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Lea Salonga Is Getting Her Own Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
She makes history as the first Filipina to receive the star.
Published on Jul 3, 2025
(SPOT.ph) She’s already a
Disney princess and a Broadway legend, so it was only a matter of time before Lea
Salonga got her very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The announcement came on July 2
(L.A. time), when the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce revealed the Walk of Fame
Class of 2026. Salonga is being recognized under the Live Theatre/Live Performance
category. The rest of the class includes some pretty big names across different fields including Miley Cyrus, Demi
Moore, Gordon Ramsay, and Timothee Chalamet.
This makes Salonga the first Filipina
to receive a star on the Walk of Fame. Only three other honorees with Filipino roots have
made it to the famous sidewalk: comedian Rob Schneider in 2011, singer Bruno Mars in
2016, and Black Eyed Peas member apl.de.ap in 2023.
What makes this even more
meaningful is that her nomination came all the way from the Philippines. The Manila
International Film Festival (MIFF) shared in a Facebook post that they submitted the nomination.
“We’re incredibly proud to share
that the Manila International Film Festival had the honor of nominating the one
and only Lea Salonga for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—and she’s
officially been selected!” MIFF said. “This recognition is not just for her
extraordinary talent, but for everything she represents: excellence, integrity,
and cultural pride.”
Click to Enlarge
Photo from Facebook/Manila International Film Fest.
Salonga rose to international fame as Kim in Miss Saigon, a role that won her the biggest awards in world theater: the Olivier and the Tony—she's the first Asian woman to win a Tony for a lead role. Later, she joined Les Misérables on Broadway and the West End, playing Éponine and Fantine. Salonga is also known for being the singing voice of two Disney princesses: Jasmine in Aladdin and Mulan in Mulan. Most recently, she just finished Old Friends, the Stephen Sondheim revue that made it to Broadway earlier this year, where she got to star alongside theater legend Bernadette Peters.
Salonga will be returning to the Philippine stage as the Witch in Into the Woods, which runs from August 7 to 24 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati City.
How does the Hollywood Walk of Fame work?
Every year, the Hollywood Walk of
Fame committee picks around 30 to 40 names from hundreds of nominations across
five categories: Motion Pictures, Television, Recording, Live
Theatre/Performance, and Sports Entertainment. Nominees need a formal
sponsor like a fan club, studio, or in this case, a film festival.
Here’s
something most people don't know: getting a star isn't free. Someone has
to pay around $75,000 to cover the cost of making the star, maintaining it, and staging the unveiling.
Not every celebrity who gets
nominated makes the cut. Even if they are picked, they have to show up for the unveiling. Honorees have two years to schedule their
ceremony—in Salonga’s case, until 2027—or the offer expires.
Micah believes that writing is always political. Beyond the byline, you’ll find her bruising herself in a pole studio or napping with her beagle. Reach her at micah@spot.ph.
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