captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> this is "the journal" on dw- tv. here are the headlines. brussels goes to budapest. the hon. government attempts to get the e.u. presidency on track. >> angela merkel posts the chinese vice premier. >> germany braces for more flooding. melting snow and ice put the river's at breaking point. ♪ >> just one day into its presidency of the european union, hungary appears to have found outraged over what some

are calling state censorship. there's nothing worse than starting off a new job on the wrong code. the e.u. president was eager to point out that press freedom is a crucial point of the e.u. values that. he was in budapest on friday to chat with the hungarian prime minister about the problem. it seems to have worked. >> in talks with the european union commission president, prime minister orban sought to ease concerns over his country's media laws. he said that would ease the loss if the e.u. found legal problems with it. >> we are ready to do everything to ensure that the controversy over the media act does not hamper our presidency. this is a european issue. >> jose manuel barroso publicly reminded orban that freedom of the press is a central tenet of

the e.u. and the ideal of democracy. >> this is a democratic country. i think it is important to have no doubts about it. it is important also that the prime minister of the government takes all the necessary steps for this to be clear in hungary and outside hungary. >> e.u. legal experts will analyze the media law. it could take several weeks. jose manuel barroso and orban plan to use those weeks to address other things on their agenda like improving ties with eastern european partners. >> i spoke to our correspondent in budapest. he says it looks like prime minister orban is ready to accommodate the e.u. in change the media law. i asked if this was the end of the dispute. >> i do not think it is over yet. we have to see how it will play out in the coming weeks. the prime minister has also said

that he will not accept any argument. he said the european commission will have to come up with concrete signs that this law does not fulfil european norms. the prime minister also said he is tired of all the criticism. he said that hungary is a democracy and that many people died for it. that is a reference to the 1956 revolution against soviet domination. he said he finds it unfair. he said he is ready to change it if needed. >> can you give us a sense of what it is like for media organizations in hungary? >> is already extremely difficult. i visited one of the radio stations targeted. it is an alternative. a station known as "forbidden radio." they are. broadcaster. they have been targeted by the controversial media council

for broadcasting a rap song from ice-t. that was not accepted by the media council. they may face huge fines because of that. >> it looks like the chinese like german cars. >> they do. they also have deep pockets and a great deal of money to invest in this direction. the chinese vice premier is winding up two day visit to berlin. he is signing business deals totaling almost 9 billion euros. the contracts with car dealers represent the lion's share of 11 agreements and joint ventures. the berlin visit is part of a nine-day tour of the european union. >> he might still have the title of vice premier, but many in china consider that he is already been tapped as beijing's next premier. his visit to germany with a

large delegation has presented an opportunity for germany's export-oriented businesses to expand in the chinese market. china also stands to gain from new partnerships. >> we have very close economic ties. step by step, these are characterized not just by german firms in china but also chinese firms moving into germany. >> german and chinese firms have reportedly signed deals worth 9 million euros during the visit. relations were soured by beijing balking over its natural resource exports. the german industry is critical of issues like market access and intellectual property in china. >> china has good legislation in place to protect intellectual property rights. it is not implemented equally across all regions of the country. we have to work more on this aspect.

>> he has signaled that moves will be taken to apply china's intellectual property laws more effectively. >> we spoke with our colleague of the chinese radio service. with china taking a keen interest in europe, we asked him what the asian country hopes to gain. >> the chinese government is interested in a stable currency in europe. that is the euro. the chinese government has led a kind of reform for foreign currencies. they were taking the u.s. dollar but not anymore. china wishes to have a stable euro. secondly, china has made big deals in european countries like spain.

there is the investment agreement signed in germany today. china wants to wield political influence in european countries. that has not been the case for the last few years. china is definitely building political influence. >> months or even years. that is how long the authorities in australia think it will take to repair the damage caused by the worst flooding in half a century. entire it stretches of river attracts and highways have been washed away. crops have been ruined. cattle have been stranded. the coal industry is unable to function because the mines are still under water. some of the 200,000 people affected by the flooding have started heading home to unwelcome surprises. >> the trek back home began before the water's a fully receded. officials gave the all clear saying the worst of the flooding was over.

but once people ride home, they found mud and devastation. >> walking across yesterday. this is it. >> back home, the cleanup is not the only had a people have to contend with. some are finding unwelcome tenants have moved in. >> one house this morning, a killed 26. i have seen -- i killed 26 snakes. i have seen others. >> western australia has been hit by floods. it has washed away crops and swept away cattle. the government promised financial help to get people back on their feet. >> the assistance will come in the form of grants of up to $15,000. that is for small businesses and primary producers to engage in cleanup. >> the total cost of the floods is not yet known. in queensland alone, authorities

say the bill could be almost 4 billion euros. >> the death toll in the eighth cholera epidemic has reached more than 3400 since october. the u.n. has sent an independent panel of experts to determine the source of the epidemic. some research indicates the bug resembles strains found in asia. the u.n. says there is no evidence it was brought to haiti by nepalese peacekeepers. angry citizens stormed a patrol accusing them of carrying the disease. the secretary general says legitimate concerns must be addressed. the taliban has claimed responsibility for a suicide attack in southern afghanistan that killed at least 17 people and injured dozens more. the attack took place at a public bathhouse in can the heart near the border of pakistan. a police commander was among the dead. the governor of kandahar called the attacks in human and un- islamic. 4700 farms across the country

shut down. vast amount of meat and eggs were impounded. the tainted feed scandal in germany keeps growing. the government believes 150,000 tons of animal feed were contaminated with dioxin and delivered to farms here. they're pulling products from the market. health officials say there's not enough dioxin in the meat and eggs to cause a significant threat to public health. the company at the center of the scandal is being investigated. in the meantime, germany's farmers are the ones being left to count the cost. >> the state agriculture ministry schleswig-holstein visited to get a firsthand look at the situation. he had 500 pigs for slaughter. the dioxin tests are not complete. he cannot slough to the animals. >> this should not be possible in the production process. >> about 4700 german farms have been singled out for inspection. harles and jentzsch allegedly

supplied fact contained dioxin to feed makers. tests showed high concentrations as early as march. the country with the company did not notify authorities. >> we determined the company had indications of excessive levels that were not determined. they would have been required to do that. >> weeks suspect there was intent. we expect state prosecutors schleswig-holstein and saxony see that the charges justify a penalty and punishment. we want this case to serve as a cautionary tale. >> investigations into the feed- making company are under way. on the farm, he says his pigs are now getting an contaminated feed. he still supports more regulation on feed sellers and suppliers. >> it looks like germans are hitting the stores again. >> they are. christmas was more successful

than expected. consumer spending improved last year. the federal statistics office expects the rise in retail sales to come in at 1.6%. that is adjusted for inflation already. that is despite a disappointing fifth in sales in november. retail sales volume fell more than 2% on the previous month. the outlook for 2011 shows this year as positive with overall growth in the retail sector forecast to continue. >> the increase in german retail sales failed to impress the european markets today. weaker than expected u.s. jobs reports affected things. we start in frankfurt. the blue-chip index closed down about 0.5%. the euro stox index was down. the dow jones industrials are currently down about 0.3%.

the euro is trading for $1.25. ahead of the european central bank has dismissed fears about recent inflation in the eurozone. he said he expects prices in the monetary union to remain stable. he was speaking at a meeting of the german party. he repeated calls for euros and governments to get their finances in order with the help of tighter fiscal policies. he believes the current rules do not go far enough to prevent of the debt crisis that hit greece and ireland last year. the world's largest consumer electronics trade fair is currently under way in las vegas. the latest gizmos include internet-connected and 3-d television and a new home entertainment platform. most sector eyes are on tabla computing. >> the latest tablet is

attracting interest. it is the first to run on the google and. operating system. android was originally developed for smart phones. motorola hopes the new template will top the apple ipod success when it hits the market in february. 50 million are expected to be sold worldwide this year. >> there is always a lot of buzz about tablets. i have to wonder if people are really interested in tablets or the ipad. >> 3-d televisions with integrated internet are also set to test consumers. the growing strength of the market for electronic gadgets is indicated by exhibitor numbers affair. 2500 are in las vegas this year. it is 25% up from last year. >> first it was the sudden onset of winter with massive amounts of snow causing chaos across the country. now is the sudden rise in temperatures making life difficult in germany. the snow is melting. several rivers are threatening

to burst their banks. in parts of the country where rivers are still frozen, icebreakers are trying to clear the waterways. that just means more melted water to cause trouble downstream. we have this report. >> the icebreakers are working their way along the border at the german-polish border. the ice field has to be broken up so the river can carry it downstream. time is of the essence. the boats pushed through the blockage. at 27 to lamont -- a 27- kilometer stretch of the river is frozen. the flood risk is high. in some places, water levels have surpassed the highs seen during record flooding in 1997. firefighters have set up makeshift barriers to protect houses in the area. preparations are underway along other rivers. experts say one river could rise

6 meters above normal levels. the runoff has turned some streams into rushing torrance. officials fear a number of towns bases significant flooding. but bridges have been set up in some areas to keep the residents drive. many states have already been blocked off here. water levels are expected to peak on sunday. >> we go to sports. the defending champion has extended his lead in the rally after friday. in a grueling 456 kilometer track through the desert, the volkswagen driver secured victory by a margin of just nine seconds. his teammate finished in second place. he is not second in the overall standing. the bmw drivers led the stage. he suffered tire damage and is almost 15 minutes behind overall.

you are watching "the journal." "in-depth" is up next. ♪

>> mountain lion. [bleating] ♪ >> welcome back. hungary has assumed the six- month e.u. presidency. a number of european partners are expressing concerns about the country's democratic credentials. prime minister viktor orban is under fire for a slate of nationalist cause. among them are the new media guidelines that call for tight government oversight of public and private media and a new economic crisis pact that some companies claimed unfairly targets corporations. the governing party is becoming increasingly populist and has started using the trappings of nationalism to secure its hold on power. items that have not been discussed publicly in decades have been tabled. hungary lost 2/3 of its

territory years ago. older borders on official maps are raising eyebrows. >> hungary has caused a stir at the headquarters of the european council in brussels with its historical display. some politicians are taking offense at a map showing the country's borders of 1848, when several neighbors were under and gary and rule. -- were under a hungarian rule. it is a reminder of a more authoritarian past. many e.u. journalists and politicians feel budapest is drifting back in that direction with a new media law limiting freedom of the press. >> it is necessary to register with the media authority and get a permit if you want to publish a magazine, newspaper, or internet blog. there's never been anything like it in the e.u.

it contravenes freedom of the press. >> the man behind the law is the populist conservative prime minister viktor orban. his party garnered enough votes for 2/3 majority in parliament. on election night, he said that hungarian citizens had defeated despair. he then launched a political program of national renewal unlike anything europe has seen in many years. the new political line also affects international companies. his administration has imposed a special crisis tax on financial, retail, and telecommunications firms. these sectors are dominated by foreign investors. they feel the tax is unfairly target them. 13 companies have submitted a complaint to the european commission. many people still associate hungary with a time in 1989 when it became the first country to dismantle the iron curtain. thousands of east germans were able to flee across the border to austria.

now instead of freedom, there is a mood of nationalism and chauvinism. many journalists in brussels feel the new law as an attack on press freedom. >> the law can affect foreign media. it is in the regulatory authority. if they feel it is not balanced or violates the moral code, reports of foreign journalists are not allowed to be broadcast. >> so far the european commission has refrained from commenting on the censorship. officials -- are the officials obliged to guarantee freedom of the press? last summer, there were warnings about the media law. the e.u. has not taken action. >> we would never comment and are not entitled to comment on the laws, an immense made by parliamentarians made during debate. >> the new media law came into

effect on january 1. that is when it assumed the e.u. rotating presidency. the clash between national and european interests is a puzzle that budapest still has to solve. >> hungary was one of the early victims of the global banking crisis in 2008. it only avoided bankruptcy with the help of a 20 billion euro loan from the international monetary fund and the e.u. the cuts budapest is made to pay the money back is affecting everyone from students to pensioners. they're widely unpopular. we sent our reporters to gauge the mood in the country. they made their way from the hungarian capital to a small town that has survived thanks to funding provided by the european union. our journey begins in the suburbs of budapest. >> here on the outskirts of budapest, economic woes of the country can be felt on every street corner. business is slow at his weekly

market. the people out shopping say they do not expect things to improve soon. >> almost every family has financial problems. a lot of people cannot pay their bank loans. i am also in financial difficulties. wages are too low. we do not earn enough. on the other hand, everything is getting more expensive like electricity, rent, food. >> it will be at least 15 years before it gets better. something is wrong here. >> for a long time, hungary was seen as an eastern european success story. the new motorways were partly financed by the e.u. this one leaves south. the tourist trade is still profiting from the e.u. subsidies. 10 years ago, 2 million euros were pumped into the project.

the director now has new plans and wants another 3 million euros from brussels to expand. >> without the money from europe, we would not be able to do it. e.u. subsidies are enormously important for our project. we have to submit to strict checks by the authorities. >> just 10 kilometers away, there is little sign of u.s. support. -- e.u. support. this church soup kitchen and out more than 90 meals a day. the recipients are roma with an estimated size of 500,000 people. they are of the largest minority here. most of them are unemployed. the e.u. does provide subsidies to help them. the millions from brussels have lost their way.

>> we cannot access the subsidies. the application forms are too bureaucratic. it takes too long. the e.u. money is not helping to improve the lives of the roma in the long term. >> we return to budapest to visit the offices of the daily newspaper. journalists feel gagged by the new media law. the government controlled commission consent of their articles and has the power to impose fines of up to 750,000 euros. this week, several publishers carried front-page protests against the restrictions on freedom of the press. >> the new media law is basically aimed at intimidating the opposition. the prime minister's party has always had a tendency to try to control the press.

>> the government official responsible for e.u. affairs rejects any idea of press restrictions and accuses the western media of trying to provoke panic. the problems of the realm of minority are also not a priority for her. at the top of her agenda is the danube strategy. >> by having programs and projects, i am sure in the danube region it will transport better energy connections, better communications will be implemented in the future. we will then be able to talk about the danube identity in europe. >> country may be demonstrating national self-confidence, but it is not clear if the approach will help it to address its real problem. >> that has been our "in-depth"

this hour. you are watching dw-tv. please stay with us. ♪

>> hinojosa: she took the world by storm when at age 17 she was cast as the lead of the hit musical miss saigon. since then she's won a tony and provided the singing voices for the princesses in disney's aladdin and mulan. celebrated international singer and actress lea salonga. i'm maria hinijosa. this is one on one. lea salonga, the star of miss saigon. >> hi. >> hinojosa: thank you for coming. >> sure, absolutely. >> hinojosa: so a lot of people know you as this amazing star.ys saigon, playing kim in the original production out of london, and then in new york. >> right.

>> hinojosa: but probably people don't know that you... even before you got to miss saigon, you were a pretty big star in manila. you had... like, you had recorded records, you had been in the king and i, you had been... >> i'd done some film and some tv, and yeah. i grew up, i think, pretty much in the eyes of many filipinos. a lot of them have seem me from when i was really little doing, you know, musical theater, and then eventually doing tv and then doing film and doing records. back then we were doing records. >> hinojosa: yeah. >> yeah, and people pretty much saw me grow up... i grew up in the public eye. so in the phillipines it's like, "oh, i remember seeing you when you were nine in annie." you know, and so yeah, it was a life that not a lot of people in the us or in london were aware of at the time that i was doing miss saigon. >> hinojosa: so then you hear about... this was 1989. >> mm-hmm. >> hinojosa: and what, does your agent say, "look, they're going to start casting for this show called miss saigon"?

what did you know about it? >> well, actually, the auditions were in 1988, a year earlier. and i was in the phillipines. i was in college. i was a premed major. i was a biology major in college. and there was a singer's union in the phillipines called opm. and the president of the union called my mother and said that there were these auditions coming up for this show which was going to open in london. and so my mom was really skeptical. >> hinojosa: because your mom plays a major role in your life. >> yes. you know, she manages me when... you know, in the phillipines. and of course she's a mom, so her instincts were like, "i don't know about these people, because what if they're these fly-by-night producer types that take advantage of these young girls and then leave the country and whatnot?" and it happens in the phillipines. so my mom was a little hesitant to let me audition. and then the president of the union said, "no, no, no, no, no. these guys are the real thing. they produced cats and les miserables and phantom of the opera, and there's nothing that you need to worry about."

>> hinojosa: and you were thinking... >> i was 17, and i'm thinking, "i've just planned 13 years of my life, for college and med school and all that." and in my head... >> hinojosa: so you were kind of done with the... >> not so much that i was done. i mean, i knew that i was probably always going to be singing, but certainly not as actively as i was up until that point, because academics came first for me. so i said, "okay, why not? i don't have the job yet. why not audition, give it a try, and then if i do get it, then we'll think about what to do next." >> hinojosa: and they came to manila? >> they came to manila. they actually started searching in london. then they went to new york, los angeles, honolulu. and then when they landed in manila they flew, i think, a couple of people out of hong kong to see the producers. >> hinojosa: and is that... like, that kind if international search, is that common? >> i think it depends. i think if they're able to find somebody in the city that

they're first looking, then i don't think that they would have needed to go all the way to the phillipines to search for the lead of this particular show. >> hinojosa: and did you know at that point... did you know at that point that there had been, like, a search, that they had auditioned... >> no. i was not aware of how exhaustive the seach had been previous to their arrival in manila. i had no idea. it's probably better that i didn't have any idea, that i didn't really have the bigger picture of who these people were. and i knew that they had created les miserables, and that cameron had produced all these other shows, but it didn't really occur to me, and i really had no idea, how big of a deal these shows actually were. >> hinojosa: because you hadn't been to broadway in new york. >> i had never been to new york, and the last time i was in london i was maybe 11 or 12, and i had seen evita. but still, you know, it didn't dawn on me that there were mulitimillion dollar productions

in london and in new york. and... >> hinojosa: and you walk in... >> we knew what broadway kind of was. but it still didn't occur to me how huge it actually was. and i'm really grateful that it didn't really hit me at the audition. >> hinojosa: so you go into this audition... >> but yeah, so i go into the audition, i'm prepared. i had prepared "on my own" from les mis. i figured, "i'll do also also a boublil and schonberg song, just because boublil and schonberg are in front of me," right? and after i was done, they asked for another song. and i hadn't prepared another song. so... >> hinojosa: and did you think you had done well? >> i think i had done well enough for them to actually ask for more than just one number. so i said, "well, i do have another song. it's 'the greatest love of all' by whitney houston." and so i went up to the piano, and i asked the pianist if he knew the song. but i think before i even finished the question i saw on top of the piano somebody had

left behind "the greatest love of all," on top of the piano. and so i told the pianist, "can you just play this for me?" and he did, and i was praying while i was standing on the x on the floor, "please let it be in my key, please let it be in my key." >> hinojosa: because you can't ask? >> and it was. >> hinojosa: you can't say, "i need it to be in such-and-such..." >> at the time i don't think i was as knowledgable with regards to "i need this in the key of b-flat, please." and he played it, and i'm like, "yes! this was meant to be." and so i sang it, and they asked me a few questions at the audition, like, you know, "what is the biggest audience that you've ever performed for? what size?" and i'm like, "well, i just finished doing the opening act for stevie wonder, and there were at least 10,000 people there. i don't know, it was dark, or whatever." and they were all just laughing at me. i'm like, "why are they laughing at me?" >> hinojosa: and you had also opened for menudo, right? >> yes, i did. >> hinojosa: menudo in manila. >> yeah, they were huge. >> ming: and you were the opening act. >> they were huge.

everybody my age and maybe a few years older or younger will remember who they are. that's, like, the original boy band. and they were huge, so huge. and they were beautiful, and so nice. >> hinojosa: so you met ricky martin? >> of course i got to meet ricky martin. and i remember him being really... just really sweet and adorable. he grew up to be really handsome, and he was really, really great looking even back then, when he was, like, 13. >> hinojosa: did these guys know, kind of, when they saw you, who you were, and the fact that you had this background, or did they just think, "wow, we have just discovered, like, an amazing talent here." >> hinojosa: at the time i don't think they really knew how experienced i was and how trained i was. until i gave them my resume, which was probably ten pages long. it's like, "here, this is what i've done." >> hinojosa: and then at that point, how much time between that audition to the time that they actually offered you the lead as kim? >> well, the audition was, i think, sometime in november.

and then a little bit after that, they brought me over to london for what they called final assessments. so i was actually onstage at the theater on drury lane. and 42nd street was playing at the time, so i was on that stage. and i got to sing, and i got to meet the guy who eventually became my leading man in the show, as well as one other cast member who, on the spot, was offered the role right there. so i got to see that, and his excitement and everything. and so that was exciting for me to be able to witness that. so it was incredibly exciting heading over there. and so after final assessments, i think on the last day, they took us for, like, a photo shoot. and i'm like, "what is this for? i don't know what this is for." and i think at the time they hadn't made their final decisions as to what my casting situation was going to be. >> hinojosa: did you want it? were you like, "oh, my god..." >> actually, you know what? no. it's not that i didn't want it, but i didn't want it, i think,

as badly as i would have wanted it it if i had auditioned maybe five years later, when i was a little more aware of who these people were, or if i was an actor in new york city. so i didn't really want it that badly. and maybe that aloofness worked in my favor. and, you know, it kept the nerves at bay, i think. >> hinojosa: and then when they finally said to you... >> and i actually found out by looking at my picture on the cover of a sunday magazine in the uk. >> hinojosa: you're kidding! >> somebody sent me a copy of this magazine of the daily mail. it's called you, y-o-u. and i think... i don't know if we got a phone call or what, but somebody said, "you are on the cover of the sunday magazine called you. you're on the cover." and i'm like, "what?" and there was a huge article in the magazine regarding the search, and how they found me and everything. >> hinojosa: but you still didn't know!

>> "what?" i think up until then it was like "you are definitely cast in the show, but we're not sure what's happening." >> hinojosa: oh, my god. >> so i was like, "okay, whatever." "okay, whatever" was my response." >> hinojosa: you do the show in london for about two years. >> i did it for a year and three months. >> hinojosa: year and three months. >> and then i headed to manila to spend the holidays, and i had concerts in the phillipines. and i was in manila for about a month, a month and a half, when i got the call that i was going to broadway. >> hinojosa: now, the thing about miss saigon on broadway is that it was incredibly controversial. >> mm-hmm. >> hinojosa: i mean, a lot of people, if they haven't seen miss saigon, what they know is miss saigon, controversy. the controversy was around the casting of jonathan pryce to play the lead... >> yeah, we were feeling the controversy in london too, because he and i were both still in the show as it was running in the uk. we were both still in the

original company. i think when the casting announcement was made, there was a big uproar in new york city. and cameron then said that he was going to cancel the show if he wasn't cast. >> hinojosa: just so people remember, so the uproar was about the fact that they were casting... >> a caucasian actor to play a eurasian part. >> hinojosa: and then in terms of your controversy... >> in terms of my controversy it was kind of the opposite, because it was an asian part, and i was an asian actor, but i wasn't an american citizen. >> hinojosa: and they tried to... >> so i was... yeah. so there was actually arbitration that went... >> hinojosa: it's amazing. people kind of forget, but you were actually... you were... the fact that you weren't an american citizen was questioned. >> it was questioned. >> hinojosa: the fact that, were you enough of an international star to merit the role? >> right. >> hinojosa: i mean, that must have just... what were you thinking? here you are, 19 years old, and you're thinking, "wait a second. i just want to act or sing." and you've got... >> well, i mean, i was... i'm a very pragmatic person. and cameron was very, you know,

upfront about the entire process. he was like, "we have just been through this with jonathan. we don't know if we're going to be successful in bringing you over." and i told him... he called me in for a meeting in his office, and i'm like, "you know what? for everything that you've done for me up until this point i am extremely grateful." so i was already making plans to stay in the uk, to start drama school in the uk, because the drama schools over there are really good. so i was really kind of moving on with my life, moving forward, regardless of whatever was going to happen. i was not going to put all my eggs in the broadway basket, you know? >> hinojosa: you ultimately did... they did... >> yeah. >> hinojosa: i guess it was actor's equity that basically had to make a decision to allow you to perform. >> right. >> hinojosa: but opening night there were picketers, there were protestors. >> there were picketers throughout previews, too. i mean, during one of the preview performances there were picketers that came into the balcony. and so we were doing this... we were onstage already, we were doing a preview performance. and then we just hear this screaming in the balcony.

and i'm thinking... i'm looking up going, "what's going on up there? we're trying to do a show," you know? "are you going to give us a little respect?" >> hinojosa: people were also very upset about the fact that miss saigon... you know, the terms that would be used now would be to say well, it was a show that was looking at the forced trafficking of women in vietnam who were forced to become sexual objects against their will. and you know, this whole drama is made around them, and there's a love story. but do you think that... >> the show would exist today? i don't know. i think it would have been... i think it would have still been able to exist, because then it would really shine a light on how ugly this kind of situation is. and, you know, a lot of the protest at the time was, "you're denigrating women, you're making them out..." but we have to think of it in context. this is 1975. we're not portraying women as they are in 1991, which was when the show opened on broadway.

this is 1975, and everything is pretty much going to hell in saigon. and everybody's pretty much grasping... and, you know, there's an expression in the phillipines where we say (speaking tagalog), which literally translated is "you are hanging onto the blade of a knife to survive." and... which means that you'll basically do whatever you need to, and do anything, no matter how denigrating or terrible, just to survive. and so within the dialogue of the show, a lot of the ad libs were, "gi, get me out, please get me a visa, get me a passport, please..." >> hinojosa: because this is when the united states is pulling out of saigon. >> exactly. and so the gis just really want to be there for the sex. and they know they're all getting out. and the women are trying to hook themselves onto one of these men to get out of what they know will be a very terrible situation once the americans are gone and the communists take

over. >> hinojosa: when you stand back now and you look at the experience of what happened, the controversy around miss saigon, do you think that things have gotten better for asian actors? >> i'd like to think so. i'd like to think so, that there's certainly more asian actors who are working actively in shows, that blind casting does exist. >> hinojosa: so blind casting, basically... >> it's like it doesn't matter if you're whatever race. i've you've got the goods, then you get cast. >> hinojosa: do you think it really... blind casting really exists? >> it can exist. >> hinojosa: it can, but not across the board. >> not across the board. for example, have you seen billy elliot, for example? blind casting must exist for that role, for that lead role, because it's so hard to find a boy who can do all those things, having that skill set. and to restrict it to a certain ethnic group is... you know, you're just basically centering

on, "okay, he has to be white to play this role," when there are so many other talented kids who could very well do it. so i think they open that role to whomever could play it realistically. and no one even looks twice. >> hinojosa: so there's been progress made. >> i'd like to think so. i'd like to think so. i mean, the last production on broadway that i was in was les mis. and the first first production you pretty much had to be pasty white to be in the show,. i went into the show and... >> hinojosa: did you have to audition for that as well? >> no, i didn't have to. >> hinojosa: they just... a phone call? >> they just said, "do you want to do it" i'm like, "sure, i'd love to play eponine." >> hinojosa: wow. >> and then when they asked me to play fantine for the revival, i went in to replace daphne rubin vega. so it's like, "i'm replacing another..." >> hinojosa: she's dominican, yeah, latina. >> so the cast actually was made up of... we had a black javert, there was... the cast was just so diverse, it was crazy diverse.

but it never centered on just how diverse everyone was. it was just, "here's a story, and these are the people that we have chosen to tell the story and to tell it well." >> hinojosa: do you think that now there are more asian american producers who are saying, "okay, i need to step..." i mean, what about you? couldn't you produce? >> well, i actually just did a reading in new york city yesterday, and it's a show called allegiance. and the subject matter of the show is japanese internment in world war ii. so the cast... i mean, it's... obviously this is not open to blind casting, because you have to be asians to play japanese, and there has to be either white or black to play the americans. and so it's very specific. >> hinojosa: are you going to get the role? >> i read for... i was playing the lead in the thing. so hopefully i continue on with the process of developing the show. and it's currently in consistent development. and i did a reading in la last year, and we did the reading in new york city. and this is a show where the

asians and the asian americans in the show are not necessarily portrayed as villains. there are villains... there's the good guys, and there's the villains. or what is perceived as the villain. because stereotypically a lot of asian actors in a lot of american shows would be maybe the triad leaders, or gang leaders, or what. but with this, the romantic lead is asian, the romantic lead, the leading lady is asian, and george takai is the lead guy. >> hinojosa: what i love is the fact that you are here, this international star. because your music, you've, like, what, gone multiplatinum on who knows how many records? but you still have to go in sometimes and read for a part. >> yeah. >> hinojosa: right? >> absolutely. >> hinojosa: you still have to do that. and people might not know this, because, you know... >> i still have to audition. >> hinojosa: ...people don't necessar... i always watch all of the credits on everything, especially because i have kids. whenever i go see anything animated i want to see who did the voices. >> right. >> hinojosa: you did the singing voice for...

>> for princess jasmine and for mulan, yeah. >> hinojosa: in aladdin, and then mu >> yeah. >> hinojosa: what was... >> it still freaks kids out. i actually went to visit one of my friends in billy elliot. so one of the kids who played billy, who i had seen in the show, he said, "hi," because i had met him a couple days before when he played the role. and i've got a tony award, i've got all of these credits. and so he asked me, "so what do you do?" and so i listed my broadway credits. "i've done les miserables, and i did miss saigon, and i won a tony award for it." it just... eyes glazed over, and right over the head. he's like, "what else have you done?" very seriously, looking at me. so i lookd at my friend, who i had worked with in les mis. and we're looking at each other, it was like, "well, i did the voices of princess jasmine in aladdin and mulan." i got the biggest freakout that i've ever seen. >> hinojosa: you mean he started jumping up and down like... >> "no way!" and i'm like... it's amazing what pop culture and film

will... you know, how it influences kids. >> hinojosa: so... >> it's just so... it was just so funny. it made my night. it really, really did. >> hinojosa: what are you thinking about what comes next? i mean, do you think, "look, i could be producing, i could be directing, i could..." i mean, what's your dream? >> for me, i kind of want to coach, to teach, and to do one-on-one coaching with people. i've done it for a couple of people back home in the phillipines, and i found that to be extremely rewarding, because in a very strange way it keeps fueling my own desires to perform. when i'm able to see somebody that i've kind of helped along onstage, you know, "oh, yes, i remember teaching that person that, i remember teaching this person this," and then, "yes, that dance step is looking great, yes, that's looking great," it makes me feel really good, and it makes me want to get back up there again. >> hinojosa: and obviously doesn't feel like any kind of competitive issue for you? >> no, not at all. i mean, the more... back home, of course, we say, "the more, the manyer." and the more the merrier, truly. and, you know, the more performers that we are able to encourage to love the theater

and love doing musical theater, it's best for... it's great for everybody, you know? i'm not selfish with my gifts and with what i've done and what i may be able to impart to somebody else. because, you know, i've got to pay it forward and pass it along, because i've had some really wonderful teachers to whom i will always and forever be grateful. so to be able to do that for someone else, you know, is pretty fantastic. and i had a great time. >> hinojosa: all right, so tell us the one role that you're saying, "wow, if i really could just get that role..." >> right. >> hinojosa: what would be that role? >> there are actually a couple. >> hinojosa: okay. well, we've got one minute, so tell us. >> i'd love to do eva peron in evita. i'd love to play elphaba in wicked. and i'm actually going to get to play a dream role, not my own dream role, but a dream role of a lot of people. i'm getting to play grizibella in cats in july in the philippines. so i'm looking forward to that, too. >> hinojosa: wow. all right, well, lea salonga, congratulations, and we'll look out for you. thanks so much.

>> thank you so much. ♪ you who i cradled in my arms you asking as little as you can ♪ little snip of a little man i know i'd give my life for you ♪ you didn't ask me to be born you ♪ why should you learn

of war or pain ♪ to make sure you're not hurt again ♪ i swear i'll give my life for you ♪ i've tasted love beyond all fear ♪ and you should know it's love that brought you here ♪ and in one perfect night when the stars burned like new i knew what i must do ♪ i'll give you a million things i'll never own ♪ i'll give you a world to conquer when you're grown

♪ you will be who you want to be you ♪ can choose whatever heaven grants ♪ as long as you can have your chance ♪ i swear i'll give my life for you ♪ sometimes i wake up reaching for him ♪ i feel his shadow brush my head ♪ but there's just moonlight on my bed ♪ was he a ghost was he a lie that made my body laugh and cry ♪ and by my side the proof i see his little one

♪ gods of the sun bring him to me ♪ you will be who you want to be you ♪ can choose whatever heaven grants ♪ as long as you can have your chance ♪ i swear i'll give my life for you ♪ no one can stop what i must do ♪ i swear i'll give my life for you. ♪

>> hinojosa: continue the conversation at wgbh.org/oneonone. captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org jjxññññññ÷