Monique Wilson

Last updated

Monique Wilson
Born
Monica Anne Esteva Wilson

(1970-05-04) May 4, 1970 (age 54)
Makati, Rizal, Philippines
Education University of the Philippines Diliman
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art
Occupation(s)Singer, actress
SpouseRossana Abueva (m. 2015)

Monica Anne Esteva Wilson (born May 4, 1970), usually credited as Monique Wilson, is a Filipina singer, actress, and women's rights activist. She began her professional career at the age of nine. At 18, she gained recognition as the understudy for the lead role of Kim in the original London West End production of Miss Saigon , later starring in the role.

Contents

Performing career

Wilson began her professional career in 1980, at age 9, with Repertory Philippines as an orphan in the musical Annie . Over the succeeding seasons, she performed roles in many other musicals. At the age of 14, she starred at the musical Evita . In 1988, at the age of 18, she auditioned for a role in Miss Saigon in the original West End production and was cast as the understudy of the title role, Kim. After a year, she replaced Lea Salonga in the role. [1] She later earned a BA in Theatre from the University of the Philippines in Diliman and studied at the London Academy of Dramatic Arts (LAMDA), receiving its postgraduate certificate in classical acting. [2]

In 1994, she returned to the Philippines and founded the New Voice Company, for whom she played leading roles and serves as Artistic Director. The company has continued to produce theatre works in several Asian countries and has been active in the women's rights movement, producing and performing in such works as The Vagina Monologues . [3] She also began directing plays and musicals and continued acting and recording music. She later pursued masters studies in Applied Drama and Theater Education at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, graduating in 2003. [3] She has continued her acting and music recording careers, splitting her time between Manila and London. [2] Her films include Bad Boy 2 (1992), for which she received a nomination for the Best Newcomer in Film award at the Star Awards, Kapag Iginuhit Ang Hatol Ng Puso (1992) for which she won Best Supporting Actress Award in the Film Academy of the Philippines (now called LUNA), Ikaw (1993) and SA Isang Sulok Ng Mga Pangarap (1993). In 1998, she portrayed Maria Clara in José Rizal and was nominated as Best Supporting Actress in the Metro Manila Film Festival. For the 2001 film Laro sa Baga, she won the Best Supporting Actress at the URIAN. [3]

Wilson's recordings include her 1994 self-titled debut album (Viva Records) and a 1998 album titled Monique Sings Gershwin, with Japanese producer Musicscape. [3]

From 2009 to 2014, Wilson was the head of the MA/MFA Acting International course for the East 15 Acting School of the University of Essex. [3]

Activism

In 1999, the Philippine women's group GABRIELA invited Wilson to become the international spokesperson for their Purple Rose Campaign, a campaign to end the sex trafficking of Filipina women and girls. [4] In 2001, together with New Voice Company executive producer Rossana Abueva, Wilson began to produce V-Day events in the Philippines. [5]

Since 2013, Wilson has been the director of One Billion Rising. [4]

Personal life

Wilson was born in Makati, Philippines, to Johnny Wilson, the vice Mayor of Makati, and Teresa Esteva. She has a brother named Jamie Wilson who is also a stage musical actor. Her parents have both been involved in the entertainment industry. She married Rossana Abueva in London in 2015. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lea Salonga</span> Filipino singer and actress (born 1971)

Maria Lea Carmen Imutan Salonga-Chien,, known professionally as Lea Salonga, is a Filipina singer and actress. Primarily known for her work in theatre, she has starred in musicals on the West End and Broadway. Her accolades include a Tony Award and a Laurence Olivier Award, in addition to nominations for two Grammy Awards. She was conferred with the Presidential Medal of Merit in 1990 and the Order of Lakandula in 2007, and she was honored as a Disney Legend in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gloria Diaz</span> Filipina actress and model

Gloria Maria Aspillera Diaz is a Filipino actress, model and beauty queen who won Miss Universe 1969, becoming the first Filipino to hold the Miss Universe title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachelle Ann Go</span> Filipino singer and actress (born 1986)

Rachelle Ann Villalobos Go is a Filipino singer and actress. Known primarily for her work in theater, she has starred in musicals on Broadway and in the West End. She began her career as a pop artist in her native country and has received many accolades, including an Aliw Award, an MTV Pilipinas Music Award, two Awit Awards, and five Myx Music Awards. Tatler magazine named her one of the most influential people in Asia in 2021.

The Kapampangan people, Pampangueños or Pampangos, are the sixth largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, numbering about 2,784,526 in 2010. They live mainly in the provinces of Pampanga, Bataan and Tarlac, as well as Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Zambales.

Natalie Jackson Mendoza is an Australian actress. She is best known for her roles as one of the main characters, Jackie Clunes, in the British drama series Hotel Babylon (2006–2008) and as Juno in the horror film The Descent (2005), as well as its sequel, The Descent Part 2 (2009). Mendoza has also performed in various stage productions across the West End and Broadway, including Miss Saigon, Here Lies Love, and Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark ("Arachne").

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maricel Soriano</span> Filipino actress and television personality (born 1965)

Maria Cecilia "Maricel" Dador Soriano is a Filipino actress and television personality. Known for her intense acting style and versatility, she is known for playing dramatic and comedic leading roles in films and television series. She has received numerous accolades, including three Asian Television Awards, five FAMAS Awards, three Luna Awards, thirteen Box Office Entertainment Awards and ten Star Awards for Television.

Joanna Ampil is a musical theatre and film actress from the Philippines and United Kingdom.

Pilar Cristina Roxas Amador, commonly known by her stage name Pinky Amador, is a Filipino actress, singer, commercial model and TV host.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">María Clara</span> Fictional character

María Clara de los Santos is a character in José Rizal's novel Noli Me Tángere (1887). The beautiful María Clara is the childhood sweetheart and fiancée of the protagonist, Crisóstomo Ibarra, who returns to his Filipino hometown of San Diego to marry her. After Ibarra is implicated in a fake revolution and is thought to be dead, María Clara opts to become a nun rather than marry another man. She remains unhappy for the rest of her life and her death is later mentioned in the sequel, El filibusterismo (1891).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgina Wilson</span> Filipina-British endorser, VJ, magazine and commercial model

Georgina Ashley Diaz Wilson-Burnand is a Filipino-British model, actress, host and VJ. In 2015, Wilson hosted the third season of the reality show Asia's Next Top Model.

Marie Rachel Salman Taleon-Lagdameo, known professionally as Dawn Zulueta, is a Filipino actress, host and commercial model. She was recognized as the only Filipino actor to win two different major accolades in acting categories in a single year when she won Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress in the 1992 FAMAS Awards. She also appeared in Manila Standard's Top 10 Filipina actresses of the 1990s list of 1999.

Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo is a Filipina musical theatre actress widely considered the "first lady" of Philippine musical theatre. She is well known for her roles as Diana Goodman in Next to Normal and Mrs. Lovett alongside Audie Gemora as Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd. She is the artistic director for Resorts World Manila and a founding member of Actor's Actor Inc.

Elizabeth Oropesa, also known as La Oropesa, or "Boots" to friends is a Filipina actress. She was a Grand Slam Best Actress winner for Bulaklak Ng Maynila (1999). She was crowned as Miss Luzon of the Miss Republic of the Philippines (RP) 1972. She was one of the Miss White Castle models in the mid-70s. One of her notable roles is Sandra Salgado, the evil stepmother and the main villain in hit soap opera Esperanza. Aside from showbiz assignments and commitments, Oropesa is currently working as a healer.

Kimverlie Soriano Molina, popularly known as Kim Molina, is a Filipino singer and actress, known for portraying Aileen in the long-running Filipino stage musical Rak Of Aegis (2014—2019), Savannah in the drama series Kadenang Ginto (2018), Peng in the digital iWant movie MOMOL Nights (2019), and Elsa in the mainstream film #Jowable (2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abigail Binay</span> Filipino lawyer

Mar-len Abigail "Abby" Sombillo Binay-Campos is a Filipina lawyer and politician who has been the Mayor of Makati since 2016. She formerly served in the Congress as Representative of Makati's 2nd District from 2007 to 2016, when she was succeeded by her husband, Luis Campos. She is also the daughter of former Vice President Jejomar Binay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christine Allado</span> Filipina-British actress and singer

Christine Marie Allado is a Filipina-British actress and singer. She is best known for her performance in the role of Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds in the multi Tony and Olivier award-winning West End Production of Hamilton: An American Musical and for starring as Vanessa in the multi Olivier award-winning West End production of In The Heights, both by Lin Manuel Miranda. Her television credits include starring in the BBC's 60th anniversary production of West Side Story as the lead role of Maria and Jasmine in Hallmark Channel's TV film Royal Hearts, as Agent Beverly Walker for The Accidental Spy. She is currently starring in “The Prince of Egypt” musical at the Dominion Theatre in the West End.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isa Briones</span> American actor and singer

Isabella Camille Briones is an American actor and singer. A veteran of musical theatre, she rose to prominence for her starring roles in the CBS All Access series Star Trek: Picard (2020), including Soji, an android "daughter" of Data. In 2023, she starred as Margot Stokes in the Disney+/Hulu series Goosebumps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Repertory Philippines</span> Arts center in Metro Manila, Philippines

Repertory Philippines Foundation Inc. (REP) is a Filipino theater company dedicated to showcasing English-language productions.

Joaquin Pedro Valdes is a Filipino stage actor and singer. He began his career as a child actor and was a member of the boyband 17:28. He has since become known for playing Light in the London production of Death Note: The Musical in 2023.

References

  1. ↑ "Monique Wilson to marry partner in London". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on November 26, 2015. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Monique Wilson - One Billion Rising Director". July 27, 2013. Archived from the original on March 22, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Monique Wilson – One Billion Rising Director". July 27, 2013. Archived from the original on November 26, 2015. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Monique Wilson - One Billion Rising Director Monique Wilson's Activist Journey". December 30, 2013. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  5. ↑ "VDay.org Monique Wilson Biography". Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  6. ↑ "After wedding, Monique Wilson thanks well-wishers". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on November 16, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.