She once made her Filipino fans fall in love in the movies Basta't Kasama Kita and Sana Maulit Muli, both with matinee idol Aga Muhlach. After this, Lea Salonga decided to pursue her first love, theater.
In fact, the Tony award-winning actress is currently busy doing rehearsals for the musical production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella.
In a short interview with Lea during the contract signing of her newest laundry detergent endorsement (Cycles), held at Tropezz restaurant, Greenbelt 3 in Makati City yesterday, June 27, PEP (Philippine Entertainment Portal) asked her if she misses doing projects for local showbiz.
She answered, "If you mean showbiz in the sense of movie, I could do very well with it, without the intrigues. We could all do without it! "
Lea elaborated on the intrigues often created by some actors in Philippine show business. "I have to say that there are some actors and actresses, I have no idea why they seem to look for it and attract it and generate it. And they are like, ‘I don't know why such is fighting with me. I didn't say anything.' ‘You said something.'
"You know, you can't play down, you can't play innocent. Everything that you [do] will have an equal and opposite reaction. You learned that in physics, you learned that in science. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. You say something, you know, ‘Such and such is so fat in that dress.' Don't expect that person not to answer... ‘Excuse me, what did you say?' Kung sampalin ka, masuwerte ka na lang, that's all you get."
Later on, Lea admitted that she misses doing a local film. "I don't miss intrigue but, you know, having said that, I do miss making films."
MOVIE WITHOUT INTRIGUE. Lea said that there are fans who still remember her in her movies with Aga and request to see them again on the big screen.
She related to PEP, "I check my blog and people were like, ‘O, sana gumawa na naman sila ng pelikula, sana gumawa naman sila ng something kasi nakakakilig sila.' People know we're married, people know that we have children, but they wanna see us on films again."
Lea wants people to watch the movie because of its story and not because of the controversies that are usually created for the promotion of the film.
She narrated to PEP a conversation she had with her former movie partner Aga Muhlach. "He and I, actually, have a conversation that you don't have to create a real-life anything for your movie to be successful.
"Walang intriga, walang gulo. I like it that way. And then, the people will just come and see the film because wala ngang gulo, e. They go there to see the conflict, they go there to see the cries... It's all on the screen, it's not in reality."
The Broadway actress will play the title role in the musical production Cinderella, which will be staged on July 29 to August 24 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City.
Tickets are available at all selected major National Book Store branches, selected major Robinsons Department Stores, Ayala Malls, Greenbelt 1, Glorietta 1, and at the TicketWorld office or at their website www.TicketWorld.com.ph.