Lea Salonga became the first Filipina to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Sept. 4, accepting the landmark’s 2,855th star with gratitude, humor and a message of possibility for young Filipino and Asian artists.

The Tony- and Olivier Award-winning singer and actor received the honor in the Live Performance category during an 11:30 a.m. ceremony outside the Hollywood Pantages Theatre at 6225 Hollywood Blvd. The setting was fitting for an artist whose career has taken her from Manila stages to Broadway, London’s West End and concert halls around the world.

“Long before Hollywood, long before Broadway, there was Manila,” Salonga said, placing the moment not only in the context of her own career, but also in the broader journey of Filipino artists seeking a place on the world’s biggest stages.

Her star was nominated by the Manila International Film Festival, or MIFF, which is holding its third Los Angeles edition from Sept. 3 through Sept. 6. Festival founder Lisa Lew has helped lead MIFF’s effort to spotlight Filipino and Filipino American film and talent.

‘Maybe I can get here too’

Salonga said that early in her career, she rarely saw performers who looked like her in the roles she hoped to play. She credited the people who opened doors for her and reflected on the growing visibility of Filipino and Asian artists in theater, film and music.

“There are so many extraordinary Filipino and Asian artists working today, telling our stories, playing roles we once could have never imagined being offered, and creating new opportunities for future generations,” she said. “That means an enormous amount to me.”

She said she hoped a young Filipino would one day see her name on Hollywood Boulevard and think: “Oh. Maybe I can get here too.”

Salonga, who made her professional stage debut in the Philippines at age 7 in The King and I, also thanked the people behind the single name set in terrazzo and brass.

“No career is ever the work of just one person,” she said.

She paid tribute to her mother, Ligaya, who managed her career for decades and helped finance Salonga’s first album, personally taking copies to record stores in the Philippines. Salonga also thanked her child, Nic Chien, whom she called her “proudest production to date.”

Then she turned the moment into a joke.

“I’ve stepped on a lot of famous people, and now people get to step on me, which feels strangely appropriate for show business,” she said. “I love a full-circle moment.”

Her invitation to future visitors was simple: “Please feel free to step on me.”

Friends, peers and community

Emmy Award-winning sports and entertainment journalist Sibley Scoles hosted the ceremony. Guest speakers included actor Ming-Na Wen, Salonga’s Mulan collaborator; singer Brandy; and Filipino American actor and Tony Award winner Darren Criss.

Wen voiced Mulan in Disney’s 1998 animated film, while Salonga provided the character’s singing voice. Brandy and Salonga recently performed “A Whole New World” during the Disney Princess: The Ultimate Concert Celebration at Disney California Adventure.

Criss emphasized the resonance of the honor for Filipino audiences, calling Salonga the first “homegrown, 100 percent Filipino” artist to receive a Walk of Fame star.

Also attending were Grammy- and Academy Award-winning artist H.E.R., actor Dolly de Leon, singer Pops Fernandez, Assemblymember Jessica Caloza, and Filipino American community leaders Sonia Delen and SoCal Filipinos’ Jason Lustina.

Caloza, the first Filipina American elected to the California State Assembly, presented Salonga with a citation recognizing her cultural contributions and historic milestone. Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ron Frierson presented honors from the city and state and declared Sept. 4 “Lea Salonga Day” in Hollywood before the star was unveiled.

A place on Hollywood Boulevard

The Hollywood Walk of Fame began as a civic and tourism project in the late 1950s, with its first permanent stars installed in 1960. Its terrazzo-and-brass markers line sections of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street, honoring achievements in motion pictures, television, recording, radio, live theater/live performance and sports entertainment.

Salonga’s star, the 2,855th awarded, is at 6225 Hollywood Blvd. in front of the Pantages Theatre. She was recognized in the Live Performance category, one of the six categories used by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

The Walk of Fame committee selects an average of 24 to 30 honorees annually from about 200 applications.

The recognition adds to a career already defined by milestones. Salonga was the first Filipino performer to win Olivier and Tony awards for a leading role in a musical for Miss Saigon, and the first Asian actor to win the Tony in that category. Her credits include Eponine and Fantine in Les Misérables and the singing voices of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and Mulan in Mulan. She was named a Disney Legend in 2011.

MIFF honors and ‘Forgotten Island’

Salonga is in Los Angeles as the Manila International Film Festival continues its four-day program. The festival is set to present her with its Icon Award at its closing gala Sept. 6 at the Beverly Hilton.

She is also promoting Forgotten Island, the DreamWorks Animation film in which she voices the Dreaded Manananggal. Set in the Philippines and inspired by Philippine folklore, the animated feature includes H.E.R., Liza Soberano, Dave Franco, Manny Jacinto, Jenny Slate, Dolly de Leon, Amielynn Abellera, Ronny Chieng and Kristin Villanueva in its voice cast.

The ceremony marked another milestone for the Manila-born performer, whose career continues to span theater, film and music.

“What an extraordinary journey this has been,” Salonga said. “And the best part is I’m not done yet.”