A recent United States Census report estimates that 1.6 million U.S. residents are Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islanders, which still make up less than one percent of the nation’s population.
Since the group is so underrepresented, there may be some confusion as to who identifies as Pacific Islander. According to the Census, Pacific Islanders are “those having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands,” so this can include individuals of Fijian, Guamanian, Samoan, Hawaiian, Northern Mariana Islander, Palauan, Tongan and Tahitian descent. And remember, people who live in Hawaii aren’t necessarily Native Hawaiian (a.k.a people indigenous to the Big Island).
Luckily, there are a handful of highly talented Pacific Islanders in the media — and you might be surprised to discover that big, A-list names you know identify as such. Learn more about them below, and be sure to check out other actors and celebrities of other diverse backgrounds in Hollywood, including famous Asian women and Hispanic artists .
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