Born and raised in Manila, proudly educated in public schools and went to the historic University of Santo Tomas to get her degree in Journalism. Janet talked about working in a male-dominated world of Journalism in one of the Philippines prominent newspaper company “The Manila Bulletin”.
Janet talked a lot about following her heart and passion. She followed her husband Ruben and together they conquered Hollywood by becoming the first Filipino-Americans voting member and associate of the Golden Globe Awards.
I asked her what advised can she give to young Filipino aspiring actors/entertainers so that they too can have a chance to conquer the elusive Hollywood dream and this is what she had to share “Prepare to work hard, prepare to be discriminated, prepare to work with colleagues that you don’t really like, and to embrace what Hollywood can offer.”
She talked about the upcoming 1st Manila International Film Festival in Hollywood, California – a united effort to bring the Filipino Talent to Tinseltown.
About Janet Susan R. Nepales
An award-winning journalist and the first Filipina voting member and Associate of the Golden Globe Awards. She has been a member since 2008 and has held various positions in the association as an officer and board member and became the first Filipina Executive Secretary and Treasurer. She was an executive producer of the Golden Globes for four consecutive years. She is a Hollywood columnist and correspondent of GMA-7 and the author of the coffee table book “FASHION. Filipino. Hollywood. The World.”
Janet is also a Board Member of the Soho International Film Festival, the Asian World International Film Festival and a co-Founder and Board Member of the newly launched Manila International Film Festival.
Based in Los Angeles, Janet is a University of Santo Tomas (UST) Journalism cum laude graduate who was recognized by the Filipina Women’s Network (FWN) as one of the “100 Most Influential Filipino Women in the U.S.” in 2012 and one of the “100 Most Influential Filipino Women in the World” in 2013.
Janet recently was honored by the Los Angeles Press Club with three Journalism awards during the 65th Annual Southern California Journalism Awards – 2nd place in Entertainment News, Film/Broadcast-Online, 3rd place in Entertainment News or Feature-Foreign Correspondents, and 3rd place in Personality Profile-Foreign Correspondents.
She is a co-author of the first FWN book entitled DISRUPT: Filipina Women: Proud. Loud. Leading Without A Doubt.
Janet received the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism from President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. at The Outstanding Filipinos in America (TOFA) Awards held last September 16, 2022 in New York.
She is a consistent winner in the Los Angeles Press Club’s annual Southern California Journalism Awards and the annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards. Janet was awarded “Journalist of the Year’ by the Filipino American Press Club of California (FAPCCA) in 2022.
Janet was also awarded by the FAPCCA in 2022 the Senate Certificate of Recognition as Journalist/Author by Senator Susan Rubio, 22nd District.
Janet is also a columnist for the Filipina American News and Chic Compass Magazine.
She is married to journalist Ruben V. Nepales with whom she has two daughters – Bianca Nicole and Rafaella Angelica.
