Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Tweet Scoop: Lea Salonga Shares Her Discrimination Experience in the US

Image courtesy of Twitter: MsLeaSalonga

93 comments:

  1. Ang saya, andami na asian american celebrities na nagtetake part sa hashtag na to. Before may mga nega comments, at hindi din ako si lea, I want to say this is very empowering to us asians working in the us. Everyone has a racial discrimination story and it makes me feel I'm not the only one. Even the more accomplished ones have faced discrimination too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Parang #BlackLivesMatter lang .. we should love all each other no matter what race and gender

      Delete
    2. Discrimination agad? maybe ayaw lang ng head honcho yung looks niya not bcoz she's asian...

      Delete
    3. Read again they told her she didn't get the part is because she is Asian.

      Delete
    4. Hay mga baks ako din, one time nag apply ako nakita ko sa opisina puro puti walang minority tas maganda naman credentials ko.

      Di ako natanggap. I felt na kasi Asiano ako :(

      Baklang New Yorker

      Delete
    5. @2:19, siguro dahil yung part kailangan non-Asian dahil depende rin sa setting nung kwento. Parang sa Miss Saigon, wala rin nakukuhang Caucasian o Afro-American dahil Asian character ang kailanagan doon maliban doon sa iilang American characters. Ang tawag diyan #realidad. Yan ang pinili niyang trabaho, may mga roles at artista na naaayon sa kwento at mga character. Kaya wag agad-agad gumamit ng "race card".

      Delete
    6. Kahitsaan may discrimination, kahit nga dito sa Pinas meron eh.. ayusin din natin ang sariling asal.

      Delete
    7. 4:10 eh ano yung tawag mo dun sa natanggap sya sa caucasian role sa les miz? Ang point ni Lea ang naging basis was just her ethnicity not her talent or accomplishments. I think racist yon.

      Delete
    8. 7:10 eh ano yung tawag mo doon sa mga hindi natanggap sa Miss Saigon na puti o itim na nag-auditon sa role na Kim? Oh wait, wala palang pinayagan mag-audition na mga puti o itim sa role na yon dahil Vietnamese yung character, kanya puros Asians lang ang pinayagan mag-audition sa role na yon. Before you can even audition, you are already discriminated against.

      You see, si Lea nag benefit rin sa systema na yan. Tama si 4:10, that's the nature of the beast. Yung roles may hinahanap, obviously malakas ang kapit niya sa produ ng Les Mis dahil pareho ang produ ng Miss Saigon kaya niya nakuha yung role na Fantine.

      Delete
    9. Sa Miss Saigon kasi hindi pinapayagan mag audition mga ibang lahi kasi nga asian yung hanap nila. Sa My Fair Lady lahat pwede and that's not the only one na dineny si Miss Lea for the role dahil lang asian siya. Iba yung "we prefer an asian look" sa "sorry you're good but we can't accept you because you're asian" Do your research 4:10 and 8:31.

      Delete
    10. BEFORE MISS SAIGON, MAHIRAP TALAGA MAKAPENETRATE ANG ASIANS SA WEST. HAY THANKS FOR DOING THIS LEA!

      Delete
    11. Hija 11:02, before Ms. Saigon, ano bang musical ang may lead roles na Asian characters?

      Yung South Pacific musical naman, Asian American ang na cast sa role na Lia, walang Caucasian or Hispanic or African American ang nakakuha ng role na yun. Maybe if the musicale was for something like Rent or Cats, it should be open to all races, but My Fair Lady, if she wished to audition for the role of Eliza Doolittle, maybe they require Caucasian actress for the role.

      Delete
    12. 3:50 Hmm, did they ask you about your race/ethnicity during the interview? May iba pa bang indications which lead to your assumption? If not, mahirap din naman mag-assume na nadiscriminate ka nga. But if you really felt na you didnt get the job dahil dun or hindi ka sure why, I think you can ask why or raise a complaint. Sa mga reject letters ko, theres always an option where you can raise a complain if you feel na unjust yung di pagtanggap sayo.

      Delete
    13. All caps talaga? Nakakahiya naman sa mga Asian Americans na nagsimula sa Broadway at sa West End bago pa man dumating ang Miss Saigon. Hindi si Lea ang nag blaze ng trail, kaya wag masyadong mag-assume agad-agad.

      Delete
    14. 9:15, eh ano naman ang tawag mo dun sa si jonathan price ang kinuhang gumanap sa lead asian role? trying hard nga iyong accent niya pero nanalo pa ng award. at hindi lang sa theater, pati sa film. di ba ang mga lalaking role, nagiging babae na rin (sandra bullock in our brand is crisis and angelina jolie in salt). di ba kung gusto naman, puwede, basta dapat magaling?

      Delete
    15. Jonathan Price played an Asian character in the original Miss Saigon. Kaya dapat eala ng discrimination based on ethnicity. Ang Les Miserables nga dito sa Broadway ngayon African American ang bida.

      Delete
    16. Puro race, race, race card! Remember this: The last Samurai was an American-Australian, The Mexican was also an American,

      Delete
    17. i dont see this as discrimination agad what if the role really requires na yung look is white.eh yun yung qualification nila for the role.what if a blond brit who is a very good singer applies for the role of kim in saigon tapos nireject sya ksi shes blond kasi they are looking for an asian in the role,discriminatin din yun.i think w/ movies or musical it is the prerogative of the producer if he wants to stick with the character hindi discrimination agad.

      Delete
    18. Anonymous 9:01, pwede naman gamitan ng make-up tulad ng ginawa nila kay Jonathan Price who played the Asian role of the Engineer.
      Anonymous 6:49, Jonathan price played the Engineer back ni 1988. Iyong African-American Eponine ay 2014 or 2015 na yata. Malayo-layo na rin naman kahit paano ang narating ng mga nakipaglaban sa racism.

      Delete
  2. Grabe nanalo na sya ng Tony Award nun tapos diniscriminate pa? Bat ba may discrimination sa west pag asian? Pero dito sa east welcome naman sila.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ganun?

      May nakita nga akong video dati, hindi rin porket puti open sa lgbt. Depende din sa state. Grabe discrimination of all kinds.

      Delete
    2. Huh?? Taga east ka ba talaga teh? Parang naliligaw ka yata.

      Delete
    3. 1:01 common sense nalang. Daig mo pa robot.

      Delete
    4. you mean, the other way around??!!

      Delete
    5. 1:01 - IF YOU ARE IN ASIA, YOU ARE IN THE EASTERN HEMISPHERE!

      Delete
    6. philippines nasa south EAST asia 1:01 ikaw ata naliligaw baka nasa Narnia ka na

      Delete
    7. Hindi nyo na gets si 1:01, kung nasa US ka divided kse sa west & east. Kaya tinanong nya kung nasa east ba talaga si anon 12:39.

      Delete
  3. The bigotry and racism are stronger felt in the U.S. specially that Trump is running for the primaries. The Republicans voters are a bunch of idiots believing his non-sense rhetorics.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not all Republicans. Don't generalize.

      Delete
    2. Go and check who is winning the delegates in GOP. Trump is sadly the front-runner for GOP.

      Delete
    3. Teh between Trump and Cruz, walang better choice sa kanila. Ang mga ibang Republicans nga hindi na boboto or mag Democrat na lang kasi wala talagang pagpipili-an.

      Both of the Repub candidates live for discrimination. Lumabas lahat ng nga white supremacists, anti-semitics at anti-LGBTin support sa kanila. Kung mananalo either aa kanila, ewan ko na lang sa US.

      Delete
    4. Wag mag generalize. Republican ako pero I am pro gay marriage, pro LGBT. Pero teh, what Donald Trump is against is illegal immigration. Hindi din naman fair sa mga immigrants who followed the rules and obtain their papers legally. Pero oo racist sha at hindi din maganda ang lumalabas sa bibig nya.

      Delete
    5. mg baks can we just stick to the original topic? hahaa baka magsabununutan na kayo kung sino mananalo Republicans or Democrats..

      bruhita

      Delete
  4. Honestly, there is a lot of discrimination in US. Still too much emphasis on race and religion. And if it was the blacks before crying for their rights, it is now the other way around. I rather think the Hispanics and some religious groups will suffer more slights if Trump wins on November.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yeah, that is discriminatory. But we all get that one way or another. Goes to show that even the "mighty" Lea Salonga is not spared from such ignorance. New York is a tough town, and you've already made it everywhere in the world of stage acting. Take it on the chin and charge it to experience. The best is yet to come. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Eliza Dolittle nga e. Siyempre kailangan puti. Im sure egay di rin pwede. It's like hiring Brad Pitt to play Nelson Mandela.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lol on point

      Delete
    2. But she was able to portray Fantine and Eponine who are also caucasian characters. Pwede naman dapat kung hindi sarado utak ng prod eh.

      Delete
    3. 7:15 e ano ang tawag sa Asians only audition sa Miss Saigon? sarado utak yung produ ng My Fair Lady. sarado din ang utak ni Mackintosh. kaya nakatsamba si Lea. puro Asians lang ang kalaban.

      Delete
    4. 9:42 semi racist ka din sa asians eh noh. Maka "lang" ka sa asian. Pinandidirihan mo siguro sarili mo ngayon, how sad your life is.

      Delete
    5. sweetie, ang sad yung teachers mo at di ka nakapasa sa comprehension. the whole is: all races are welcome. anything less is not.

      Delete
    6. 9:42, and story ng Miss Saigon is about a vietnamese bar girl. How can a caucasian play a vietnamese aber? Sa looks na lang anlayo. That's not discrimination, that's just what the story needed.

      Delete
    7. pakisabi sa produ ng Gods of Egypt

      Delete
    8. on point ka 12:47.i believe discrimination is everywhere not only in the US not only about the race,dito sa pinas u can feel discrimination pag pangit ka, poor or pag di ka magaling mag english.pero i mean being objective i cannot conclude na lea was discriminated agad pwedeng shes not really qualified for the role bec of her looks or pwedeng di fit yung voice nya dun sa hinahanap sa musical pero sa kanya since taas ng ego nya she felt it was purely discrimination.if the role is for an asian & she was rejected bec she is a pinoy though really fits for her then for me it's dicrimination.

      Delete
    9. 3.19 the point is hyprocrisy. umangal si lea dahil she's not right for My Fair Lady. the same reasons you mentioned apply. but to her, aba, discrimination daw.

      Delete
  7. Ate Lea mas racists po ang mga Pinoy Lalo na sa blacks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. True! Kahit nga morena lang dinidiscriminate na eh. Hello bianca Gonzales and love Poe. And Kath and Nadine (pre-glutathione)

      Delete
    2. But that's not the issue here...

      Delete
    3. Sa mga bisaya kamo na kababayan na mismo ng mga pinoy grabe kung gawing katatawanan ng mga kapwa pinoy

      Delete
    4. Wrong. Asians way of "racism" is more of in an objective straight-forward manner without the intention of hurting the other person, and minsan parang playful purposes lang naman. Our "racism" does not involve violence and unequal treatment that blacks and minorities get in the US.

      Delete
  8. Racist din naman mga Pinog ah. Mas racist ang mga taga Luzon, lalo na sa mga Bisaya. Ang lakas makareklamo kapag inaapi ng ibang lahi sa ibang bansa pero sariling kababayan nilalait, stereotyping Bisaya bilang mga katulong at pangit magtagalog sa tv, movies at sa totoong buhay.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exactly my point! Tapos sasabihin ng iba playful daw naman, excuse me noh ang sakit ng mga ginagawa nyo sa mga kapatid nating mga bisaya!

      Delete
  9. Anywhere and everywhere there is discrimination, even among us filipinos..that is the irony of life. Educating them and taking it as a challege is the best tool to deal with it. As well as it should start from "me" attitude.

    ReplyDelete
  10. It was NOT discrimination BUT di sya pumasa sa audition nya. Charotera sya. Akala nya ang galing galing nyang umarte. Bano naman sya sa mga speaking lines. Mang iintriga pa sya. Sobrang bilib sa sarili talaga. Nakakasuka.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Appear ka dyan! Mayabang yang bbs na babaeng yan.

      Delete
    2. 2:01 - kung maka "NOT", wagas. Hindi siya pwedeng pumasa kasi hindi siya pinag audition.

      Delete
    3. Nagbasa ka ba? Ang sabi ni Lea ni hindi sya pinag audition dahil Asian sya. Bka mas ok pa kung pinag audition nalang sya at nireject kesa hindi pinag audition at all for a racist reason.

      Delete
    4. Eto na naman ang mga kinulang yata sa common sense basta lang tayo makisawsaw sa issue admit it or not that's her field of expertise..Theater. But she was not an exempted from experiencing rejection.

      Delete
    5. Well if you are reading her post which I know your not! She was not even given a chance to audition because she's Asian so ano yung kaeklavuhan mong sinasabi na di sya pumasa? Me masabi Lang kahit di nag-iisip!

      Delete
    6. Ikaw ang charutera 2:01!
      Balik ka sa reading comprehension class mo! Kaloka tong hater na 'to!

      Delete
    7. lea is a consummate singer pero di ako bilib sa acting niya kahit noong bagets days niya. lumalabas ang conyo accent niya eh. si monique wilson, yun ang magaling umarte!

      Delete
  11. What about that time Lea Salonga did not face competition from plenty of non-Asian artists in the USA because the Miss Saigon search was for an Asian girl...?

    Lea got a huuuuuuge advantage because of the Asian-only search. Aminin!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 2:48 - the role is specific to race. Kim was a Vietnamese bar girl.

      Delete
    2. Eliza Doolittle is an English character. Baka mala Audrey Hepburn ang hinahanap. Kung Asian ka nga naman hindi ka papasa doon.

      Delete
    3. 3:42. e, ano ba sa palagay mo si eliza doolittle with her cockney accent? may cockney accent ba sa pilipinas?

      "the role is specific to race." tell that to lea, the entitled one.

      Delete
    4. Actually, the role of Eliza Doolittle does not specify a race--meaning it's free for all. Miss Saigon is about a Vietnamese prostitute, and you have to cast an Asian actress, because, come on, won't it be obvious since it's in the character description? Also, wala bang ibang race na nasa England at that time? Eliza could be white, black, Asian, etc., and it wouldn't matter.

      @ 9:29 Haven't you heard of what actors do?

      Delete
    5. you destroy your own argument. actors act, but they can't be made up to look different for a role? make up is part of the tools of their trade. just look at paolo B, he can turn into a white or black woman or anyone he wants.

      Delete
    6. mestisuhin si paolo... he could pass for latino. he does NOT have the typical pinoy face. his malleable features allow him to transform into caucasians, etc. via makeup.

      Delete
  12. Paanong naging yellow ang face ni Lea, e, kayumanggi ang mga pinoy. Brown po, Tita. Umangkas sa sakay na hindi para sa kanya. Ohmygulay.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ang common color po kasi ng mga Asians ay yellow. While a lot would look brown or iba ibang shade ng brown or mapuputi e ang common denominator po ng Asian e yung yellow undertone ng skin natin. So kalimitan pag Asian e regardless of the dominant skin color or yung skin color na obvious or immediately visible e may yellow undertone.

      Delete
    2. Yellow face refers to Eastern Asians, not Southeast Asians like Filipinos. Parang yung pacific-islander race category, it's always mistaken by some Filipinos as their race, pero dapat mag-indentify sila na Asian dahil geographically located ang Philippines sa Asia.

      Delete
    3. 8:43 korak!

      Delete
  13. Hala nakaramas ka pala ng ganyan na di ka pa din naging humble?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ate lea naman, audition/casting yan. Di primary consideration ang awards mo.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Let's be real here, when Westerners says "Asians", they usually only refer to Koreans, Japanese and Chinese. East Asians mainly. Huwag feeler na kasali ang SouthEast Asians. Haha

    ReplyDelete
  16. yan na naman si tony, masyado ng gasgas..

    ReplyDelete
  17. Tita Lea a Tony award is a recognition for a specific gig you've done in the past, it's not a free pass to every job you want to have in the future. Not every role is suited for you, Tony award or not.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Baka naman dahil sobrang laki ng boses ni Lea. Nagbago na rin kasi ang boses niya.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hey Lea, what about that time when actors were informed that they couldn't be seen for a role in Miss Saigon because they were not Asian??? Using the race card, eh? How convenient.

    And the nerve to throw your weight around by mentioning your Tony Award when you couldn't get what you want. False sense of entitlement pa more. #mayabangtalagaasalways

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. On point itong comment na ito. Sana mabasa ni Lea Salonga.

      Delete
  20. ang dami yata ng kalaban ni lea sana sa miss saigon role. disqualified lahat dahil hindi asian. now she's crying discrimination.

    did lea object nung siya ang nagka advantage due to discrmination against non-asians? wah wah wah...ang galing magreklamo unless siya ang nakinabang.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Para lang makasiksik sa issue, biglang nagpalit ng kulay ang balat ni Lea. Tanong ko kay Lea, pumiyok ka ba nung Asians lang ang pwede sa Miss Saigon role? In an open audition, doubtful na ikaw ang napili. Mas maraming magagaling sa iyo, 'no!

    ReplyDelete
  22. That time when my classmates, friends and I could not audition for Kim because we are not Asian. #MyNonAsianFaceStory

    ReplyDelete
  23. is this really discrmination? what if the producers simply wanted caucasians to play the part of liza doolittle? The set up is in London. I dont think an asian face would do justice to the role simply because it wont look believable. No to racism. This is a different situation and not about the color of one's skin. The producers behind my fair lady would want the actors to really look believable for their roles.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. lea as a cockney bumpkin? umm..no.

      Delete
  24. "I was asian". Bakit ano na ba sya ngayon?

    ReplyDelete
  25. Kasi naman Eliza Doolittle was always portrayed by Caucasian actresses in the past, the most popular being Audrey Hepburn and Julie Andrews. Nasanay na ang viewers na it's supposed to be a white character.
    Ayaw lang ng musical na macriticize sila.
    The movie Cloud Atlas nga was heavily criticized for letting white actors play asian characters.
    Lea should learn to choose her battles.
    Ang yabang pa ng dating niya by emphasizing her Tony or sadyang mayabang na talaga.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is an anti- discrimination law in the US. Sa Pinas ang Grabe ang discrimination. kahit mga veteran stage actors nag audition pa rin mga nga yan.

      Delete
  26. Mahangin talaga ito si Tita Lea! Typhoon number 5 kung umasta. Akala mo naman ang galing nyang umarte. Para syang nagtutula pag nagdadadialogue. Hindi sya purrrfect pero napaka purrfect umasta.

    ReplyDelete
  27. mainit ang ulo ni Lea lately. si Shawie na kasi kasama nya sa TVK...lol!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Discrimination ba to o sense of entitlement?

    ReplyDelete
  29. so feeling si ate leah eh nung nagaward sya eh dapat open arms na sa kanya lahat? feelling talaga nito! parang sinabi nia ang galing galing ko dapat hindi nio ko dinidiscrimjnatr where in fact her award is nothing of value!

    ReplyDelete