Who doesn’t want to see their favorite artist in person? Many of us have dreams of it in our sleep! But music icon Lea Salonga gave everyone a masterclass on how to handle awry fan interactions and why people should learn to respect everyone’s privacy, including celebrities. Here’s what happened:

When certain lines get crossed

Lea Salonga is undoubtedly among the many household names in the entertainment industry. She was the voice behind iconic Disney princesses such as Mulan (Mulan) and Princess Jasmine (Aladdin). She’s also a Tony Awards winner for her role as Kim in Miss Saigon in 1991. It’s no wonder why people instantly go into fan mode at the littlest sight of her in public.

But this now-viral video of Lea with some fans showed another side of fan interactions that can overstep an individual’s privacy.

“Hi, Miss Lea. Can we take pictures with you?” a fan asked while holding a camera inside Lea’s dressing room.

“Unless you’re on the guest list, we cannot have you back here. So, you’ll have to go to the door. I’m sorry because if I allow this now, then other people are gonna take advantage.” the 52-year-old singer added and went on to say explain that she’s being strict for her security.

“My friend, G. Toengi, we are the co-producers of this show,” another fan said, but Lea reiterated they couldn’t let them stay inside.

Despite what happened, Lea told the fans to wait away from her dressing room. She still agreed to a quick photo opp, but the award-winning singer reminded them not to pull this kind of act again.

And then there’s this post…

The video uploader is Cristoper Retokelly Carpila, who wrote a lengthy post on Facebook about his encounter with Lea.

“Bahala na po kayo humusga,” the post reads. Carpila then detailed his side of what happened, saying, “Itong video na ito ay part 2 na (eksena sa dressing room). Ang part 1 ay naganap right after the show sa baba ng entablado na ang naiwan na lang ay iilang staff bago kami nakapasok (sayang hindi ko nakuhaan ng video ‘yun dahil nga sa sobrang kilig at excitement).”

Well, we’ll let you read the rest because there’s too much going on with his post.

Netizens express dismay over what happened

While most interactions between artists and their fans get heartwarming responses, this one received an outpouring of frustration from netizens. “My gosh! Kahit local or city production lang yan sa Pilipinas bawal talaga pumasok sa dressing room,” one user wrote.

More people aired similar sentiments, stressing true fans of Lea won’t ever invade her privacy because they know how to respect boundaries.

Meanwhile, others shared how accommodating and sweet Lea is to her fans, stating, “See? This is the Lea Salonga when you’re at the right place.”

Lea reminds everyone of respecting personal boundaries

Anyone following Lea knows she always keeps it real. “Just a reminder. I have boundaries. Do not cross them,” the singer posted on Twitter. She shared that none of the Here Lies Love cast have been to her dressing room. 

“So, who is anyone else to want to invade my space? Make it make sense!”

Lea also pointed out that G. Toengi (who was mentioned earlier in the viral video) doesn’t know the people who dropped by her dressing room.

It’s 2023, and all we have to say is this: if you think you have a say in a celebrity’s life just because they’re a public figure, then you probably have no business to be part of their circle because that’s now how a true and well-mannered fan behaves.

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