Lea Salonga made history on Sept 4 as the first Filipino to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The latest honour caps a 45-year career filled with milestones. Salonga was the first Filipino to win the Laurence Olivier and Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical for Miss Saigon, and remains the first Asian performer to win a Tony in that category.
At a late-morning ceremony outside the Pantages Theatre, a cheering crowd watched as Salonga received the 2,855th star on Hollywood’s famed boulevard.
In her acceptance speech, she drew laughter by acknowledging the inevitable fate of a Walk of Fame honouree. “Feel free to walk on me,” she joked.
Emmy Award-winning sports and entertainment journalist Sibley Scoles hosted the event, which drew fellow performers, creatives, industry figures, friends, relatives and fans. Scoles has Filipino, Black, White, Spanish and Native American heritage.
Among those paying tribute to Salonga were Ming-Na Wen, Darren Criss and Brandy.
Lea Salonga made history on Sept. 4 as the first Filipino to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. ⭐️📽️🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/C44p94GEZy
— Resonate Voices (@ResonateVoices) September 7, 2026
Criss, a Filipino American, is a fellow Tony Award winner, having received the accolade for Maybe Happy Ending in 2. He became the first artist of Filipino descent to win a Golden Globe in 20192019, taking home Best Actor for The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.
He and Salonga have previously appeared together at concerts and events.
“It’s about time,” said actress Dolly De Leon about the unprecedented honour given to a Filipino artiste.
De Leon, the first Filipina to earn a Golden Globe Award best supporting actress nomination for Swedish film-maker Ruben Ostlund’s Triangle Of Sadness (), was also among those at the ceremony.
The pair are both part of the voice cast for the forthcoming animated fantasy film Forgotten Island (). They also starred in Request Sa Radyo (), a Manila adaptation of German playwright Franz Xaver Kroetz’s landmark 1 work Request Concert.
Breaking barriers
Dressed in a purple pantsuit, Salonga began her remarks by reflecting on the full-circle nature of the honour.
“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. I love a full circle moment.”
She also spoke about the significance of her journey as a Filipina performer who has repeatedly crossed cultural and industry barriers.
“There are so many extraordinary Filipino and Asian artistes working today, telling our stories, playing roles we once could have never imagined being offered, and creating new opportunities for future generations. That means an enormous amount to me.
“I hope that someday, a Filipino kid comes to Hollywood, sees my name and thinks, ‘maybe I can get here too.’”
Criss praised Salonga’s longevity, discipline and influence.
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“Today, we are celebrating a hard worker. Lea and I both had fathers who served in the Navy and, as such, I think we both know that one does not make it from Manila to Hollywood with a resume as prolific as hers simply on talent alone. She is a devoted acolyte of the craftsmanship of performance.”
He added, referring to her newly unveiled star: “I suspect it will be the only time that Lea Salonga will ever let anyone walk all over her.”
Wen, who worked with Salonga on Disney’s 1998 animated classic Mulan, also spoke at the ceremony. Salonga provided Mulan’s singing voice, while Wen voiced the character’s dialogue.
Wen, who received her own Hollywood Walk of Fame star in , is known for roles in The Joy Luck Club (), Street Fighter () and television series Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. ( to 2).
“I’ve seen you fill huge venues all by yourself, like the rock star you are. But you’ve also found the time to open doors for young artistes all around the world and have contributed to many humanitarian efforts.
“Your real legacy lives in the people you have inspired, the performers who found courage because of you, and the millions of fans who found joy in your music and the communities who see themselves represented in your success.”
Brandy, herself inducted into the Walk of Fame earlier in , recently performed “A Whole New World” with Salonga at Disney Princess: The Ultimate Concert Celebration in August at Disney California Adventure.
She said of Salonga: “Before many people knew how to speak about representation, Lea had already turned it into sound. Her voice told millions of children, ‘You are not outside of the magic. You are within it. You are a part of it.’
“Long before Hollywood knew her name, a seven-year-old girl in the Philippines stepped on stage. Her voice crossed oceans… conquered Broadway, made her the first Asian woman to win a Tony Award and made her a Disney Legend.”
Other attendees included H.E.R., Pops Fernandez, Forgotten Island directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, and Vincent Rodriguez III.
Among Hollywood legends
Salonga now joins a list of entertainment icons immortalised along Hollywood Boulevard, including Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Mickey Mouse, Tom Cruise, Paul Newman, Charlie Chaplin and Johnny Depp.
Her star sits outside the Pantages Theatre, a fitting location for a performer best known for her landmark work in musical theatre.
The 55-year-old was honoured in the live performance category. The Walk of Fame’s other categories are motion pictures, television, recording, radio and sports entertainment.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which administers both the Walk of Fame and the Hollywood sign, selects about to recipients annually from hundreds of nominations. Salonga was nominated by the Manila International Film Festival.
Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, said in a statement: “The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is proud to welcome Lea Salonga to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Lea is a true trailblazer whose extraordinary talent and decades-long career have inspired audiences around the world.
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“We are thrilled to honour her with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and especially proud that she will be the first Filipino to receive this recognition. Her achievement is a milestone, not only for Lea, but also for the Filipino community and for generations of artistes who will follow in her footsteps.”
Fan Mara Ongkeko was among those who gathered on Hollywood Boulevard for the unveiling.
“People lined up, wearing a mix of Disney cosplay and their Filipino finest, as early as 8am. To pass the time, the crowd joined in to sing her single Nandito Ako, and Reflection from Mulan in perfect pitch.
“It inspired the DJ to start playing music earlier, including some of Lea’s singles such as Dream Again, sparking huge cheers from the crowd.”
Salonga’s Walk of Fame recognition adds to a career that began in the Philippines, where she made her theatrical debut at the age of seven in The King And I.
Beyond her breakthrough in Miss Saigon, she became the first Asian performer to play both Eponine and Fantine in Les Miserables. As the singing voice of Mulan and Princess Jasmine in Disney’s 19921992 film Aladdin, Salonga was named a Disney Legend in 2011.
A continuing legacy
Over several decades, Salonga has performed at renowned venues including Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall, and has appeared alongside major names in theatre, television, film and musical productions. She has also sung for world leaders, including Britain’s late Queen Elizabeth II and several US presidents.
Her latest role is as the Dreaded Mananangal, the vampire antagonist in Crawford and Mercado’s Forgotten Island, a DreamWorks Animation title with a predominantly Filipino voice cast.
The film is notable as the first major Hollywood animation-studio release set in the Philippines and rooted in Philippine folklore and mythology. Its cast includes H.E.R., Liza Soberano, Dave Franco, Manny Jacinto, Jenny Slate, Dolly De Leon, Amielynn Abellera, Ronny Chieng and Kristin Villanueva.
Salonga is in Los Angeles to promote the film. In 2027, Filipino-American entertainers Jo Koy and Nicole Scherzinger are also expected to receive stars as part of the Walk of Fame’s Class of .
