On musician Gabbriette’s Wikipedia page, no fewer than six citations are used in the second sentence alone to prove she’s a model. The American singer and sometimes-actress has a formidable modelling portfolio, from Jimmy Choo campaigns to walking down the runway for Gucci. However, the site’s editors tend to be reserved when it comes to conferring the “model” label upon celebrities from Anglophone countries like the USA and UK.
For instance, many American and British actors – including, but not limited to Tika Sumpter, Simone Ashley, Isa Briones, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Karen Gillan, Cameron Diaz, Callum Turner, and Derek Luh – were signed to modelling agencies and posing for major brands like Calvin Klein and Armani before achieving TV and film success. Yet their Wikipedia pages describe them as just actors, with their modelling background mentioned in a brief sentence or two.
On the other hand, volunteer editors for Filipino celebrities are far more liberal with the label. If the page for a Filipino celebrity doesn’t currently state that they are a “model,” chances are that you’ll easily find the claim in its recent edit history. Is the Philippines’ entertainment industry just disproportionately filled with fashion models? No, not quite.
For those in the US and UK, the word “model” strictly refers to a very specific kind of person, with a very specific skill set: the kind who is paid to be a living mannequin for clothing brands in their photoshoots and catwalk shows. Even without their names attached to an advertisement, models (in the Anglophone sense) display the clothes. They aren’t hired because they got famous, but because they have the fashion “look.” Modern examples include the Hadid sisters, Anok Yai, Mika Schneider, and the Philippines’ very own Kelsey Merritt.
Filipinos, on the other hand, seem to interpret the term as “anyone who has appeared in a product advertisement of any sort.” For example, Palestinian-Filipino actress Angel Guardian’s page uses a Philippine Daily Inquirer article to support the claim that she is a “commercial model.” In the Anglophone sense, “commercial model” is used to distinguish high-fashion models from those who pose primarily for trendier, less luxurious brands. However, for Filipinos, it is more literal. We use “commercial” as a noun referring to video advertisements.
So in a Filipino’s mind, a commercial model is simply someone who acts in advertisements. That is why Filipino editors on Wikipedia interpret Angel’s quote about “audition[ing] for commercials” as her being a “commercial model.” Calling this modelling is a stretch. It must be said, however, that this isn’t Angel’s doing, but probably a fan’s. After all, she is gorgeous and talented.
When Filipinos claim that acting in instant noodles, laundry detergent, or SIM card adverts makes someone a model, it’s less about hyping up their favourite actor’s good looks but more about emphasising their bankability. That’s why Filipinos like to create viral collages of their favourite celebrities’ endorsement deals. It’s to say, “Look, my fave is booked and busy.”
To be clear, plenty of Filipino celebrities do indeed have fashion modelling experience. For instance, Vivoree Esclito and Shuvee Etrata are marketing juggernauts. But they balance their soda and canned tuna adverts with catwalk gigs and editorial shoots, e.g. when they both strutted down the runway for Rian Fernandez’ “Timeless” couture showcase on 7th November 2025.
But if every person who appears in a telly advert for fried chicken is a “model,” the term arguably becomes meaningless. You could argue that, say, Filipino actress Lou Yanong’s extensive training as a professional model since childhood loses its weight if we treat random endorsements as “modelling.”
One can’t help wondering where the line is. If someone acts out flu symptoms (completely the opposite of fashionable) in an advert for ibuprofen, are they a model too? Furthermore, is this usage of “model” a dilution of its meaning or just a quirk of Philippine English? Well, you decide.