Lea Salonga to receive Icon Award at 2026 Manila International Film Festival

Lea Salonga is adding another achievement to her name!

According to the Manila International Film Festival (MIFF), the Broadway Diva is set to receive the MIFF Icon Award at the MIFF 2026 in recognition of her decades-long contributions to theater, film, television, and music.

"Lea Salonga is a legend whose extraordinary career has broken barriers and inspires generations of Filipino and Asian artists globally," said MIFF Executive Producer Lisa Lew.

MIFF also called Lea the “ultimate ambassador for Filipino excellence,” adding that the organization nominated her for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Lea is expected to be inducted later this year in the Live Theater category, becoming the first Filipina to receive the prestigious recognition.

“From sweeping major theater awards to voicing classic Disney heroines and starring on screens across both the U.S. and the Philippines, she is the ultimate ambassador for Filipino excellence,” said Lew.

"The Manila International Film Festival is proud to champion Lea's achievements through our Hollywood Walk of Fame nomination, and we look forward to celebrating her legacy with our Icon Award at the Closing Night Gala."

The honor will be presented during the festival's Closing Night Gala on September 6 at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. The festival will run from September 3 to 6.

Lea rose to international prominence after taking on the role of Kim in the musical “Miss Saigon,” a performance that earned her recognition from the Tony Awards, the Olivier Awards, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and the Theatre World Awards.

She is also known as the singing voice behind Jasmine in “Aladdin” and Mulan in “Mulan” and “Mulan II.”

More recently, she starred as The Witch in the local production of “Into the Woods” and Madame Thénardier in "Les Misérables: The World Tour Spectacular.”

Lea is also set to appear in "Forgotten Island," directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado. The animated feature is scheduled to open in theaters on September 25.

MIFF is a premier Los Angeles-based film festival dedicated to promoting and uplifting Philippine cinema on the global stage.

—Jade Veronique Yap/CDC, GMA News