Photo from: @msleasalonga instagram
In the quiet just before the lights go up, when the audience holds its breath and the stage feels sacred, few performers know how to command that moment quite like Lea Salonga. For decades, she has sung through silence, defied stereotypes, and brought characters to life with crystalline clarity. Now, her journey takes a shimmering turn westward—onto Hollywood Boulevard, where her name will soon be immortalized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Earlier this July, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced Salonga’s selection as part of the 2026 class of honorees, recognizing her in the Live Theatre/Live Performance category. The distinction places her among a global roster that includes Emily Blunt, Timothée Chalamet, Deepika Padukone, and Demi Moore. Yet Salonga’s inclusion carries a resonance rooted in representation, resilience, and theatrical excellence.
“Just now woke up to this bit of amazing news!!! To the Manila International Filmfest, many thanks for nominating me to be part of this incredible list,” Salonga shared via Instagram shortly after the announcement.
That gratitude—raw and radiant—captures what the moment means not just to her, but to a global community that has seen its dreams reflected in her journey.
A star born on the stage
While most Walk of Fame stars are awarded for achievements in film or television, Salonga’s honor is a bold statement about the enduring power of live theatre—and the extraordinary woman who helped globalize it.
At just 18, Salonga stunned London audiences in Miss Saigon, earning the Laurence Olivier Award. A year later, she brought the role of Kim to Broadway and made history as the first Asian woman to win a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. From there, her path blazed through Les Misérables, Allegiance, Once on This Island, and the groundbreaking Here Lies Love, all while nurturing a concert career that spans continents.
It’s more than a star—it’s a symbol. Salonga didn’t just perform onstage; she helped redefine who gets to stand in the spotlight.
She is now the first Filipina to receive a star for live performance, and one of very few Asian artists to be honored in that category.
Beyond Broadway
Salonga’s influence reaches far beyond the theatre district. As the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and Mulan in Mulan, she became part of childhoods around the world, earning the title of Disney Legend in 2011.
Offstage, she has lent her voice to issues of social justice, Asian American representation, LGBTQ+ rights, and the fight against anti-Asian hate.
Still actively touring and mentoring, Salonga’s star won’t simply mark a career; it reflects a cultural triumph—rooted in excellence, powerfully voiced, and shared with generations to come.
A Walk of Fame that belongs to many
The unveiling ceremony will transform a stretch of Hollywood Boulevard into a celebration of one woman’s extraordinary path. But it will also be, unmistakably, a communal victory.
It’s not just marble and brass—it’s a symbol of a life devoted to craft, a voice that opened doors, and a legacy now etched beneath the stars and among them.
Long overdue.
Congratulations Ms. Leah