Another star was added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame yesterday, one which bore the name Lea Salonga and represented a historic first for an actor from Philippines to be placed among the 2855 other actors and artistes from across the world. Selected under the Live Performance category, Lea is a well known name for her popular career spanning Broadway musicals, animation, television and stage concerts. Her star is also a reminder of how far Asian representation has come today.
Even before one gets into describing her career, one can easily recognise her through her contributions to Disney animations. Remember Princess Jasmine from Aladdin singing ‘A Whole New World’ or ‘Reflection’ by Fa Mulan? That is the voice of Lea Salonga that one has been hearing for forever. Born Maria Lea Carmen Imutan Salonga in Malina, she started her career as a child artiste in Philippines theatre and television. Her first major breakthrough was with the character Kim in Miss Saigon. Her voice tonal quality comprising an unforgettable texture and tonal quality made her stand out. She also became the first Asian actress to play Eponine in Les Miserables on Broadway. In fact, her 2026 roles of Madame Thenardier in Les Miserables: The World Tour Spectaclaur not only brought her back to the stage but also reflected her range of performing different characters from the same Universe.
Other notable works include flower Drum Song, Allegiance, Here Lies Love and Once on This Island, which also received a Grammy nomination. Lea’s career extends far beyond the musical stages and into films like Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin and projects like K Pop Demon Hunters to which she lent her voice. As a singer, independent of movies, series or other projects, she has taken to stage multiple times performing at prestigious venues like the Sygney Opera house, Carnegie Hall and Singapore Esplanade to name a few. Moreover, in her over four and a half decades of legacy she has also performed for six Phillipine presidents, four US presidents, Late Princess of Wales, Diana and Queen Elizabeth II.
Her star unveiling was celebrated in the presence of Ming- Na Wen and Brandy and Darren Criss. Her star is not just a testament to her illustrious career but also to how far her community representation has reached over the years.
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