Tony and Olivier-winning actress Lea Salonga and Jonathan Pryce, stars of the famed 1989 run of "Miss Saigon" in London's West End, enjoyed a quaint reunion at the backstage of Stephen Sondheim's "Old Friends" production at the Royal Albert Hall.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 05: Lea Salonga performs onstage at the TAAF Heritage Heroes Awards Dinner at The Glasshouse on May 05, 2023 in New York City.
Lea Salonga and Jonathan Pryce's Reunion
Salonga shared a photo of their get-together on her Instagram last Wednesday, Jan. 3, writing, "When a former co-star and absolute acting giant shows up! Thank you for being there, dear Jonathan!"
Pryce, who played the role of the Engineer in the original London iteration of "Miss Saigon," reportedly paid a visit to his dear old friend as a sign of respect and support for the actress' new show.
The 76-year-old British actor is also well-known for his portrayal of the venerable Pope Francis in Netflix's "The Two Popes" biographical drama as well as for playing the role of "High Sparrow" in HBO's hit show "Game of Thrones."
Lea Salonga's Theatrical Career
According to Broadway World, Salonga was only 17 when she was scouted by the producers of "Miss Saigon" back in her native country of the Philippines, eventually casting her for the lead role of "Kim" in the production.
She performed the role in the inaugural shows of both the London and New York runs which allowed her to bag the Olivier and Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical.
She also enjoyed a brief reprisal of the role and returned to the West End in 2014 to take part in the 25th-anniversary celebration of the "Miss Saigon" musical, which took place at the Prince Edward Theatre.
The actress also enjoyed notoriety for her performances in the roles of "Eponine" and "Fantine" in the Broadway run of "Les Miserables." This gained her the honor of being the first actress of Asian descent to play the renowned roles.
Additionally, she also made appearances at the musical's 10th and 25th-anniversary celebration concerts in London.
Last year, Salonga made her way back to West End once again to lead the legacy cast of the "Old Friends" productions alongside Broadway legend Bernadette Peters. This particular show was created as a tribute to Sondheim, the late and legendary composer-lyricist.
