Lea Salonga to Aladdin’s ‘Genie’: ‘Now you truly are free’

PHOTO FROM LEA SALONGA’S FACEBOOK PAGE

MANILA, Philippines―They both did voice work for the 1992 animated musical fantasy film Aladdin but Lea Salonga and Robin Williams never got the chance to meet in person.

Salonga paid tribute Tuesday to Williams, recalling how the American comedian inspired her. Salonga was the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in the Walt Disney film that won many awards, most of them for its soundtrack. Williams voiced the hilarious genie.

“Strangely, we’ve never met though our voices are featured in the same film, one that went on to become a massive hit for Disney,” the Tony Award-winning Salonga said on Facebook.

Salonga described Williams’ energy as “inspiring, and one that made me laugh out loud whenever I saw any excerpt of Aladdin at events and press gatherings.”

“I felt incredibly fortunate to share one movie credit with him, and felt touched,” she said.

The Oscar-winning Williams was found dead on Monday from an apparent suicide at his home in Northern California. He was 63.

“Sigh… good-bye, Genie… now you truly are free,” said Salonga, who  changed her profile pictures on Facebook and Twitter using a screengrab from Aladdin where Princess Jasmine is shown kissing the genie.

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