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As Final Destination: Bloodlines breathes new life into the iconic franchise, actors Kaitlyn Santa Juana and Teo Briones quietly make history--bringing Filipino family dynamics and representation into the spotlight of a major Hollywood horror film.

The horror may be supernatural, but the heart of Final Destination: Bloodlines is real, thanks to Filipino actors Kaitlyn Santa Juana and Teo Briones, who infuse the film with cultural authenticity and family-rooted storytelling rarely seen in the genre.

Kaitlyn is a Filipino of Czech/Slovak descent, while Teo is Filipino-American.

Both stars have been actively promoting the sixth installment of the horror franchise.

In an interview with The Nerds of Color, Kaitlyn expressed pride in her Filipino roots and discussed how she collaborated with the directors to authentically portray a Filipino family on screen. She emphasized that while the cultural identity isn't the central plot, it's intricately woven into the characters' backstories and dynamics, adding depth to the narrative.

"It replicates my actual family," she said.

"I've never stepped into a project where I get to come into something as just who I am. I had meetings with the directors and the producers of this, and this is so wonderful.

"I made a crash course on Filipino culture. The things that we say, the food that we eat, the decorations in our home. The tsinelas...you don't wear shoes in this house.

"Being able to put our culture stamp on it, and being asked to do so, was something so meaningful and important to me, and that made me so excited."

Meanwhile, Teo expressed pride in his heritage and the opportunity to portray a character that resonates with his cultural identity. He highlighted the significance of seeing Filipino families represented in major film franchises, noting that such representation can inspire and affirm viewers from similar backgrounds.

"I can also just play myself," Teo said.

He also mentioned his older sister, Isa Briones, who is playing Dr. Trinity Santos in the HBO Max medical drama series The Pitt.

He said, "I also have an older sister who's also representing Filipino culture on HBO Max.:

Teo continued, "What a privilege to be able to portray a Filipino family on the big screen, and Final Destination [makes me] think back onto the things I saw as a kid with Filipino culture in it. There wasn't much at all, to be a part of the few and far between is such a privilege, and I feel so lucky. I hope we did a good job."

Kaitlyn added the importance of representation for the youth and her hopes of inspiring them. "Honestly, if I can get one little Filipino girl to see this movie and be like, 'I can do it' then I've done my job."

Final Destination: Bloodlines is now showing in Philippine cinemas, having premiered on May 14, 2025.