Leo Valdez: Engineering the King

Throughout his career, he has played some of the most iconic Broadway characters – including the Engineer in Miss Saigon, with which he is most associated.

No less than his best has also gone into Valdez’s latest role – the formidable King in the King and I. “It’s like a crash course in showing what I have learned through the years,” says Valdez on preparing for the part.

Chennai Engineering Colleges

The actor dove fully into studying his character, doing what he calls the “Leo Valdez mode of dealing with anything” – he disconnected his Internet and cable TV connection, and focused fully on developing each facet of the complexity that is the King of Siam.

Engineering Graduation

Though Valdez is now established in the international and local musical theater scene, he used to see himself more as a singer than an actor.

“Initially I thought it was quite daunting,” says Valdez on first trying his hand at performing in Manila. The boy from Negros shares, “Manila seemed so big… It was like New York – ‘If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere’.” And, indeed, Valdez did make it in the big city.

Valdez became a household name when he interpreted “Magsimula Ka” in the Metropop festival song writing contest. 

Read More: philstar.com/Article.aspx