Lea Salonga Says Nora Aunor Deserves to Received National Artist Award
Broadway star Lea Salonga says the Philippine cinema superstar Nora Aunor deserved to be awarded and hailed as the National Artist.
On Tito Boy Abunda’s show “The Best Talk” on Kumu’s FYE channel where he starred with Lea Salonga and her co-star in the international film “Yellow Rose,” the Broadway star Eva Nobledeza, Lea said that she doesn’t the National Artist award.
They discussed the issue of the National Artist Award of the Philippines and Tito Boy told her that if she deserves to be given such an award even though he is still alive.
“I don’t really need it. You all can wait till I’m dead,” Lea joked. “in all seriousness, it’s not that I need that validation necessarily. I think there are artists who are far more deserving.”
The “The Voice” coach then shared her thoughts on the issue. She said she was wondering why they did not want to give this award to artists, like Nora Aunor, if she deserved it.
“Hindi ko lang alam kung bakit hindi pa sila pinaparangalan ng National Artist. Hindi naman kasi pagiging sentimyento yung pabibigay sa kanila nun eh. Karapat-dapat naman na ibigay sa kanila yun dahil kumbaga ang body of work nila at the end of the day, yung ang batayan kung bakit sila papangalanang National Artist,” she said.
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Tito Boy also stressed that Ate Guy should be honored because she could be the first National Artist to be “kayumangge or “morena”. However, Lea did not agree that the award will not be given to Nora.
No, that’s not why you should give it to her. Just look at what she’s been able to do, not just as an actress, but as a singer and performer. Napapakamot nalang ako ng ulo kung bakit hindi pa binibigay sa kanya,” Lea said.
Also, the Broadway star admitted that due to her long absence from filmmaking, she is still grateful. She grateful to her director Diane Paragas for guiding her and helping her improve her characters in “Yellow Rose.”
“Yellow Rose” is an ABS-CBN Cinematografo’s first Filipino-led film backed by a major studio when it was acquired by Sony Pictures for release in the United States and Canada last October. According to Lea and Eva, Filipinos will soon be able to watch the award-winning film because it will be released in the Philippines next year.
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