Biography
Raymond Bagatsing was born in the Philippines and is of Filipino, Indian/Persian, Chinese, and Spanish heritage. At age 11, he moved to Melbourne, Australia, to live with his mother. At 16, during a vacation in Manila, he secured a leading role in a teenage martial arts film. After finishing high school, he returned to Manila to pursue an acting career, primarily appearing in action films throughout the 1990s. In the late '90s, he expanded into more dramatic roles, earning the Best Actor award at the 2001 Asian Television Awards in Singapore for "Maalaala Mo Kaya" (Would You Remember The Wedding Ring). This was followed by numerous other awards and nominations.
Raymond has extensive martial arts training, including Wing Chun Kung Fu, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Jiu-Jitsu, Capoeira, and Aikido. When in Manila, he teaches acting and mixed martial arts when not filming, gaining a reputation as one of the city’s most sought-after talents and mentors. He considers himself fortunate to have co-starred with acclaimed French actress Isabelle Huppert in Brillante Mendoza’s Cannes-winning film "Captive" in 2012. In 2016, he appeared in "1898 Los Últimos Filipinos," a Spanish production co-starring Luis Tosar and directed by Salvador Calvo.
Raymond relocated to Los Angeles in 2006 and divides his time working across the US, the Philippines, Europe, and the UK. When not acting, he enjoys life by practicing yoga and meditation.
