Lea Salonga will become the first Filipina to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on September 4, adding another milestone to a career that has taken her from Philippine theater to the West End, Broadway and Disney.
Salonga will receive the 2,855th star on the Walk of Fame at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time at 6225 Hollywood Boulevard, in front of the Pantages Theatre. Her star will be under the Live Performance category.
Actress Ming-Na Wen will join Salonga at the ceremony, while entertainment journalist Sibley Scoles will serve as emcee. Wen provided the speaking voice of Mulan in Disney’s 1998 animated film, while Salonga performed the character’s singing voice.
Born in Manila in 1971, Salonga began performing professionally as a child before making her international breakthrough as Kim in the original London production of Miss Saigon.
Her performance earned her the Laurence Olivier Award. When the musical moved to Broadway in 1991, Salonga won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, becoming the first Asian American woman to win a Tony for a performance.
She later became the first actress of Asian descent to play Éponine and Fantine in Les Misérables on Broadway.
Her other Broadway credits include Flower Drum Song, Allegiance, Once on This Island, Here Lies Love and Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends. In 2026, she returned to Les Misérables as Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables: The World Tour Spectacular.
Salonga also reached a wider international audience through Disney. She provided the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin in 1992 and Mulan in 1998, two performances that became among her best-known work outside musical theater.
The Manila International Film Festival (MIFF) nominated Salonga for the Hollywood Walk of Fame. MIFF is a member of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which administers the Walk of Fame.
Salonga was selected for the Class of 2026 and will formally become the 2,855th Walk of Fame honoree when her star is unveiled on September 4.
Two days later, MIFF will present Salonga with its Icon Award during the festival’s Closing Night Gala on September 6 at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.
The third Manila International Film Festival will run from September 3 to 6 in Los Angeles, with screenings at the TCL Chinese Theatre.
Salonga also has a new animated project arriving weeks after the Hollywood ceremony.
She voices the Dreaded Manananggal in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, an adventure inspired by Filipino culture and mythology.
The film follows best friends Jo and Raissa after they are transported to the mysterious island of Nakali. Its voice cast includes H.E.R., Liza Soberano, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon and Jo Koy.
The villainous role is a departure from Salonga’s best-known animation work as the singing voices of Disney heroines Jasmine and Mulan.
Forgotten Island is scheduled for theatrical release on September 25, 2026.
Salonga’s Hollywood star follows more than three decades of international milestones.
Her work in Miss Saigon brought her Olivier and Tony awards. Her roles in Les Misérables broke casting ground for Asian performers on Broadway, while her work with Disney introduced her voice to audiences worldwide.
In September, another distinction will be added to that record when Salonga becomes the first Filipina with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.