Lea Salonga reveals she's a gamer and why it's therapeutic

Unknown to many, Tony-award winner and Broadway star Lea Salonga is a self-confessed console gamer. Lea opens up about her hobby and how it helps keep her sharp and relaxed during the latest episode of the “What A Life!” podcast with Thai TV host Woody Milintachinda.

Fresh from her run as Madame Thénardier in "Les Misérables: The Arena Spectacular" in Singapore, the world-acclaimed Filipino singer and actress confessed, “I'm a console gamer. It's either a PlayStation or an Xbox.” 

She revealed that she is currently hooked on "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33," which she described as similar to "Final Fantasy" because of its turn-based gameplay.

She recalled that no one warned her not to get emotionally attached to the characters because some of them die unexpectedly early in the story. “I'm in shock. Wait a minute. I was just getting to know this guy, and you take him from me?”

Gaming, according to Lea, has been part of her life since childhood. She recalled playing on old Game & Watch devices and later being introduced to the Nintendo Entertainment System while performing in "Miss Saigon" on Broadway.

“When I did 'Miss Saigon' on Broadway, someone lent me a Nintendo Entertainment System, so I was playing Super Mario Bros. every day.”

From there, she continued upgrading to every new gaming system that came along, eventually becoming a longtime PlayStation and Xbox player. These days, however, she admitted she mostly sticks with PlayStation.

When asked about her gaming habits, Lea said she knows it’s time to stop once her reflexes begin slowing down. “If I can't dodge as quickly or if I can see it happening and yet my reflexes aren't responding,” she takes that as her cue to turn the console off and take a break.

She also described gaming as therapeutic in its own way, saying there’s something satisfying about "killing" evil characters in games. Even if it’s fictional, she said in jest that taking down bad guys feels like doing a good deed for the day.

The conversation later shifted to social media, where Lea admitted she has no interest in TikTok. “I don't do TikTok. Nope. At all.” She explained that she already spends enough time on Instagram and Facebook, which feel more natural and comfortable for her. 

Lea also shared that she stepped away from X simply because she was no longer active on the platform. For her, she prefers social media platforms that genuinely fit her personality and habits. She explained, “So I feel like I will be on the platforms that I'm organically attracted to. TikTok was never something that I felt was me.”