MANILA — Broadway star Lea Salonga will receive the inaugural Icon Award from the Manila International Film Festival (MIFF) in recognition of her decades-long career and contributions to entertainment.
Salonga will be honored during the festival’s Closing Night Gala on Sept. 6 at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.
MIFF Executive Producer Lisa Lew said Salonga’s achievements have paved the way for Filipino and Asian artists on the global stage.
“Lea Salonga is a legend whose extraordinary career has broken barriers and inspires generations of Filipino and Asian artists globally,” Lew said in a statement.
“From sweeping major theater awards to voicing classic Disney heroines and starring on screens across both the US and the Philippines, she is the ultimate ambassador for Filipino excellence,” she added.
Lew also said the festival is supporting Salonga’s nomination for the Hollywood Walk of Fame and looks forward to celebrating her legacy during the gala.
Salonga rose to international fame for her portrayal of Kim in “Miss Saigon,” earning top acting honors from the Tony Awards, Olivier Awards, Drama Desk Awards, Outer Critics Circle Awards and Theatre World Awards.
She is also known as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Disney’s “Aladdin,” Fa Mulan in “Mulan,” and Celine in “KPop Demon Hunters.” She is also part of the voice cast of the upcoming animated film “Forgotten Island.”
Earlier this year, Salonga made history as the first Filipina selected to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.