Actress Shay Mitchell faces backlash after saying she’s ‘half-Spanish’

“PRETTY Little Liars” star Shay Mitchell found herself in hot water when she did not mention in a show her Filipino roots, claiming that she’s half-Irish and half-Spanish.

“Thirst With Shay Mitchell” released a six-second teaser on TikTok, showing Mitchell talking about her parents’ background and her high tolerance to alcoholic beverages and spicy food.

According to IMDb, the Max Original series features Mitchell exploring exotic locations across the globe and finding the latest drink trends and the best bars. She will discover unique ingredients and meet expert hosts along her journey.

“My dad’s Irish, my mom’s Spanish. I can drink a lot and then I get f*cking spicy,” said Mitchell in the clip.

But several netizens were aware that her mom, Precious Garcia, is a Filipina who hailed from Pampanga. 

Mitchell also revealed in her previous interview with GMA’s 24 Oras that Pinay Broadway star Lea Salonga is her second cousin.

In a 2022 interview, Salonga also mentioned Mitchell when she landed a role in “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin,” a spin-off of the original “Pretty Little Liars” that starred her second cousin.

“It’s amazing because it’s like what are the odds of two people from the same family in the same universe? It just doesn’t happen and it’s happened to our family. It’s crazy,” the Tony-winning singer said.

‘Spanish who?’

Mitchell’s claim did not sit well with several Filipino netizens. In the comment section of her show’s teaser, they brought up the common knowledge that her mom is a Filipina.

Some social media users expressed their disappointment on X (formerly Twitter), saying they found it “disrespectful” that the actress did not acknowledge her Filipino roots.

Other netizens accused Mitchell of using her Filipino heritage only for “clout” and when it is “convenient” for her.

Mitchell has yet to address the issue, as of writing.

She went on a trip to the Philippines in January 2019 where she visited a non-government organization that serves street children in Manila. She also called on her social media followers to help these kids.

Mitchell was also the voice of Alexandra Trese in the English version of the Netflix Original Anime series “Trese,” originally created by Filipino writer Budgette Tan and illustrator Kajo Baldisimo.