctuary in a world that sees you as other.
This Superman doesn’t conquer. He yearns. And in a quiet role, Filipino-American actor Xingú del Rosario reminds us that representation doesn’t need to shout to be revolutionary.
“I wasn’t born in the Philippines,” he tells me, “but my roots run deep because my mother is from Naic, Cavite, and my father is from Indang, Cavite. Whenever I take on roles that don’t specify ethnicity, I choose to make my character Filipino.”
It’s a simple act. A radical one. Especially in a Hollywood landscape that has long typecast or erased Filipino identities altogether.
“In Hollywood,” he adds, “I often get cast as Hispanic or sometimes Chinese. I want to raise awareness about Filipino actors and show that our presence is felt worldwide.”
And now, his presence is immortalized in the Superman canon.
While his screen time may not dominate the film, Xingú’s contribution is layered with meaning, for those of us in the diaspora, for the young ones searching for reflections of themselves, for the narrative arc of Superman as the ultimate immigrant. His inclusion in this story, and in this moment, is no accident.
“I was thrilled to be part of a James Gunn movie,” he says. “I did feel some pressure — especially since I only received my script sides the day before filming my scene. I was flown to Cleveland for a week, wondering what I’d be doing. But once I read the scene, I thought, ‘Okay. I get it. This is gonna be funny!’”
The weight of history wasn’t lost on him, especially filming in Cleveland where Superman’s original creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, first imagined the Man of Steel in the 1930s. Nor was the global reach of Filipino influence ignored by the filmmakers.
“I also love how James and his team acknowledged the Philippines by starting their Superman world tour in Manila,” Xingú says. “That let me know he understands our people are a strong influence in watching movies.”
That premiere in Manila wasn’t a token gesture. It was a recalibration of sorts, placing Filipino audiences and talent at the heart of a global story. And for Xingú, working with Gunn was creatively expansive.
“James is fantastic, such a cool guy! You can tell everyone loves working with him. The crew has been with him since Guardians of the Galaxy, which was comforting. He guided me perfectly to get the performance he needed.”
Xingú, whom I met more than two decades ago when we were planning to film a movie in the Philippines together, is also a screenwriter and martial artist and speaks of Gunn with admiration, not only for his technical mastery but for his emotional literacy.
“As a screenwriter myself, I’d love to pick his brain about his process and his understanding of human emotion,” he says. “He also has a deep love for Asian cinema, which really impressed me.”
This film, in so many ways, is about being othered. It’s about the immigrant’s paradox: the desire to serve a world that may never fully accept you.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and undocumented immigrant activist Jose Antonio Vargas once described Superman as “the original undocumented alien” in a thoughtful piece in the Hollywood Reporter. Gunn brings that essence into sharper focus. And Xingú embodies it in a grounded, lived-in way.
“Superman’s journey has always been about belonging and feeling like an outsider,” he reflects. “He’s the last Kryptonian trying to fit in on a planet where he feels different in every way.”
It’s no wonder that Xingú, like Superman, is dreaming of more.
“I would love to be part of the James Gunn DC family,” he tells me. “There are a few Filipino superheroes in the DC comics… Gold Lantern, Captain Steel, or Grail. Representing our people through one of those characters would be a dream.”
He’s also attached to star in 24K, a high-octane action film rooted in Filipino culture and the martial art of Eskrima, where Xingú is a certified Guro (teacher) of mixed martial arts. “Think Ong Bak, The Raid, and John Wick but with our heritage at the center. That’s the dream.”
And still, amid the big dreams and bigger universes, it always comes back to purpose. Visibility. Heart.
“This moment means everything to me,” Xingú says. “It’s all about representing our people in any way I can. I want kids like my daughter and son to watch movies and think, ‘Hey, I can relate to that person because they’re Filipino.’ Growing up, I often felt disconnected from the characters I saw on screen. So contributing to make our people a household name would be truly awesome.”
It’s not just about being in the room. It’s about owning the narrative. And the most unexpected symbol of that tenderness? A dog.
“One of my favorite parts was Krypto, the foster dog,” I tell him. “The symbolism of adoption and choosing family, it really echoed the deeper themes.”
“It absolutely resonated with me,” he says. “I have two adopted dogs and they’re part of our family. They protect and play with my kids. I can’t imagine life without them.”
But beyond the screen, the stakes are painfully real. In today’s America, immigrants are being hunted by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) in silent sweeps across neighborhoods and workplaces.
Families are being separated, legal protections dismantled. And still, somehow, Superman, the ultimate “illegal alien” is revered. Why? Because he contributes. Because he loves a world that fears him. Because he doesn’t run from being different; he turns it into purpose.
That contradiction should haunt us. Especially as a significant bloc of the MAGA base includes Filipinos, many of whom, ironically, support policies that could harm their own undocumented relatives, their caregivers, their community members.
We must reckon with this dissonance. If we cheer Superman’s compassion on screen but endorse cruelty at the ballot box, what have we learned? Superman is a myth, yes… but it’s also a mirror. It asks us to consider who we protect, who we exclude, and what we call heroic. In an era where authoritarianism grows bolder and borders grow harsher, choosing empathy becomes an act of resistance.
Let us see the hero in those we’ve been told to fear. Let’s stand up against tyranny and policies that hurt our community, particularly those that are scared and fearful during this time. Let us, like Xingú del Rosario, carry our culture forward. Quietly, proudly, and unapologetically through the work we do.
Because Superman’s story is not just his own. It’s ours. The real question is: will we rise to meet it? – Rappler.com
Learn more about Filipino American actor Xingú del Rosario on his website http://xingudelrosario.com/ or his credits at http://www.imdb.me/xingudelrosario
Content shared from www.rappler.com.