Jeff Gadigan explores Asian themes in his comedy series

He creates opportunities for Asian American performers and filmmakers through his production company

He creates opportunities for Asian American performers and filmmakers through his production company

A new comedy series is about to pilot on the web featuring four quirky characters. It should not surprise us that a Filipino actor plays one of them.

Actor Jeff Gadigan is the co-creator and writer of the web-series “Saving Face: The Asian American’s Guide to Dealing with Generational Differences and Stereotypes,” which is a production of his AminoCat Entertainment company.

As the title so succinctly lays out, the series explores the day-to-day struggles of four Asian and ‘American-esque’ characters: Lanying Fu, a Chinese-born oncologist who still lives with her parents in Upstate New York; her best friend Soo Jin Pak, a Chinese-American web designer raised by a same-sex white couple; Roger Colfax, a Mandarin-speaking performer who was formerly a Chinese television superstar; and Trent Lavender, a quirky Hawaiian drifter.

Jeff of the stocky build plays Trent Lavender.

“I’m the roommate from hell,” said Jeff in a statement to The FilAm. “I’m the deadbeat who is getting evicted for not paying rent.”

Born in Long Beach, California, Jeff grew up in Arizona and is now cutting his teeth on the East Coast film scene.

For this ambitious Pinoy, ‘No’ is not in his vocabulary. He continues to seek projects that will further explore his acting and writing. Jeff recently booked a role in an episode of the “Browsers” about a group of interns who work in a HuffPo-type online magazine under a Miranda Priestly-type boss.

Jeff has been involved in several projects and was privileged to collaborate with award winning filmmaker Andre Welsh (“Red Sleep,” “Method,” and “Briefcase”), producer Nate Golon (“Workshop: The Series,” “Briefcase”),and Don Stark (“That 70’s Show”). Not shy about his professional aspirations, he wants to be the Filipino version of his favorite actors Robert Downey Jr., Philip Seymour Hoffman and John C. Reilly.

A role as the “socially awkward toy cowboy” in his second grade school play sparked his interest in acting. Little did he know he would one day be cast in several productions by Ovation Performing Arts, run by Hollywood players John Lewis and Becky Broyles.

Jeff is currently a student of Sam Christensen (“M*A*S*H”) at his film actors training studio.

When he isn’t hitting the pavement looking for story materials to work with, he gives his time to charity by helping out at a Church in the Heart of Downtown L.A. He gets reacquainted with his heritage by learning to speak Tagalog and practicing the Filipino martial arts ‘kali,’ a form of self-defense using hands as weaponry. He loves to cook ‘pinakbet’ and ‘kare-kare,’ a passion he shares with his mom.

Jeff loves creating new opportunities for performers and filmmakers with the Asian American films and shows produced by his company AminoCat Entertainment.

His most recent project is an upcoming TV show called “Who Run It” starring Danni Lang (“All My Children”) and international TV host Jeff Locker. Here, Jeff explores the bridge between Asia and America through comedy, music and film.



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