Lea Salonga On Gay Marriage In Eloquent New Q&A: 'I Have Way Too Many Gay Friends To Not Be Supportive!'

Lea Salonga offers her candid thoughts on several topics, including gay marriage in the Philippines!

International stage superstar Lea Salonga discusses gay marriage and whether or not it is possible in the forseeable future in her home country of the Philippines as part of a new interview with Rappler.

Salonga shares of the cultural boundaries that preclude gay marriage in the Philippines, "I honestly don't think that we as a society are ready. We may be too religious as a society. I'm not saying that as a slam against religion... it's just the state of our world; we are not ready. This country is just not ready."

"There are members of the society that are absolutely prepared, who would absolutely support marriage equality - I have way too many gay friends and relatives to not be supportive of marriage equality," Salonga continues.

"My stance on this, again, as a member of secular society and as a Christian woman... Jesus gave two commandments: love your God with all of your heart and all of your soul and the second is love your neighbor as yourself... I am sure that gay people existed even back then. When we say 'Love thy neighbor,' that has to be all encompassing."

"For those of you who are against marriage equality, you have to ask yourself why - and, I will not accept, 'Because my priest says so.'"

More about Lea Salonga is as follows:

"Known across the world for her powerful voice and perfect pitch, Salonga is best known for her Tony Award winning role in Miss Saigon. In addition to the Tony, she has won the Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World Awards, in the field of musical theatre. She was also the first Asian to play Eponine in the musical LES MISERABLES on Broadway and returned to the beloved show as Fantine in the 2006 revival.

Lea will begin rehearsals in September for her much awaited return to Broadway in ALLEGIANCE. She garnered a Craig Noel nomination for Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical in the show's successful run at the Old Globe Theater in San Diego. Developed by legendary actor George Takei, ALLEGIANCE tells the story of a Japanese-American family forced into an internment camp during World War II.

Lea most recently wrapped touring with Il Divo for the group's worldwide "A Musical Affair" tour. When not on tour, Lea is a coach on the Philippine version of the hit "The Voice". Mitoy Yonting, a member of Team Lea, was named the first season winner.

Lea has toured the world performing in sold out concerts in such locations as the Disney Concert Hall, Singapore's Esplanade, Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, Hong Kong Cultural Center, Bangkok Convention Center, Carnegie Hall, and numerous venues in her hometown of Manila, and in cities such as Vancouver, Sacramento, San Diego, Phoenix, Indianapolis, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, and San Francisco. She was also the first artist to sell out two shows at BYU's de Jong Concert Hall since The King's Singers in 2009.

In 2010, she participated in the 25th Anniversary Concert of LES MISERABLES to sold out crowds at the UK's O2 arena as well as dazzling as the hauntingly tragic Grizabella in a limited run of CATS in her hometown of Manila. She also teamed up with legendary Grammy winner, Patti Austin, to perform the concert series, 'Heart and Soul,' in San Francisco and Las Vegas.

Lea has continued to celebrate the music of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönerg, the creators of LES MISERABLES and Miss Saigon, by participating in the recurring concert, "Do You Hear the People Sing," with other renowned artists worldwide. The show, which debuted in 2011 in Indianapolis, has been performed in such cities as Dallas, Ottawa, Shanghai, and most recently as a charity concert event in Manila, raising over 24 million pesos (around $500,000) to build 200 new homes via Habitat for Humanity Philippines for the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan."

More information is available at Lea Salonga's official site here.

View the complete video interview with Lea Salonga below, with comments on gay marriage at 20:40.

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