Lea Salonga reveals what she manifested 40 years ago: “This is a little unbelievable!”
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Lea Salonga reveals what she manifested 40 years ago: “This is a little unbelievable!”
Rhea Manila Santos
Published Sep 30, 2024 09:24 PM PHT
Singer-actress Lea Salonga has now joined the ranks of other famed Filipino celebrities now immortalized in history with her own wax figure. Lea’s image was recently launched as the latest Pinoy to have her likeness included in Madame Tussaud’s wax museum.
“There's Catriona Gray, there's Manny Pacquiao, there's Pia Wurtzbach. And now, I'm number four. It feels really great. It feels great that there are these global, iconic representatives of our country immortalized in wax,” noting how she now joins the rest of the Philippines’ pride in the renown display.
The wax figures of boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, and Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray are all on display in Madame Tussaud’s Hong Kong branch. It is reported that the wax figure of actress-host Anne Curtis will be the next Filipino celebrity to be included in the Hong Kong display.
The wax figures of boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, and Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray are all on display in Madame Tussaud’s Hong Kong branch. It is reported that the wax figure of actress-host Anne Curtis will be the next Filipino celebrity to be included in the Hong Kong display.
Lea’s wax figure is the first Filipino icon to be displayed in the Singapore branch, where it will be permanently included in the museum’s Music Zone.
Lea’s wax figure is the first Filipino icon to be displayed in the Singapore branch, where it will be permanently included in the museum’s Music Zone.
“I'm hoping that any Filipino visitor to any of the Madam Tussaud’s where these figures are present, when they come to visit, that they feel a sense of pride that we are there,” she added.
The talented performer admitted that it took a long process to complete her wax figure which is now available for the public to view at the wax museum’s branch in Singapore.
“The road leading up to today has been a very long one. There was a sitting in London while I was over there doing a show. And it was a very long Sunday well spent. So many measurements taken, so many discussions on what is this pose going to look like, what are we trying to achieve with this particular likeness,” she recalled. “And so, throughout the process, my manager and I would get progress photos just to see everything as it’s happening.”
It was both surreal and amazing to witness.
It was both surreal and amazing to witness.
“I think every image that Madame Tussaud’s would send, I would have a mini freak out because it’s like, that’s me. I think there were different stages of everything and I would show things to my brother and my sister-in-law and the reactions were speechlessness. My brother’s reaction to one of the work in progress photographs was, ‘Your hands! They got your hands!’ So he would have a freak out, like what sorcery is this, you know,” Lea shared during her presscon earlier this month.
They depicted Lea holding a mic and wearing a floor-length blue gown. During the launch, Lea explained the choice for her wax figure's pose and gown as well as jewelry.
They depicted Lea holding a mic and wearing a floor-length blue gown. During the launch, Lea explained the choice for her wax figure's pose and gown as well as jewelry.
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"This is how I normally look when I have a mic stand in front of me at concerts. This are my hands, the pose, this is how I look in concert,” she shared.
"This is how I normally look when I have a mic stand in front of me at concerts. This are my hands, the pose, this is how I look in concert,” she shared.
Her gown, designed by Rajo Laurel, was one that Lea actually wore.
Her gown, designed by Rajo Laurel, was one that Lea actually wore.
“The gown is by Rajo Laurel. I’ve done a whole bunch of concerts. This is not the only gown I have of this style; I have three. There is one in red, black, and the blue one. This is actually mine,” she revealed. “It was in my closet in New York. This is the real dress that I wear. One of my best friends had to fish it out of my closet and then pass it on to my manager who then passed it on to Tussaud’s in London.”
“The gown is by Rajo Laurel. I’ve done a whole bunch of concerts. This is not the only gown I have of this style; I have three. There is one in red, black, and the blue one. This is actually mine,” she revealed. “It was in my closet in New York. This is the real dress that I wear. One of my best friends had to fish it out of my closet and then pass it on to my manager who then passed it on to Tussaud’s in London.”
“So it was a very major team effort to get this dress to the artists that were working on this likeness, down to the color of my nail polish, the teeth, the lashes, and makeup. The jewelry I’m wearing that is what they based the likeness on. Down to the piercings on my left ear which aren’t occupied but they added that. The likeness, it’s ridiculous," she added.
“So it was a very major team effort to get this dress to the artists that were working on this likeness, down to the color of my nail polish, the teeth, the lashes, and makeup. The jewelry I’m wearing that is what they based the likeness on. Down to the piercings on my left ear which aren’t occupied but they added that. The likeness, it’s ridiculous," she added.
During the Madame Tussaud’s presscon, Lea also shared her daughter Nicole’s reaction after seeing photos of her wax figure which was done in London.
During the Madame Tussaud’s presscon, Lea also shared her daughter Nicole’s reaction after seeing photos of her wax figure which was done in London.
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“I showed her some of the final photographs that I got sent and she said, ‘Mom, I love the pose because it’s not a static pose like for a photograph. It looks like you’re about to do something, like you’re about to open your mouth and sing,” she shared. “So that’s why it is the way that it is and I’m glad that the kid caught it, like she was able to figure that out. I have a smart kid so it’s all good.”
“I showed her some of the final photographs that I got sent and she said, ‘Mom, I love the pose because it’s not a static pose like for a photograph. It looks like you’re about to do something, like you’re about to open your mouth and sing,” she shared. “So that’s why it is the way that it is and I’m glad that the kid caught it, like she was able to figure that out. I have a smart kid so it’s all good.”
Lea also shared something interesting and meaningful about the artist who worked on her wax figure.
Lea also shared something interesting and meaningful about the artist who worked on her wax figure.
“He’s British; his mother is from Cebu. I think at one point, when he was like really close to my face trying to get everything right, he’s like, ‘I’m Filipino. My mother is from Cebu,’ which kind of makes it really special because it was Filipino artisan from Madame Tussaud’s in London that did this. So it’s FIlipino pride all around because it was a Filipino artist that handled this,” she said.
“He’s British; his mother is from Cebu. I think at one point, when he was like really close to my face trying to get everything right, he’s like, ‘I’m Filipino. My mother is from Cebu,’ which kind of makes it really special because it was Filipino artisan from Madame Tussaud’s in London that did this. So it’s FIlipino pride all around because it was a Filipino artist that handled this,” she said.
Lea admitted that having a wax figure in Tussaud’s is also very meaningful to her because of what she manifested when she first went to London decades ago.
Lea admitted that having a wax figure in Tussaud’s is also very meaningful to her because of what she manifested when she first went to London decades ago.
“Here’s the thing about Tussaud’s: the first time I ever walked into a Tussaud’s [was when] I was 12. It was in London and I went with my mother. At that time, there was a part in the Tussaud’s in London called the Conservatory and there are many artists, actors, actresses, performers, who were part of that particular part of the museum. And there was a wax likeness of Liza Minelli who I got to meet later on in my own life. And so she’s there posing in her tux and her pixie haircut and I think my mother and I were both looking at it and she said, ‘Anak, you never know. One day, that could be you,’” she recalled. “So this moment is like a manifestation of what happened 40 or so years ago. So the goosebumps are here. This is a little unbelievable.”
“Here’s the thing about Tussaud’s: the first time I ever walked into a Tussaud’s [was when] I was 12. It was in London and I went with my mother. At that time, there was a part in the Tussaud’s in London called the Conservatory and there are many artists, actors, actresses, performers, who were part of that particular part of the museum. And there was a wax likeness of Liza Minelli who I got to meet later on in my own life. And so she’s there posing in her tux and her pixie haircut and I think my mother and I were both looking at it and she said, ‘Anak, you never know. One day, that could be you,’” she recalled. “So this moment is like a manifestation of what happened 40 or so years ago. So the goosebumps are here. This is a little unbelievable.”
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The fact that her wax figure is on display in Singapore, a city that holds a lot of good memories for Lea, adds to its meaning.
The fact that her wax figure is on display in Singapore, a city that holds a lot of good memories for Lea, adds to its meaning.
“Usually when I go and visit a city, it’s to go, work, get out. That’s just kind of my life. It is what it is,” she admnitted. “But I have really great memories with performances there and getting to spend time in Singapore: enjoying the food, enjoying the city, being able to go around Orchard Road or just restaurants and street food. Those things are definitely things I appreciate about the city. I have wonderful memories of Singapore. I have many friends there. The food is incredible, the city is wonderful. I love doing concerts there. I guess that’s why it’s one of my favorite cities.”
“Usually when I go and visit a city, it’s to go, work, get out. That’s just kind of my life. It is what it is,” she admnitted. “But I have really great memories with performances there and getting to spend time in Singapore: enjoying the food, enjoying the city, being able to go around Orchard Road or just restaurants and street food. Those things are definitely things I appreciate about the city. I have wonderful memories of Singapore. I have many friends there. The food is incredible, the city is wonderful. I love doing concerts there. I guess that’s why it’s one of my favorite cities.”
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