Lou Diamond Phillips
Phillips in 2010, Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Lou Diamond Upchurch
Place of Birth: U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay, Olongapo, Zambales, Philippines
Date of Birth: February 17, 1962
Ethnicity:
*father – English, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish
*mother – Filipino
Lou Diamond Phillips is an American actor and director. He has starred in the films La Bamba, as musician Ritchie Valens, as well as Stand and Deliver, Young Guns, and Courage Under Fire, and the series Longmire, among many other works.
Lou was born at U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay, Philippines. His father, Gerald Amon Upchurch, was American, and had English and Scots-Irish/Northern Irish ancestry. Lou’s mother, Lucita Umayam Araña, was a Filipina, from Candelaria. Lou is named after famous U.S. Marine Lou Diamond (born Leland Diamond).
Lou’s father has been described as also having Cherokee Native American ancestry. Lou’s mother has been described as also having Japanese, Hawaiian, Chinese, and Spanish ancestry. It is not clear if these lineages have been verified/documented.
Lou has said:
People often mistake me for a Latino or even Indian, so I always mention in interviews that I am Filipino and I’m proud to be one.
He has also stated:
I never claimed to be a Native actor, but I do have Native blood.
Lou is married to makeup artist Yvonne Boismier. He has three children with his former wife, model Kelly Phillips; and a daughter with Yvonne.
Lou’s paternal grandfather was Ralph Amon Upchurch (the son of Arthur Jefferson “A J” Upchurch and Nora Lee Bowden). Ralph was born in Georgia. Arthur was the son of Jasper Upchurch and Lucinda Abagail/Abigail Chaffin. Nora was the daughter of James Filmore Bowden and Sara Jane Mayor.
Lou’s paternal grandmother was Louella M. Maloy (the daughter of Rosser Joseph Maloy and Kate Bell “Katie” Ogletree). Louella was born in Georgia. Rosser was the son of Thomas Andrew Maloy and Jodie Kelly.
Lou’s maternal grandfather was Policarpo Fumera Arañas (the son of Antonio Arañas and Antonia Fumera).
Lou’s maternal grandmother was Eugenia Cocoyog Umayam (the daughter of Justo Dumlao Umayam and Severa Febrero Cocoyog/Cacoyog).
Sources: Birth record of Lou Diamond Phillips – https://familysearch.org
Marriage record of Lou’s parents – https://familysearch.org
Genealogy of Lou Diamond Phillips (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Lou’s paternal grandfather, Ralph Amon Upchurch, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Lou’s paternal grandmother, Louella M. Maloy, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Louella M. Maloy on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Marriage record of Lou’s maternal grandparents, Policarpo Fumera Arañas and Eugenia Cocoyog Umayam – https://familysearch.org
no filipinos are filipinos
I would like to get a message to Lou Diamond Phillips: Would you remember when you lived in the Phillipines being in a youth club called the Beagles club, and the two people who started the Club for the youth living on Subic Bay naval base? We remember you as Lou UpChurch. We have pictures of you as a 9 or 10 year old child.
The only race he looks like to me is Mongoloid…
Ethnicity honey get it right
Wow this goes to show filipinos can look like any ethnicity- mexican, puerto rican, chinese, mulatto, mestizo, african, polynesian, the list goes on and on- wonderful melting pot! Soon hopefully the United States will be the same
anybody,and everybody looks puerto rican
I think filipinos have puerto ricans beat with the melting pot! They literally can look like any race in the world!
No, how many philipinos do you know? they look like dark asians. very distinct
My brothers ex girlfriend/baby mama was phillipino and she wasnt that dark but definately has the features and one of their kids has blond hair blue eyes and the little one is tan and has black eyes and hair .lol and my brother has black hair and eyes so we dont know how the blonde and blue eyes came from . Genetics are crazy. And my mom looks like a str8 cherokee indian but she only 1/5
cute.