Lea Salonga’s Wax Figure Revealed
LEA SALONGA – The wax figure of singer Lea Salonga was unveiled at a recent event in Manila, Philippines.
After months of meticulous preparation, including taking measurements, detailing, and designing, the wax figure of the Philippines’ very own Broadway Diva, Lea Salonga, has finally been unveiled.
Madame Tussauds Singapore flew the wax figure to Manila for its grand reveal, held Friday morning at the Forum in Solaire, Pasay City. Salonga’s wax figure is dressed in a striking blue gown, which she fondly calls her “workhorse gown,” created by her favorite designer and longtime friend, Rajo Laurel.
“Ay grabe kuhang kuha and this is not a joke, I look at it and I’m like, I’m still in disbelief,” Salonga said, marveling at the likeness.
While standing beside her lifelike “twin,” Salonga was asked what she considers her best physical feature.
“The dimples on my face, they really got them. Also my hands when I showed my brother he was freaking out with the shape of my hands,” she said.
The unveiling was a special moment for Lea Salonga and her mother, Ligaya, who was also present. Salonga recalled a visit to Madame Tussauds when she was 12 years old, where she and her mother admired the wax figures on display.
“There was a wax likeness of Liza Minnelli who I later on I got to meet in my own life. So she’s there posing in her tux and pixie hair cut. My mother and I were both looking at it and she said, “Anak, you’ll never know. One day, that could be you,” she recalled.
“So this moment today, is a manifestation of what happened 40 or so years ago. And I’m so excited that my mom is here and she’ll get to see this because she was the one who said, ‘you’ll never know this might be you.’”
In a brief interview with ABS-CBN News, Salonga’s mother, Ligaya, confirmed the story. “We went to Madame Tussauds kasi we’re in Singapore na, so we visited Madame Tussuads. We were seeing all these kind of statues and wow, everybody here. Sabi niya it would be nice to have one of those. Sabi ko, ‘You will’.
After months of work and collaboration between Salonga’s team and the creators at Madame Tussauds, the wax figure was finally revealed. Ligaya’s reaction: “Unbelievable. I just can’t believe it. Hard to believe, they did it so well.”
Rajo Laurel, who designed the gown for the wax figure, was also in attendance, along with Jed Madela, Ciara Sotto, Esang de Torres, and some of Salonga’s closest friends and theater colleagues.
Salonga’s wax figure is the fourth Filipino to be featured by Madame Tussauds, following Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, boxing icon Manny Pacquiao, and Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray.
Madame Tussauds also announced that a wax figure of actress Anne Curtis is currently in the works and will be unveiled this December.
Lea Salonga’s wax figure will be on display at Madame Tussauds Singapore starting September 20.