Tony Award winning performer Lea Salonga is making history as the first Filipina to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
She will also be the first recipient of the Icon Award from the Manila International Film Festival later this year.
Salonga has performed alongside the group Il Divo; appeared in “Les Misérables”, “Once on This Island”, “Flower Drum Song; and originated the role of Kim in “Miss Saigon” for which she won the Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Best Actress. She has lent her voice to the Disney characters Jasmine in “Aladdin”, Fa Mulan in the “Mulan” franchise, and is Celine in “KPOP Demon Hunters”. She is also in the upcoming animated film “Forgotten Island”.
In a statement Lisa Lew, executive producer of the MIFF said, “Lea Salonga is a legend whose extraordinary career has broken barriers and inspires generations of Filipino and Asian artists globally. From sweeping major theatre awards to voicing classic Disney heroines and starring on screens across both the U.S. and the Philippines, she is the ultimate ambassador for Filipino excellence. The Manila International Film Festival is proud to champion Lea’s achievements through our Hollywood Walk of Fame nomination, and we look forward to celebrating her legacy with our Icon Award at the closing night gala.”
The third annual Manila International Film Festival will be September 3-6 with the films being shown at the TCL Chinese Theatre.