Donny Pangilinan is rapidly becoming one to watch for in the local entertainment scene. The 23-year-old actor is making a name for himself—he most recently headlined the film Love Is Color Blind alongside co-star and love team partner Belle Mariano—and fans can expect that there is more to come from Donny.
If you have been thinking about joining the fan club, you're not alone! Like everyone else, we're also curious to know more about Donny outside of his works. Here, we round up a few things to know about the budding actor.
Things to know about Donny Pangilinan
1. Donny is the second child in the family.
Donny is the second child of Anthony Pangilinan and Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan. He has four siblings: Ella, Hannah, Benjamin, and Solana. If you have been a long-time fan of the Pangilinans, then you might already know that the entire family is pretty tight-knit.
They would get together every year for a fun Christmas gathering with the entire family (as seen on Hannah’s vlogs). The Pangilinan siblings are also super supportive of each other. Hannah even uploaded a video of her reaction to Donny's series He's Into Her and both she and her sister Ella cried over his new film, Love Is Color Blind.
2. Donny’s real name is Donato Antonio.
According to PEP.ph, Donny is named after his paternal and maternal grandfathers—Donato is taken from his paternal grandfather's name and Antonio from his mother's father (aka actor and director Tony Ferrer).
3. Donny comes from a family of entertainers.
It’s no wonder that stardom comes so naturally for Donny because he comes from a family full of talent. His mom Maricel is a seasoned actress, his sister Hannah is a popular YouTube content creator, his uncle is Mr. Pure Energy himself Gary Valenciano, and his cousins are also quite the names in their respective fields: theatre actress Gab Pangilinan, R&B artist Kiana Valenciano, musician Gab Valenciano, director Paolo Valenciano, and singer-songwriter Frankie Pangilinan, to name a few. Welcome to the club, actor Donny!
4. It wasn't until high school when Donny realized he wanted to pursue acting.
Coming from a clan of talented performers, one would think that Donny would have had his career path steered towards showbiz at a young age. But in a recent interview on his parents' podcast, Donny revealed that it wasn't until his teenage years that he decided he wanted to try his hand at acting. "I was an introvert kasi. I was shy, I didn’t really think it’s possible,” he said. But so far, it seems pretty evident that he's made for the job, don't you agree?
5. Donny's first lead role is in James & Pat & Dave.
Donny played the role of one of the titular characters, Dave, and starred alongside Ronnie Alonte and Loisa Andalio. Before landing his first lead role, Donny also appeared in films like Walwal and Fantastica, as well as in the TV series Playhouse.
In 2021, Donny had two major projects: the TV adaptation of the popular Wattpad novel He's Into Her as well as the film Love Is Color Blind. In both projects, he starred together with Belle Mariano.
6. Donny was a VJ.
Before becoming a full-fledged actor, Donny's beginnings in the entertainment industry started with a stint as a MYX VJ. He hosted the music-oriented programs from 2016 to 2018 alongside fellow VJ Sunny Kim.
7. Donny is athletic.
If it wasn't already obvious by his fit physique, Donny is actually an athlete! Donny attended Brent International School for high school and was part of his school's varsity basketball team. He would also often join marathons and loves to surf.
8. Donny is a recording artist.
Truly a man of many talents, Donny can also carry a tune. He has released his own songs in the past as a recording artist, including Did You, Different Kind of Love, Dream (featuring ANDREAH), Wings, and more.
9. Donny has tattoos.
Not many may have noticed it, but you'll occasionally catch a glimpse of Donny's tattoos on his Instagram. So far, we've seen three inks on him: a crescent-shaped moon tattoo at the side of his wrist, a palm tree tattoo on his ankle, and a scribble on his arm just below the back of his below.
READ MORE:
10 of Donny Pangilinan's Movies and TV Shows You Can Stream RN
How Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano Reacted to Being Called the 'Next KathNiel'
Belle Mariano and Donny Pangilinan Talk About the Moment They Knew They Wanted to Be in Showbiz
Awww! Ella and Hannah Pangilinan Got Super Emotional Over Donny's New Film 'Love Is Color Blind'
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