Filipino talent gets international recognition again, this time at the 71st Tony Awards. Tony awardee and Broadway star Lea Salonga presented one of the awards, while Miss Saigon star, Eva Noblezada got a nomination for Best Leading Actress.
According to the Charlotte Magazine, Noblezada who is a Charlotte native, also graced the stage during the awards night. Lea Salonga, on the other hand, gets to meet Mark Hamill.
Mark Hamill Meets Lea Salonga At 71st Tony Awards
Star Wars star Mark Hamill, who plays the role of Luke Skywalker, meets the Filipino broadway star at the awards. He also posted a photo of their encounter, calling Lea his “second favorite Lea.” According to a PEP.ph report, the actor also praised her for being gracious and sweet.
During the awards, Hamill paid tribute to his first favorite Lea, Carrie Fisher. He said that the late actress was among the members of the theatrical family who passed on this past year.
Eva Noblezada Gets Tony Nom And Vogue Nod
Noblezada grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. This half-Mexican, half-Filipino artist earned her nomination for Best Lead Actress for her role as Kim in Miss Saigon. Other nominees were veteran performer Bette Midler and Patti Lupone. Midler won this year’s award.
At 17 years old, she took on the role first at the West End revival in London. When the show was brought back to Broadway, she joined the cast again, this time staging in New York. Performing I’d Give My Life For You with the rest of the cast, she showed the audience exactly why she deserves the Tony nod.
Although she did not the award, she nevertheless caught the attention of fashion giant Vogue.com. Looking stunning in a Jonathan Simkhai dress, Vogue called her one of the “best beauty looks” of the night.