Lea Salonga gustong makagawa ng LGBTQ+ movie: It shouldn’t be just a trend…

KUNG mabibigyan ng chance, gustong gumawa ng isang makabuluhang LGBTQ+ movie ang international singer-actress na si Lea Salonga.

Isa si Lea sa cast members ng award-winning international film na “Yellow Rose” na ipalalabas na rito sa Pilipinas (via online streaming, KTX.ph, iWantTFC, Cignal Pay-Per-View and Sky Cable Pay-Per-View) simula sa Jan. 29.

Matagal na nilang natapos ang movie, bago pa magkaroon ng pandemya. Kaya sa virtual presscon ng nasabing pelikula ay natanong si Lea kung kailan uli siya gagawa ng movie dito sa Pilipinas at kung komportable na ba siyang umarte sa big screen tulad sa teatro.

“The last movie that I did was Sana Maulit Muli which was released in 1995, matagal na ano. It’s been almost 26 years since that movie was released here in the Philippines. It’s held up well I have to say and it’s been beautifully restored by ABS-CBN so it was really wonderful getting to see the restored film again many, many years later.

“It still holds and I remember that process being very, very difficult because I’m not the most comfortable person on film. Still not. I’d like to think that I’ve gotten somewhat better since I’ve attended acting classes and really focused on working for film and TV.

“I’d like to think that I’ve gotten somewhat better and that I’m a much more active participant as far as what I need to do and what I need to achieve in asking questions, in making sure that what I need to do is clear,” pahayag ng legendary Broadway star.

Sa tanong kung anong klaseng pelikula ang nais niyang gawin sa Pilipinas, binanggit niya ang 2018 American film na “Love, Simon” na tungkol sa isang closeted gay high school student.

“I fell in love with a movie called Love, Simon. I was watching it on a flight. I think it was a domestic flight in the US and I remember sobbing in my seat and hopefully I didn’t disturb people around me because my body was wracked in sobs watching this film.

“And so in the advancing of the LGBT community here in the Philippines and in hoping for greater empathy towards that community, that’s a movie I would like to make.

“Even if I just get to play the mom of say like that central character, to be able to be a parent to a Simon or whether it’s a male or a female, to be able to be part of a movie like that, that would make me really happy.

“Yung ganu’ng klaseng pelikula because I think even the LGBT community here should be seen and not just in say, as much as I love Vice Ganda, homosexuality isn’t just Vice Ganda.

“There is a spectrum, there is width, and all of that also needs to be represented on film. So that’s something I would like to be a part of. It shouldn’t be just a trend.

“There’s a BL trend that’s happening and I’m hearing a lot about it and it’s great that those stories are being told. But a Love, Simon I would love to do something like that,” lahad ni Lea.