AWARD-winning Filipina singer-actress, West End and Broadway star Lea Salonga (51) is one of the recipients of this year’s “TIME 100 Impact Awards” to be held on Sunday, October 2 at the National Gallery in Singapore.

The Time 100 Impact Awards are the latest expansion of the Time 100 List of the world’s most influential people and recognizes those who have made a significant impact on their industries and the world at large.

Truly the Philippines’ pride, Lea started singing professionally on stage at age 7 sa 1978 musical na “The King and I” ng Repertory Philippines held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

On April 11, 1991, Lea opened “Miss Saigon” on Broadway in New York, USA with a record advance sales of over $39-M.

Her role as Kim in “Miss Saigon” brought various awards in London tulad ng Laurence Olivier Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award and Theatre World Awards and the the very first Asian woman to win a Tony Award.

She is also the first acrtress of Asian descent to play the roles of Eponine and Fantine in the hit musical “Les Miserables” on Broadway.

Si Lea rin ang kauna-unahang Filipino to sign up an international record deal with Atlantic Records in 1993.

She’s also the singing voice behind Walt Disney’s two princesses as Fa Mulan in “Mulan” and Princess Jasmine in “Aladdin”.

Lea has played other roles on Broadway tulad ng “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin” where she played the role of Elodie Honrada. She also starred as Me-li in the production version of “Flower Drum Song” and the return to Broadway in “Allegiance”. In 2017, ginawa rin niya ang “Once On This Island”.

Lea was dubbed by Time as a ‘life-long role model for kids of color.”

The Filipina singer-actress is married to Robert Charles Chen since 2004 at meron silang isang anak, now a teen-age na si Nicole Beverly Chen na minana kay Lea ang husay sa pagkanta.

Si Lea ay isa rin sa naging original member ng youth-oriented program ng yumaong star-builder and Master Showman na si German `Kuya Germs’ Moreno on GMA, ang “That’s Entertainment”.

Bukod sa mga musical plays, Lea has recorded several albums and continue doing sold-out concerts here and abroad with her younger brother na si Gerard Salonga as her conductor and musical director.

John Lloyd tahimik sa lovelife

TAHIMIK lamang ang 39-year-old actor na si John Lloyd Cruz pagdating sa kanyang bagong lovelife lalupa’t hindi naman taga-showbiz ang kanyang rumored girlfriend ngayon, ang visual artist and illustrator na si Isabel Santos.

Cruz who has a four-year-old son sa (dating) actress na si Ellen Adarna, now married to Derek Ramsay, is now a free-lancer matapos itong kumalas sa Kapamilye network in October 2017 nang (pansamantala) siyang magpaalam for an indefinite leave of absence from the network para harapin ang kanyang personal na buhay with Ellen (Adarana) then. Pero bago pa man nag-isang taon ang anak nilang si Elias ay nagkahiwalay na ang dalawa. But John Lloyd fulfills his duty as a father to their son na very close din kay Derek whom the boy considers as his second dad.

Except for his weekly sitcom on GMA, ang “Happy Together” directed by Edgar `Bobot’ Mortiz, wala pa ring ginagawang bagong movie o teleserye si John Lloyd up to now.

Maja balik- ABS-CBN

NOTHING is permanent in this world, isang matandang kasabihan na totoong-totoo sa lahat ng tao at bagay.

Matapos maging freelancer after almost two decades with ABS-CBN, singer, dancer, actress, host and talent manager Maja Salvador is returning to her fomer home studio, ang ABS-CBN for a new TV series na pinamagatang “Iron Heart” na pagsasamahan nila nina Richard Gutierrez, Jake Cuenca at Sue Ramirez.

Richard was last seen as one of the nemesis ni Cardo Dalisay played by Coco Martin sa longest-running action drama series na “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano” na nagtapos sa ere last August 12. Si Jake sa primetime hit TV series na “Viral Scandal” habang si Sue naman sa isa pang hit series, ang Philippine adaption ng hit BBC series na “Doctor Foster,” ang “The Broken Marriage Vow”. Habang huling teleserye naman ni Maja sa ABS-CBN, ang “The Killer Bride” na nagtapos nung 2020.

Si Maja ay nakagawa ng series sa TV5, ang “Nino, Nina” maging ang “Oh My Korona” at ito’y labas pa sa kanyang pagiging bahagi na ngayon ng longest-running noontime program, ang “Eat Bulaga”. Pero hindi niya isinara ang oportunidad na muling makagawa ng proyekto sa Kapamilya network.

DonBelle namamayagpag

KUNG tapos na ang tambalan ng LizQueen nina Liza Soberano at Enrique Gil dahil sa kanilang magkaibang direksiyon ng kanilang respective career ngayon, patuloy naman sa pamamayagpag ang tambalan ng DonBelle nina Donny Pangilinan at Belle Mariano na siyang tinaguriang New Gen Phenomenal Love Team matapos maging instant hit ang kanilang TV series na “He’s Into Her” na nagkaroon pa ng Season 2 plus their hit first movie together nung isang taon, ang “Love is Color Blind”.

Hindi pa man tapos ang kanilang bagong movie na ginagawa, ang “Ang Inconvenient Love” na pinamamahalaan ni Petersen Vargas under Star Cinema, meron na itong playdate sa mga sinehan on November 23, 2022. Ito rin bale ang first movie ng Star Cinema na maipapalabas sa mga sinehan kaya excited ang dalawa.

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