Meet 'Ted Lasso's' award-winning Fil-Am writer Leann Bowen | ABS-CBN

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Meet 'Ted Lasso's' award-winning Fil-Am writer Leann Bowen

Meet 'Ted Lasso's' award-winning Fil-Am writer Leann Bowen

Yong Chavez | TFC News Hollywood

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Updated Sep 24, 2021 11:23 AM PHT

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Fil-Am writer Leann Bowen (third from left) with Ted Lasso team.
Fil-Am writer Leann Bowen (third from left) with the team of award-winning comedy show Ted Lasso.

With its growing number of award season honors, Apple TV's "Ted Lasso" is breaking records as the most-winning series. The comedy show is not only a critics favorite, but it has also won the hearts of many viewers who have fallen in love with its characters and their stories of kindness, leadership, and growth.

One of the people behind it is Leann Bowen, a Filipino American writer whose credits include "I Love You, America" and "Dear White People." In Ted Lasso's current season two, she wrote the second episode titled "Lavender."

"TV writing is very collaborative. My episode has jokes from everyone on the staff. It has scenes [that] people on the staff have contributed to," Bowen shared. "It takes me about ten days to write, and then it goes through a rewrite process, and then some back and forth until we go to production."

Bowen honed her comedic skills through writing for and performing in sketch comedy and improv in Los Angeles. Her late father was war veteran and Black Panther Party member Bobby Lee Bowen. Her mother is Lilian Tamoria whose family is from Cavite province in the Philippines.

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"I was raised in the Valley and my mom was a single mom so I was raised by my lola and lolo a lot. I spent a lot of time with them so I feel very connected to my Filipino background and I'm very proud."

Bowen credits her mother and grandparents for her work ethic. "They were just so hardworking and they made sure that I stayed focused. And I also really attribute my sense of humor to my grandfather. He was such an interesting character -- making funny comments at church and my mother would be like, 'don't say that'," she added.

Fil-Am writer Leann Bowen with Ted Lasso team.

In a recent episode of Ted Lasso, one of its main characters, Sam Obisanya played by actor Toheeb Jimoh, took a brave stance against the environmental abuses by a big company. Bowen said she's proud to be part of a series that shows characters fighting against injustice.

Her twitter bio even bears the word 'makibaka' -- a Tagalog word meaning to fight , which is a popular battlecry among Filipino activists. It is an action word so important to Bowen that she even had it tattooed on her arm. It was her family, starting with her Filipino grandfather, who instilled in her those values.

"He came to the United States in the 50s. He always believed in racially treating people the same. He always advocated for the poor, and he always said fight for what you believe in. So between my grandfather and my mom, they were very about fighting and standing up for social justice and being strong and those aspects."

While busy receiving awards from all the major critics and TV organizations, Bowen and the rest of the Ted Lasso team are working on their third season. The show streams on Apple TV+.

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv

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EXCLUSIVE: Sam Milby confirms break-up with Catriona Gray

EXCLUSIVE: Sam Milby confirms break-up with Catriona Gray

MJ Felipe,

ABS-CBN News

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Sam Milby during a media conference for "Saving Grace: The Untold Story" at the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City on February 18, 2025. Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN NewsSam Milby during a media conference for "Saving Grace: The Untold Story" at the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City on February 18, 2025. Alec Corpuz, ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- Sam Milby confirmed on Tuesday that he and Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray have broken up, nearly a year since rumors about their split started.

The former couple got engaged in 2023, but fans noticed last year that Gray removed posts about their engagement on her Instagram account.

Speaking to ABS-CBN News at the sidelines of the media conference of his series "Saving Grace," Milby set the record straight about the status of his relationship with Gray. 

"If you want to ask if we are okay, we are okay. Wala kaming problema," he said.

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Asked directly if they are still together, Milby said: "No."

"Kami ni Cat, we've always been private about our relationship," he also said. "We share certain things nung na-engaged kami, but in terms of the details, and buhay namin, we haven't really shared."

Milby and Gray were recently spotted at TJ Monterde's concert, with the beauty queen seen crying during one of the songs. Milby, for his part, said it was his first time to hear some of Monterde's emotional ballads.

"If you wanna ask her what she was feeling, I can't speak for her. I know that we're okay, kahit after nung concert I said, I'll go to the backstage. 'Cause we're okay," he said.

Milby, who was a few seats away from Gray during the Monterde concert, said he is moving on from the breakup by "focusing on work, just growing."

-- NO THIRD PARTY -- 

He also cleared up some issues regarding his breakup with Gray, including allegations that Moira Dela Torre was a third party.

"There was never a third party sa amin ni Cat. That needs to be cleared. There is no truth to it at all," said Milby.

"It makes me sad, may babala ako sa mga tao. Please mag-ingat kayo sa mga nakikita nyo sa online. If there's no evidence, 'wag niyong paniwalaan yung nakikita nyo because in this incident, there's absolutely no truth to it at all," he added.

Milby said that he and Dela Torre used to be "very close," particularly at the start of the singer's career.

"Sobrang close kami before, and I guess people wanted to connect our closeness to may nangyari sa amin," he said.

When asked if he is still friends with the singer, Milby said: "We are not friends anymore."

However, he declined to elaborate, only maintaining that they are no longer close. 

"It's an issue that's really sensitive," added Milby, who is one of many artists from Cornerstone Entertainment to unfollow Dela Torre on Instagram.

-- CONTINUED BATTLE WITH DIABETES --

The past three weeks have been a struggle for Milby, as his sugar level has been spiking up even as he continues to control his diet.

The actor revealed in June 2024 that he has Type 2 diabetes.

"I've been hitting over 400, over 300, so it's a bit… it's not been great so I wanted to ask my endo doctor na ano yung problema. ‘Cause I haven't been changing my diet, and eating habits but it's been spiking pa rin," he said.

"Not great in terms of my blood sugar, but it's still manageable," he added.

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