Lea Salonga's Mom Ligaya Manifested Her Madame Tussauds Wax Figure

We just met Broadway legend Lea Salonga's twin, her Madame Tussauds Singapore wax figure, and she's stunning, stylish, and iconic!

No doubt: to be immortalized through a Madame Tussauds wax figure is a dream for many celebrities. But Lea never imagined it would one day be a reality for her. Asked about her memories of visiting the Madame Tussauds wax museum, she told Metro.Style, "I've been twice in London, and that museum is incredible. And I think it still receives millions of visitors every year. It's a wonderful place, and I remember that feeling of being close to a celebrity but it's not the celebrity, so it's really great."

Her first visit to Madame Tussauds London was with her mother, Ligaya, when she was 12. "I'm sure we were looking at [the wax figure of] Liza Minnelli in The Conservatory in the London museum, and then she said something like, 'Anak, malay mo, baka one day, ganyan ka rin.' And I think it was a throwaway remark to a 12-year-old kid," Lea said. 

Many years later, Lea became a multiple award-winning singer and actress. She's known globally for her remarkable performance as the first-ever Asian to play Eponine in the musical Les Miserables on Broadway, her Tony and Olivier Award-winning performance as Kim in Miss Saigon, and her legendary voice work for Disney princesses Jasmine and Mulan. 

She's become "LEAgendary" indeed, and she couldn't be more thrilled to join the remarkable lineup of Filipinos immortalized at Madame Tussauds. 

Looking back on that special moment she shared with her mom at the Madame Tussauds London museum decades ago, Lea expressed, "I don't think either of us ever anticipated that this was actually going to happen. And now that it's here, it's amazing! And I wanted to make sure that she [her mom] was here to see it because it came out of her mouth. And now here it is"

Describing her mom's reaction upon seeing her wax figure unveiled last September 13 at Solaire Resort Entertainment City, Lea quipped, "I think she was dumbstruck. I think all of us were."

Lea Salonga's Madame Tussauds Singapore wax figure was six months in the making. Of the experience of collaborating with the museum and its team of expert sculptors, Lea narrated, "The road leading to today has been a very long one. There was a sitting in London while I was there doing a show, and it was a very long Sunday well spent. So many measurements taken. So many discussions on 'What is this pose going to look like?' 'What are we trying to achieve with this particular likeness?' And so, throughout the process, my manager Josh [Pultz] and I would get progress photos just to see everything as it's happening. And I think every image that Tussauds would sent, I would have a mini freak out because it's like, okay, this is… that's me!" 

For every Madame Tussauds wax figure, the pose and the outfit must be iconic because they should help represent an artist best. In the case of Lea, they picked a pose showing Lea with a microphone and a mic stand, flashing her signature smile and sparkle in the eyes; she also handpicked an electric blue gown with a corset detailing and crepe fabric by her dear friend, Rajo Laurel.

"I chose this dress as I felt it best represented my personality and sensibilities when deciding what to wear for performances. This gown served me so well for so many shows, so it felt right for it to be continued to be seen on Madame Tussauds's wax likeness of me," Lea explained. Since this is an actual dress from Lea's closet and is something she has owned for decades, Rajo joked that he now has to create another similar gown for Lea.

For his creation "to be immortalized in that manner," Rajo told Metro.Style, "is really something very special." 

"This is really one of her favorite dresses," Rajo continued. "In fact, she has many colors of it because we consider this to be her uniform. Talagang siya 'yan, siyang-siya 'yan!" 

Lea's fans meet her wax twin starting September 20, 2024 at the Music Zone of Madame Tussauds Singapore, where she shares the spotlight with other international artists like Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, Lady Gaga, and Beyoncé.

Check out Madame Tussauds Singapore's website to know more about its activities and promotions in line with its 10th anniversary this year.