Young actor Tommy Alejandrino, known for his breakout role in the indie film The Baseball Player, recently shared a personal story in a TikTok video posted by his Some Nights I Feel Like Walking co-star Jomari Angeles.
“Multo” captures the idea of the unsettling moment when past pains resurface, and love, or the thought of it, forces you to confront what you thought you had left behind. When Jomari asked if he had one, Tommy admitted that it was his sister, whom he didn’t name.
According to Tommy, he was not on speaking terms with his sister for three years. When asked what caused the distance, the 24-year-old actor recalled a summer during the pandemic when, from his perspective, it felt like he was being subjected to “conversion therapy.”
At the time, he was still in the closet, and he said the message he received was that “being gay is ugly, bad, and frowned upon.”
He admitted that the memory was painful because of how close they once were. As the youngest in the family, his sister often spoiled him—bringing him on trips, treating him to meals, and always making sure he was included.
“It hurts because I know she loves me, so why can’t she accept this part?” he said.
For Tommy, distance became necessary for his peace of mind.
“There’s nothing wrong with cutting ties when it’s not helping you anymore,” he continued, adding that getting through it, he said, is not a leap but a series of “baby steps.”
Tommy has also been outspoken about self-acceptance. In a Nylon Manila feature published in July this year, he urged LGBTQ+ youth to embrace their truth despite the fear of rejection.
“Mas nakakahiya maging sinungaling kaysa maging bading,” he said, adding that there is “a place for everyone in this world” and that being honest with yourself is already “God’s work.”
Opening up about his personal story offered a glimpse of his life off-screen, away from the characters that have shaped his rising career.
His performance in The Baseball Player in 2022 earned him the Best Actor award at Cinemalaya and led to nominations from Gawad Urian and the PMPC Star Awards.
In 2023, Tommy starred in the Metro Manila Film Festival entries Mallari and GomBurZa. He later transitioned to television with roles in Senior High and its sequel High Street, performances that established him as one of today’s most promising actors.
His most recent work, Petersen Vargas’ Some Nights I Feel Like Walking, has drawn international attention for its moving portrayal of queer youth in Manila. Both he and Jomari received recognition for performances that gave the film’s themes of survival, identity, and friendship a striking emotional weight.
The film is also included in the list of the country’s entries for the 2026 Academy Awards or Oscars.
