Tony-winning actress and Broadway icon Lea Salonga is back on Broadway with the controversial "Here Lies Love." Unbeknownst to many, fans will be able to have their Playbills signed after the performance from the cast, but it is usually done at the door outside, not backstage.
In a now-viral interaction between the singer-actress, she seemed to be harassed by her fans for a photo opportunity, inside her own dressing room.
Lea Salonga Harassed By Fans Backstage After 'Here Lies Love' Performance
In a video posted on Twitter by a fan, Lea Salonga was seen interacting by two fans insisting on having a photo with her backstage.
"Lea Salonga was not wrong to insist on respecting her personal space in this instance. These "fans" are beyond entitled and rude. But my key takeaway here is there's no one managing or securing their backstage area?" the caption read.
In the video, two fans entered her dressing room backstage after her "Here Lies Love" performance just as two people bid her goodbye.
"Can we take pictures with you," the Filipino fan asked, prompting the actress to ask about their identities.
After being informed that they were just fans, Lea, now becoming annoyed, said that unless they were on the guest list, she could not have them in the dressing room. "You have to go back to the door," she dismissed.
The other fan even pointed out that they were friends of one of the co-producers of the show, hoping that they would get instant access to the actress' dressing room. Again, Salonga insisted that the two wait at the door.
However, the fan won't budge, saying that they've been waiting outside her dressing room already. Now visibly upset, Salonga accompanied them outside while lecturing them about her safety and security.
The two fans seemed to be more starstruck rather than receptive to her instructions.
"Please don't do this again....We're strict about this," she said firmly as the fan continued to bomb her with compliments.
Eventually, Salonga took a photo with the fans albeit upset with the encounter. Tweeting about the interaction, Salonga revealed that the "co-producer" the fans have been mentioning that they were good friends with, said that she does not know any of the fans who harassed her.
Watch the interaction below.
Lea Salonga was not wrong to insist on respecting her personal space in this instance. These “fans” are beyond entitled and rude. But my key takeaway here is there’s no one managing or securing their backstage area?pic.twitter.com/dRuJWY1HdX
— Erwin 🇵🇭🇪🇸 (@erwinaurella) July 16, 2023
READ ALSO: HER Joins The Revolution In 'Here Lies Love' Amid Controversy: Was It All For A Tony Award?
Lea Salonga on 'Here Lies Love'
Salonga is working with a bunch of Filipino-American casts and producers on the said show, among are Black Eyed Peas lead Apl. De Ap, Grammy, Emmy, and Oscar-winning singer HER, and comedian Jokoy, among many others. In a limited run, Salonga plays Aurora Aquino, the mother of the slain democracy icon Benigno Aquino II. (via South China Morning Post)
READ ALSO: Lea Salonga Joins 'Here Lies Love' Broadway Cast Amid Show's Local Backlash
