Disney's slate of projects celebrates talents of color, including Filipinos, in lead & support roles

Disney's wonderful world continues to expand and its extensive slate of film and TV projects reflects how the real world looks like by walking the talk in its inclusion efforts and casting people of color in lead and supporting roles.

Among their talents are Filipinos like Manny Jacinto who will reportedly play a main character in the upcoming Disney+ Star Wars series 'The Acolyte.'

Fil-Am Nico Santos was announced earlier this year as the newest cast member of the next 'Guardians of the Galaxy' film.

Other Filipinos who are in Disney+ shows include Ginger Gonzaga of 'She-Hulk' and Eugene Cordero of 'Loki.'

Cordero's character was in the D23 Expo sneak peek of the show’s season two that’s currently filming with its leads Tom Hiddleston and Sophia Di Martino.

The Marvel series also welcomes another Asian talent, Ke Huy Quan, as a series regular.

"It's incredible. I watch all the MCU movies. Been a fan of MCU for many years, and to be able to join, to be a member of the MCU and especially because I'm a big fan of Loki season one, to be able to do this, it's been incredible," the actor said. "Honestly, we're in the thick of shooting right now in London, and we're having such a fun time."

Other much-awaited films presented at the recent gathering of Disney super-fans at D23 include the big screen live-action adaptation 'The Little Mermaid' starring Halle Bailey.

Videos of young black girls positively reacting to the trailer have trended on social media, proving once more that representation matters.

"The coolest thing about this all has been getting to play a character that I've loved so much since I was a child. It's really fulfilling and in the best way. I'm just so excited to play Ariel who I've loved so much," Bailey shared.

Disney’s other upcoming major theatrical releases include the sequels  to blockbusters: 'Indiana Jones 5' starring Harrison Ford and James Cameron’s 'Avatar: The way of Water.'

'Avatar' star Zoe Saldana said, "my hopes for this new adventure of Avatar is that we get to give back the first fans, we get to deliver something really special that they can continue loving. And for our new fans, we hope that they are smitten by this sensory adventure that we're gonna give them."

In the animation front, 'Strange World' starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Lucy Liu is also set to debut in theaters this Thanksgiving.

The next big Disney movie will be 'Wakanda Forever' from Marvel which will be shown this November.