Lea Salonga officially receives Hollywood Walk of Fame star
Lea Salonga has officially received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, becoming the first Filipina to receive the honor.
Salonga was formally honored Saturday morning, Sept. 5 (Philippine time), with a ceremony marking the unveiling of her star at 6225 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, across from the iconic Hollywood Pantages Theatre.
"This is surreal," Salonga said during her acceptance speech.
"I have walked down this street many times. I've stepped on a lot of famous people, and now people get to step on me. Which feels strangely appropriate for show business," she quipped. "I love a full-circle moment.”
She went on to reflect on her journey from a young performer from the Philippines to rising as an award-winning theater actress.
VALERIE MACON / AFP
“But truly, to see my name here, to know that it will be here forever, is something I’m still trying to wrap my head around. Because long before Hollywood, long before Broadway, there was Manila," she said.
"I was a little girl in the Philippines who loved to sing and perform," she said. "I started working when I was very young, and I certainly didn't have some grand plan for how any of this was supposed to unfold. I just knew that I loved doing it. This career has taken me to places I never imagined I would go, introduced me to some extraordinary people, and allowed me to keep doing what I love."
She went on to express gratitude to her loved ones, especially her mom, brother, and her son, Nic Chien, who carried her during her journey.
Salonga also hoped the historic honor would inspire more Filipinos aspiring to build a career in the industry.
"I hope that someday a young Filipino kid comes to Hollywood, sees my name and thinks, `Oh, maybe I can get here too,"' she said.
Darren Cris, Brandy, her Mulan co-star Ming-Na Wen gave heartfelt remarks during the ceremony, while H.E.R. and Pops Fernandez were also in attendance.
Before this, the Tony Award- and Olivier Award-winning actress and singer was named among the Hollywood Walk of Fame’s Class of 2026 in the Live Theatre/Live Performance category.
Salonga gained international recognition for originating the role of Kim in Miss Saigon, earning Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Theatre World awards for her performance.
She is also internationally recognized as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and Fa Mulan in Mulan and Mulan II. More recently, she played The Witch in the Philippine staging of Into the Woods, and joined the voice cast of the upcoming film Forgotten Island, alongside H.E.R. and Liza Soberano.
Aside from Salonga, Filipino-American entertainers Jo Koy and Nicole Scherzinger are also set to receive their stars.