World-renowned Broadway icon Lea Salonga stars in Bay Area author Abigail Hing-Wen’s new short film ‘The Vale – Origins’

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Lea Salonga is one of the most acclaimed international superstars on stage and in film. The Broadway legend became the first Asian woman to win a Tony Award for originating the titular role in Miss Saigon in 1991, and has since forged an impressive singing and acting career. From playing Eponine and Fantine in Les Miserables on Broadway, to voicing Disney princesses in Aladdin and Mulan, to judging contestants on The Voice, Philippines, Salonga has done it all.

She appeared on ABC7 News 3 p.m. this week and talked exclusively, alongside Bay Area author Abigail Hing-Wen, about their new project, The Vale – Origins, a unique hybrid live-action and animated short film written and directed by Wen, and starring Salonga. The film is a prequel to The Vale, Wen’s new middle-grade novel coming out on September 16.

Wen is a Silicon Valley mom and former tech worker who traded her corporate life for her dream of becoming a writer. Her debut YA novel, Loveboat, Taipei was a 2020 New York Times bestseller and spawned a popular series, including a film adaptation. In The Vale, Wen explores family, creativity, AI technology and healing through the eyes of 13-year-old Bran Joseph Lee, who creates an AI-generated virtual fantasy world with help from his grieving inventor parents. The story is both specific, universal, and timely, delving into the ethical complexities of rapidly-advancing technology. “I actually wrote it in 2015 but it was too early to publish knowing where AI generation was,” Wen said. “So I had to shelve it for 10 years, and now it’s time.”

Pride of Broadway | Watch full episode

Salonga has had a busy year, singing the Celine role in the Netflix’s international hit animated film, KPop Demon Hunters. Her role as Bran’s mom in The Vale, Origins is notably different, as it’s essentially a non-singing role. But the actress says the theme resonated with her, and that “I was asked really nicely.” She takes her role as a Filipino and international Asian role model and advocate seriously. While applauding progress in Asian American representation in media and entertainment, Salonga says “This year has been kind of great with KPop Demon Hunters, but I don’t know that’s enough. I think there needs to be definitely more stories told, and for more of our people to be able to see themselves on screen and on stage.”

You can catch Salonga when she brings her Stage, Screen & Everything in Between Tour to Northern California in October: October 3 at Cache Creek Casino in Brooks and October 5 at Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto.

You can also catch Wen September 13 at The Vale book launch and signing at Linden Tree Books in Los Altos, where she will reveal where to watch The Vale, Origins. The Vale is available now for pre-order.