Lea Salonga to receive TIME100 Impact Award

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino actress-singer Lea Salonga has been included as among the recipients for the 2022 TIME100 Impact Awards, which recognizes "visionaries who have gone above and beyond to make an impact and move their respective industries forward."

In a write-up by journalist Sanya Mansoor, Salonga recounted how becoming the singing voices for Disney princesses Jasmine and Mulan were meaningful to her, particularly the latter.

“All of a sudden, the people that look like me had a princess,” Salonga said. “[Mulan] brings honor to herself and to her family... and she does it with grace.”

Beyond Disney, Salonga also took pride in promoting representation in Hollywood and in Broadway by showing underrepresented groups their stories matter.

Salonga won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Kim in "Miss Saigon" and in 1992 became the first Asian woman to play Eponine in "Les Misérables" on Broadway.

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Mansoor's write-up also mentions that Salonga is still hoping for a Filipina Disney princess, likely patterned after the legendary heroine Urduja.

Joining Salonga in receiving the award are British-Indian actress Alia Bhatt, Iranian-American computational geneticist Dr. Pardis Sabeti, and former James Webb Space Telescope Program director Gregory L. Robinson.

All four award recipients will make an appearance at a special cocktail party in October 2 in National Gallery Singapore, which will be followed by a viewing party for Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix.

Previous recipients of the award include fellow musical artists Ellie Goulding and will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas.

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