Canadian actress Shay Mitchell is in hot water after a clip from her new show caused outrage in the Filipino community.
The BÉIS founder’s show, Thirst With Shay Mitchell, premiered on Max on May 23.
The streaming platform shared a clip from one of the episodes on its TikTok page, and it went viral for all the wrong reasons.
In a video that seems to have been deleted from the Max TikTok page, Mitchell says, “My dad’s Irish, my mom’s Spanish. I can drink a lot, and then I get f**king spicy.”
Many Filipinos have reposted the clip on social media, accusing the Pretty Little Liars star of “denying her Filipino background.”
Shay Mitchell denying her Filipino background 🙄 pic.twitter.com/52oiYFtZ5d
— Fernz and Buñe (@pbandjcomedy) May 31, 2024
“Shay Mitchell saying her mother is Spanish, not Filipino, is sooo disrespectful and icky,” reads an X post.
shay mitchell saying her mother is spanish not filipino is sooo disrespectful and icky
— lexie 🍉 (@gomezquality) June 20, 2024
“Shay Mitchell and Vanessa Hudgens, the queens of not claiming their Filipino heritage until it’s convenient for them,” added another.
shay mitchell and vanessa hudgens the queens of not claiming their filipino heritage until its convenient for them
— jenny (@redpandeesal) July 4, 2024
“They’re tearing Shay Mitchell up for lying and saying she’s Spanish. I’m screaming at her mom’s name being Precious. Like, you simply can not escape her being Filipino if you tried, babes,” wrote another X user.
They tearing Shay Mitchell up for lying and saying she’s Spanish. I’m screaming at her moms name being Precious like you simply can not escape her being Filipino if you tried babes.
— fragrance and foolishness (@Brieyonce) June 22, 2024
In a 2013 interview with Philstar, a news site in the Philippines, Mitchell confirmed that her mom, Precious, hails from the province of Pampanga.
“I’m half Filipino. It’s a very big part of who I am,” she told the news outlet.
In the profile, the Mississauga-born celebrity also confirms that her cousin is Tony Award-winning Filipino Broadway star Lea Salonga.
“It’s honestly just really sad when you think about it because she’s literally done an interview or two where she has talked about growing up Filipino and being super insecure about her race,” commented TikTok user @kumbaya.
Someone in the comments said that Cameron Diaz is more Filipino than Shay Mitchell. So true pic.twitter.com/vsEdg3NkTI
— brian (@iscreengrab) July 3, 2024
Daily Hive has contacted Mitchell’s team to request a comment on the backlash.
As part of her press run for Thirst, the Canadian was also on YouTube’s Mythical Kitchen, where she spoke about hiding her Filipino heritage. The host asked her if there was a moment when she decided she would stop conforming to Western standards.
“I honestly think it wasn’t actually, sadly enough, until after high school,” she explained.
Mitchell says she grew up in a predominantly Caucasian neighbourhood with friends who were blonde-haired and blue-eyed.
“I was literally the token brunette who was a little more tanned… I think at that age, I was just trying to fit in,” she said.
The actress says she dyed her hair lighter and wore contacts. “I look back, and I’m like, why?”
What do you think about the backlash Mitchell has received? Let us know in the comments.