Mantis is a masked celebrity on the ninth US season of The Masked Singer.
Appearance[]
The Mantis is a typical praying mantis with a red streak going up from his mouth and yellow bulging eyes. He also has wings on his back, a green tail, and bug arms that are connected to the contestant's real hands. He is dressed like a greaser with a white t-shirt, leather jacket, skinny jeans, and black shoes. He also has a red bandana coming out of his pocket.
Songs[]
| Week | Song Selection | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | "Old Time Rock and Roll" by Bob Seger | BELL |
| 11 | "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks | ELIM |
| "La Bamba" by Ritchie Valens | UNMASKED |
Battle Royale[]
| Week | VS | Song Selection |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Dandelion | "(I've Got A) Golden Ticket" by Jack Albertson & Peter Ostrum |
Clues[]
| Week | Clue |
|---|---|
| 8 | "In a world, where celebrities dress up in elaborate costumes and sing their hearts out, one gentle mantis is answering the call. 'I'm in!' And is ready to show you a new side of himself. Flying onto the Masked Singer stage comes a performer known for his brooding persona. And he's ready to show you he's real freaking good at comedy. He's almost won an Emmy for it. You may not know the Mantis as a singer, but he's a published author. He's done Shakespeare. And now he wants to let loose and dance with the wolves. Music has followed Mantis his whole career, from Broadway to the silver screen. So, get ready for some insect insanity. Because this bug is coming to the stage. Right now." |
| 11 | "My goodness man, it blows my mind to be given a second chance. I did not expect to be out of the first episode. This is my daughter's favorite show. I've seen the show, and you guys have ridiculously talented singers! We know I'm not known as a singer. So, I thought I'd come in, try to hold my own, be entertaining, and then Robin chose to save me. It's like a Cinderella story! When you touch someone's heart it makes all the difference in the world. I've been out of the box most of my career. I don't fit a lot of people's classic mold as the leading man. Very rarely was I anybody's first choice. I've always felt like I had to earn it, I had to work for it. And the beauty of that is that I love the work. I love the craft. I even love to do this. I've developed him into this stage persona, and he's turned into this rock god. It would be absolutely stunning to win it all. There are no more saves." |
| Clue Answers |
|---|
| He was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy in 2016. |
| He is the author of "Tinderbox: Soldier of Indira." |
| The cowboy boots were a clue indicating Lou's appearance in the movie "Young Guns." |
| The "true story" mentioned refers to his TV drama film "In a Class of His Own", which was based on a true story. |
| His "legend" was playing the singer Ritchie Valens in the movie "La Bamba". |
| He has five daughters. |
| The secret agent tag was a clue to his character Mark DeSalvo. |
| The baseball diamond was a clue related to his middle name, Diamond. |
| The "independent spirit" clue refers to his win in the 27th Annual Independent Spirit Awards. |
Final Guesses[]
| Week | Robin's Guess | Jenny's Guess | Ken's Guess | Nicole's Guess |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Dennis Quaid | Kevin Bacon | Bruce Springsteen | Keanu Reeves |
| 11 | Brendan Fraser | Steve Buscemi |
Trivia[]
- The mask was revealed on February 12, 2023[1] along Jackalope, Doll, Axolotl, and Macaw.
- Mantis's first performance "Old Time Rock and Roll" and his walk in song were previously sung by Broccoli from season four.
- Mantis and Baby share the same birthday.
- Just like Playing Mantis, he placed sixth.
- Mantis is the first Filipino-American contestant to compete.
Videos[]
The Clues- Mantis - Season 9 Ep. 8 - The Masked Singer
Clue Review- Mantis - Season 9 Ep. 10 - The Masked Singer
The Clues- Mantis - Season 9 Ep. 11 - The Masked Singer-2
Mantis sings “Old Time Rock And Roll” by Bob Seger - THE MASKED SINGER - SEASON 9
Mantis sings “(I’ve Got A) Golden Ticket” by Jack Albertson - THE MASKED SINGER - SEASON 9
Mantis Sings “You Really Got Me” By The Kinks - Season 9 Ep. 11 - The Masked Singer
The Reveal- Lou Diamond Phillips is Mantis - Season 9 Ep. 11 - The Masked Singer
Unmasked Interview- Mantis (Lou Diamond Phillips) - Season 9 Ep. 11 - The Masked Singer
Mantis Is Saved by The Judges - Season 9 Ep. 8 - The Masked Singer
Gallery[]
Mantis’s Title Card
Mantis’s Clue Intro
Mantis’ Concept Art