Lea Salonga to become first Filipino to receive Hollywood Walk of Fame star
Filipino Broadway star Lea Salonga will be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the US in 2026. This is the first time a Filipino celebrity will receive a star on the famous landmark in California since the first star was installed in 1960.
Lea, 54, is one of two stars from live theater who will be honored in the coming year. The other one is Gabriel ‘Fluffy’ Iglesias.
The Tony Award-winning actress shared the good news on Instagram Stories, reposting an article published by music publication Billboard.
“Just now woke up to this bit of amazing news!” Lea wrote.
“To the Manila International Film [Festival], many thanks for nominating me to be part of the class of 2025-26!” she added.
According to Billboard, the Filipina theater icon will get a star in 2026 on the iconic landmark in California alongside Miley Cyrus, Timothée Chalamet, Emily Blunt, and Rachel McAdams, and other prominent names.
Dates for the star ceremonies have yet to be announced, but honorees have up to two years from the selection date to schedule it before expiration.
Lea starred in “Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends” on Broadway, for which she also received a nomination for the Distinguished Performance Award at the 2025 Drama League Awards.
She is set to star in the Philippine staging of “Into the Woods” in August. She will play The Witch, while her child, Nic Chien, will portray the role of Jack.
