By Stacy Nguyen
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
People born in the Year of the Horse are known for their boundless energy, independence, and magnetic charisma. They thrive on movement and adventure—whether that’s travel, new ideas, or bold life changes—and they often inspire others with their optimism and determination.
However, at times, this restless spirit can become impatient. When confined or bored, Horse individuals may seem impulsive, blunt, hot-tempered, or resistant to commitment. Their love of freedom can sometimes read as unpredictability, and their passion can tip into stubbornness when they feel misunderstood or restricted.
So, which famous person truly embodies the vibrant, unstoppable spirit of the Horse—and who exemplifies the shadow side of fiery independence?
(FYI, I tried to keep it Asian for us. Except for Jenna Ortega. Because I don’t recognize anyone else born in 2002.)
Jenna Ortega
Born 2002, actor
Actress Jenna Ortega at the 81st Venice International Film Festival in 2024. Photo by Harald Krichel. Wikimedia Commons.
From deadpan icon Wednesday Addams to final-girl energy in the “Scream” franchise, Jenna Ortega has mastered the art of looking unimpressed while completely stealing the show.
As a Horse, she embodies that sign’s fierce independence. Horse personalities are known for their drive and unwillingness to be boxed in—and her career choices reflect exactly that. Rather than chasing predictable teen-star roles, she’s taken creative risks. Similarly, a Horse person’s intensity can show up as blunt honesty and a refusal to conform—and Ortega has certainly been vocal about creative control, representation for Latinas, and advocating for stronger writing for young women.
However, while Horse people can come across as hot-tempered, Ortega distinctly has an awkward-chill and relaxed vibe, so maybe there are aspects of her that aren’t super Horse-like at all.
Other 2002 Horses: Gaten Matarazzo, Sadie Sink, Finn Wolfhard (“Stranger Things”), Lola Tung (“The Summer I Turned Pretty”)
Phillipa Soo
Born 1990, actor and singer
From originating Eliza Schuyler in “Hamilton” to leading roles on the small screen, such as in “Dr. Odyssey,” Phillipa Soo is becoming more and more of a household name. In addition to the race-bending in Hamilton, Soo was also in a movie with Simu Liu, where she had to choose between him and a white man, serving as a metaphor for the inner tension that many Chinese Americans go through with identities. I’m just saying, Soo is just like one of us!
I think her career reflects that impossible-to-put-in-a-box quality that so many Horse people have. She moves fluidly between stage and screen, choosing work that feels intentional—taking the reins with a talent and presence that feels generational. It just means something that a bunch of people of all ages walk around belting out lyrics to songs that she has sung.
Ryan Higa
Born 1990, YouTuber and comedian
Ryan Higa at the 2nd Streamy Awards in 2010. Photo by The Bui Brothers. Wikimedia Commons.
Ryan Higa is a Japanese American YouTuber who became a household name by making clever sketches, absurd humor, and parodies go viral. He’s widely considered a pioneer, becoming one of the most successful and most influential YouTubers ever.
Horses are driven, restless, and independent—sometimes to the point of impulsivity, stubbornness, or burnout. One important thing to know about Higa is that he totally pulled a Simone Biles and decided to step away from YouTube at the height of his influence, which def shows a different kind of Horse energy: self-awareness and restraint—and a tolerance for disappointing your strict Asian parents by eschewing fame and fortune for mental health. And, by quitting on his own terms, he avoided the darker Horse traits of overextension and chasing momentum for its own sake. Good for him. Many of us should take a lesson.
Other 1990 Horses: Emma Watson (“Harry Potter” series), The Weeknd (recording artist), Margot Robbie (“Barbie”), Jennifer Lawrence (“Hunger Games” series), Machine Gun Kelly (rapper), Kristen Stewart (“Twilight” series)
Nicole Scherzinger
Born 1978, singer and one of my favorite Asian “Masked Singer” judges
Nicole Scherzinger at the New Jersey X factor Auditions in 2011. Photo by Allie Martin. Wikimedia Commons.
Nicole Scherzinger, who is of Hawaiian and Filipina descent, rose to fame as the lead of The Pussycat Dolls, a group that had hit after hit after hit in the 2000s. Yet even at the height of their popularity, it was clear Scherzinger wasn’t content to just be part of a girl group like that—she wanted to be the one and only star. (I say this because of that time she and her team tried to make “The Pussycat Dolls featuring Nicole Scherzinger” a thing.)
I’m not actually knocking this. We love an ambitious woman. After pursuing solo music that didn’t quite catch fire, she kept pushing, building her presence through television judging gigs and steadily expanding her creative horizons.
Like, she’s on Broadway now! Rather than settling for the type of success she’d already achieved or being content with being the one judge on singing competitions that actually knows how to sing, she reached for more and made her Broadway debut in “Sunset Boulevard.” And guys, she won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance as Norma Desmond in 2025, proving that she was right about herself. Her talent, legit, had been very overlooked for so many years.
That kind of persistence—pushing past setbacks, pivoting when things don’t go exactly as planned, and pursuing what feels true—is classic Horse energy, right?
Manny Pacquiao
Born 1978, boxer and public figure/politician
Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao in 2010. Photo by Joaquin008. Wikimedia Commons.
Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is one of the most iconic figures in modern sports history. Like a Horse with an unstoppable drive toward greatness, he rose from extreme poverty in the Philippines to become a global boxing legend. He’s the only fighter to win world titles in eight different weight divisions—and he did it with a lot of heart, making him an enduring national hero and a symbol of Filipino pride.
But! (There’s a but, sorry but not sorry for what I’m about to say about your hero.) As a politician and public figure, Pacquiao’s path has also revealed the more complicated sides of that Horse instinct. Like, he went full-on conservative Christian in his political career and said a bunch of BS opposing same-sex marriage and anti-LGBTQ+ stuff over the years. This soured him for a lot of fans, rightly so.
So, while the Horse’s temperament can shine as bold leadership and confidence, it can also manifest as stubbornness or an unwillingness to shift perspective.
Other 1978 Horses: Rachel McAdams (“Mean Girls”), Usher (recording artist, mean to T-Pain once), Zoe Saldaña (“Avatar” series), John Legend (recording artist, married to Thai American Chrissy Teigen)
Fred Armisen
Born 1966, comedian, actor, and musician
Fred Armisen at the 2015 Peabody Awards. Photo courtesy of Peabody Awards. Wikimedia Commons.
Of Venezuelan, German, and Korean (formerly thought to be Japanese) descent, Fred Armisen is strangely probably as good of a musician as he is a comedian. This multi-hyphenate (drummer, comedian, actor, and writer) may have started his career at “Saturday Night Live,” but then he really zagged when he was expected to zig. In addition to the likes of “SNL,” and “Portlandia,” Armisen has shown a remarkable ability to shift between roles while keeping his signature style. Like, you wouldn’t necessarily expect it, but his Spanish is pretty fab and he’s been increasingly involved in Spanish-speaking productions, such as “Los Espookys.”
Armisen reminds us that the Horse energy isn’t just about ambition or speed—it’s about embracing creativity without restraint—it can be about doing your own thing.
Other 1966 Horses: Salma Hayek (“Frida”), Adam Sandler (wearer of basketball shorts), Gordon Ramsey (yeller and chef), Janet Jackson (our fave Jackson), Rick Astley (inventor of the Rickroll)
Jackie Chan
Born 1954, actor and martial artist
Jackie Chan attends the Affeksjonsverdi red carpet during the 78th Locarno Film Festival on August 09, 2025 in Locarno, Switzerland. Photo by Segolene Liger. Wikimedia Commons.
Okay, so are Horses known for jumping from building to building on movie sets, without a safety harness? Then Jackie Chan is totally a Horse.
Horses are ambitious, bold, and always moving forward—qualities Chan showed not just in his stunts, but in his career trajectory. Already a massive star in Hong Kong and across Asia in the 1970s and 1980s, Chan faced the daunting challenge of breaking into American film, where cultural barriers, language, and Hollywood expectations could have easily held him back. His determination—learning English, adjusting comedic timing for Western audiences, and taking on roles that introduced him to a new generation—exemplifies the fearless, forward-trotting spirit of the Horse.
On the flip side though, I have read that Chan is no stranger to controversy either. He’s made some troubling statements about women over the years (and his personality caused Oscar-winning former costar Michelle Yeoh to once “jokingly” say he’s “a male chauvinistic pig” because he said women should stay in the kitchen—but she still loves him like a brother or whatever, lol). Chan is also famous for saying that too much freedom is a problem, and that Hong Kong and Taiwan would be less chaotic if people had fewer civil rights and stuff. What a hot take.
Seriously, if a horse was an old-fashioned Asian man with regressive views, that Asian man would be Jackie Chan. He seems like the type of dude who would feel angrily misunderstood when his fans get upset over the very clear sentiments coming out of his mouth.
Other 1954 Horses: Oprah Winfrey (aka Oprah!), Denzel Washington (“Equalizer” series), John Travolta (“Grease”), Dennis Quaid (“The Parent Trap” remake), James Cameron (underwater explorer), Jerry Seinfeld (“Bee Movie”), Ron Howard (“Happy Days”)
Stacy Nguyen can be reached at newstips@nwasianweekly.com.