Broadway icon Lea Salonga has officially joined the legends honored on Hollywood Boulevard!

The Disney legend’s star was unveiled on Saturday, September 5 (Philippine time), making history as the first Filipino to receive a Hollywood star. In her speech, Salonga paid homage to her roots, stating that long before Hollywood, there was Manila.

“I also can’t stand here today without thinking about where I come from. When I began my career, I didn’t see many people who looked like me, doing the things I dreamed of doing on the world’s biggest stages and screens. There wasn’t an obvious road,” she stated.

The Tony and Olivier Award-winning actress-singer expressed how incredibly fortunate she was to have people open doors for her and take chances on her. Over the years, she has watched the world change. Although things have not changed completely, Salonga emphasized that it has opened doors for a diverse community to walk into Hollywood.

“There are so many extraordinary Filipinos and Asians working today telling our stories, playing roles we have never once imagined being offered and creating new opportunities for future generations. That means an enormous amount to me,” she said.

“I hope that someday, a young Filipino kid comes to Hollywood, sees my name, and thinks, ‘Oh maybe I can get here too,” she added.

Salonga, who made her professional stage debut in Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical “The King and I”, also originated the role of Kim in “Miss Saigon.” Since then, she has lent her singing voice to Princess Jasmine in Disney’s “Aladdin” and Mulan in “Mulan.”

“To everyone who walks down Hollywood Boulevard in the years ahead, please feel free to step on me,” Salonga said.

“What an extraordinary journey this has been. And the best part is, I’m not done yet,” she added.

The ceremony was held at Hollywood Boulevard, just in front of the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, California.