Lea Salonga through the years. Image: Screengrab from YouTube/CBS Mornings
Award-winning actress and singer Lea Salonga retraced the pivotal moments that shaped her life and stellar Broadway career through a heartfelt letter addressed to her 17-year-old self.
For the Women’s History Month edition of CBS Mornings’ “Note to Self,” Salonga made an appearance on the show to revisit her journey from the Philippines to Broadway, narrating how she was first torn choosing between academics and performing arts.
“Dear 17-year-old Lea, you are finding yourself at a crossroads in your life, a fork in the road of two possible futures,” she reads the letter. “The first a more traditional one, four years in university and a career in medicine, the second a still uncertain path as an artist performing in a brand-new West End musical.”
The Disney legend recounted how her mother played a significant role in her self-realization of her full potential as a singer and performer.
“From the age of three, you’ve been climbing onto the living room table, holding concerts for an audience of zero,” she continued. “Mama started noticing that you could hold pitch and sing properly, even though the lyrics would come out garbled.”
Salonga highlighted that her mother braced the storm of trying to sell her single on vinyl despite the times of a revolution in the country.
“It’s the same city where hundreds of thousands of Filipinos protested the government in a revolution that began on your 15th birthday,” she said. “It was your mother’s determination that set you on a course to make movies, host television shows and perform in front of tens of thousands of people.”
The Filipina theater superstar underscored that landing the lead role in the groundbreaking musical “Miss Saigon” on the West End was a major turning point in her life.
“You will one day, thanks to Miss Saigon, win a Tony Award for yourself, becoming the very first Asian actress to hold that trophy. Your voice will carry you from Broadway to Disney where you’ll become the first-ever princess of color singing as Jasmine in the movie ‘Aladdin’; you’ll later voice another Disney princess Mulan,” she narrated.
Despite the countless trophies that have passed in her hands, Salonga remarked that the path she unknowingly built for the next generation of Asian performers was the greatest achievement she could have ever done.
“Perhaps the greatest reward you’ll ever receive won’t be a trophy, plaque, or medal,” she reflected. “It’ll come in the form of another young Asian actor making her Broadway debut. She will give you the tightest hug and will softly say that your being on stage showed her that she could do this.”
The 54-year-old noted that many decades might have passed but that she is still having fun with the opportunities and moments that she has been given.
“Oh one more thing, when you’re 35 years old, you will give birth to the love of your life, someone who will share your love for musicals and performing… His name is Nick. Trust me, you’re going to love him,” she continued. “Good luck with it all. I have a good feeling about your life.”
Fans have resonated with Salonga’s letter as they pointed out her significant contribution to the world of theater.
“Hers is a story of someone fated to be a shining star and leave a mark in the world. All this was her destiny, it was written for her. Not to say she had it easy. She showed that hard work, discipline, strong will, determination, talent, passion can take you far. She went far and beyond just dreaming,” wrote one netizen.
Image: YouTube/CBS Mornings