Madame Tussauds eyeing Lea Salonga as next Filipino wax figure

SINGAPORE — Madame Tussauds may not be setting up shop in the Philippines anytime soon, but the wax museum already has eyes on the next Filipino personality it wants to make a wax figure of.

Merlin Entertainments, the company that operates the wax museum, told Philstar.com during TravMedia's International Media Marketplace in Singapore last October 24 that Manila has been on its radar as a new location, however, it is not yet an ideal location for the market.

The company, nonetheless, is on the lookout for more Filipino celebrities to "wax," ideally to place the figure in its Singapore branch.

Currently, the only Filipinos that have wax figures in Madame Tussauds are boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and Miss Universe winners Pia Wurtzbach and Catriona Gray — all three can be found in the Hong Kong branch.

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Merlin Entertainments shared with Philstar.com that primary on its list of Filipinos is theater veteran and Disney legend Lea Salonga. The company contacted her directly, but are yet to receive a response from the actress-singer.

The company said they also considered socialite-artist Heart Evangelista, however, it isn't pursuing her as much as it is for Salonga, who they feel has the global appeal that warrants a wax figure.

Salonga recently wrapped up a return to Broadway for the all-Filipino musical "Here Lies Love" and is currently back in London's West End for the first time in 27 years for the tribute revue "Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends" honoring the late composer and lyricist.

The actress also lent her voice once more to Mulan for the short film "Once Upon a Studio" in celebration of Disney 100th anniversary, and will next be seen in the television series "Pretty Little Liars: Summer School."

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