Filipino theater icon Lea Salonga is among the honorees set to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as part of the Class of 2025-2026, becoming the first Filipina and the fourth famous name with Filipino roots overall to be honored.
Announced by Ovation Hollywood on July 2, Salonga joins actor and stand-up comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias as the only two honorees in the Live Theatre/Live Performance category.
The Tony Award-winning actress also joins other personalities of Filipino descent who have previously received stars, such as her fellow The Voice of the Philippines coach and The Black Eyed Peas’ Apl.de.Ap, actor-comedian Rob Schneider, and Grammy-winning hitmaker Bruno Mars.
Salonga took to Instagram to share the achievement, saying, “To the Manila International Film Fest, many thanks for nominating me to be part of the Class of 2025-2026!”
The nominees submitted come from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. They are selected based on the criteria: “professional achievement, longevity in the category of five years or more, contributions to the community and the guarantee that the celebrity will attend the dedication ceremony if selected.”
Among her fellow artists and musicians to be honored in the upcoming class are Miley Cyrus, Air Supply, and Josh Groban.
The dates for the ceremony are yet to be announced, according to Billboard Global. Honorees have up to two years from when they were selected to schedule and set a date for their ceremony before it expires.
Established in 1960, the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a world-famous landmark and tourist attraction that honors notable names across various categories, including music/audio recording, broadcast radio, motion pictures, television, live theater/performance, and sports entertainment. It is located at Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.