As Filipinos continue to make their mark in Hollywood, most recently with Liza Soberano as one of the lead stars of the well-received DreamWorks Animation’s film Forgotten Island, we’re seeing more and more Filipino actors, and even our culture, take center stage in entertainment. Yes, we don’t need Western validation to know our art is valuable, but it doesn’t hurt to see more of us get international opportunities. And the next actress to do so is Jasmine Curtis-Smith, who is set to headline her very first American movie. The best part? It’s an Asian rom-com.
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What to Know About the Asian-Led Indie Rom-Com We Could Be in Love
As first revealed by The Hollywood Reporter, Curtis-Smith will be one of the lead stars of the upcoming indie romantic comedy We Could Be in Love. Joining her in the cast are yao, who you may know for playing Bo Chow in Sinners, the iconic Jamie Chung, fellow Filipino actor Lou Diamond Phillips, Japanese-American actress Tamlyn Tomita, and Airline Inthyrath, who is better known as the drag queen Jujubee from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Filipina filmmaker Marie Jamora will serve as director, with Terence Chen penning the script.
Jamora got her start in the Philippines as a music video director for several artists such as Sandwich, Bamboo, Sponge Cola, Gary Valenciano, Itchyworms, and the Eraserheads before transitioning into short films and indie features. Lately, she has relocated to the US, where she’s directed episodes for network and streaming shows such as Queen Sugar, The Cleaning Lady, and Matlock, making Jamora one of the few Filipina directors working in Hollywood. Also, Curtis-Smith isn’t the only Filipina actress Jamora is currently working with, as Liza Soberano has signed on to be one of the producers for Jamora’s upcoming thriller Imprint.
We Could Be in Love is billed as a cross-cultural rom-com set between New York and Manila that follows Jasmine Aquino (Curtis-Smith), a working-class Filipina-American woman who falls for Ambrose Lee (yao), the affluent heir to a Chinese-Filipino dynasty. Filming is set to begin next month in New York and Manila with a yet-to-be-revealed release date.
“I grew up in the Philippines watching all the Hollywood rom-coms with my mom,” shared Jamora in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “Now that I have the opportunity to direct an Asian-led romantic comedy outside the traditional American studio system, it’s so exciting to lean into the cultural nuance, authenticity, and heart that global audiences are craving. Jasmine and yao bring a special combination of warmth, depth, and chemistry to their characters. I cannot wait to share our film with the world.”
It’s not every day, or even every year, that we get an Asian-led and Asian-centered rom-com that doesn’t shy away from its culture and heritage. So, seeing one with Filipinas as its lead actress and director, combined with its Asian cast and story that explores class divides and prejudices when two people from different social classes fall in love, has our attention. A good rom-com will always hit, and especially one that challenges the idea of who can lead a rom-com and the kind of stories that can be told.
Featured Image: MEGA Archives, June 2026, Photo by JERICK SANCHEZ
Photo: Photo by KIM ANGELA SANTOS
Frequently Asked Questions
We Could Be in Love is a cross-cultural indie rom-com set between New York and Manila. It follows Jasmine Aquino, a working-class Filipina-American woman, who falls for Ambrose Lee, the affluent heir to a Chinese-Filipino dynasty, in a story about class divides and prejudice.
Jasmine Curtis-Smith plays Jasmine Aquino and Yao plays Ambrose Lee. The cast also includes Jamie Chung, Lou Diamond Phillips, Tamlyn Tomita, and Airline Inthyrath, better known as the drag queen Jujubee.
Filipina filmmaker Marie Jamora directs from a script by Terence Chen. Jamora began as a music video director in the Philippines and has directed episodes of Queen Sugar, The Cleaning Lady, and Matlock.
Filming begins in New York and Manila next month, according to the article, which outlets place in November. No release date has been announced.
Jamora said she grew up in the Philippines watching Hollywood rom-coms with her mom, and that directing an Asian-led romantic comedy outside the traditional American studio system lets her lean into cultural nuance, authenticity, and heart.
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