Lea Salonga made history on Friday, September 4, becoming the first Filipina to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Stepping Onto the Walk of Fame After Decades of Trailblazing
“This is surreal,” Lea Salonga told the crowd, according to Fox 11. “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.”
Salonga reflected on her humble beginnings in the Philippines, tracing a journey that took her from a young girl who simply loved to sing to world-famous stages. She admitted she never had a grand blueprint for her career, relying instead on a pure passion for performing that ultimately opened doors across international theater and film.
“When I began my career, I didn’t see very many people who looked like me doing the things I dreamed of doing on the world’s biggest stages and screens,” Salonga noted during her acceptance speech. “There wasn’t an obvious road. I was incredibly fortunate that there were people who opened doors for me. Who took chances on me and who saw what I might be capable of.”
A Legacy Rooted in Broadway History and Disney Magic
Salonga’s path to this honor is paved with legendary firsts. In 1991, at just 20 years old, she won a Tony Award for her performance as Kim in Miss Saigon, becoming the first Asian actress to be recognized by the honor. She later brought emotional depth to iconic tragic heroines like Éponine and Fantine in Les Misérables on Broadway.
To millions worldwide, however, her voice is inextricably tied to childhood nostalgia. In 1992, she performed “A Whole New World” for the film Aladdin. Six years later, she featured as the singing voice of the heroic title character in 1998’s Mulan.
More recently, Salonga expanded her artistic footprint by making her Broadway producing debut and starring as Aurora Aquino alongside an all-Filipino cast in the 2023 production of Here Lies Love. That production marked the first time she played a Filipino character on the Broadway stage, deepening a career-long connection to her cultural heritage.
Celebrity Friends and Collaborators Gather in Hollywood
The Friday afternoon ceremony drew an array of notable figures who turned out to celebrate the milestone. Among the guest speakers was Brandy, who recently dueted “A Whole New World” with Salonga during the Disney Princess concert at D23.
“Lea Salonga’s voice has never been only a voice. It has been a doorway, a mirror, a home,” Brandy said during the ceremony. “There are singers who reach notes. Lea reaches hearts and souls. Through Jasmine and Mulan, she did more than give princesses their songs. She gave children who had been waiting outside the fairy tale a way inside.”
Additional support came from Ming-Na Wen—who provided the speaking voice for Mulan while Salonga provided the singing voice—alongside actor Darren Criss and Oscar winner H.E.R. Salonga and H.E.R. share voice-acting duties in the upcoming animated film Forgotten Island, slated for theatrical release on September 25.
Looking Toward the Next Generation of Filipino Artists
While Salonga’s achievements have steadily chipped away at historical barriers in Western media, she made it clear that her focus remains fixed on the future. Over the years, she has watched the entertainment landscape shift, acknowledging that while the industry has evolved, there is still ground to cover.
“There are so many extraordinary Filipino and Asian artists working today, telling our stories, playing roles we once never could have imagined being offered, and creating new opportunities for future generations,” Salonga said. “That means an enormous amount to me.”
Capped by the unveiling of her star on Hollywood Boulevard, Salonga left a parting message designed to inspire the artists who will follow in her footsteps. “I hope that someday a young Filipino kid comes to Hollywood, sees my name and thinks, ‘Oh, maybe I can get here too.'”
