Culture
Lea Salonga Calls Out A.I. Video Claiming She’s in a Wheelchair From Arthritis
“A.I. is scary. Stay vigilant and aware.”
by Jam Nitura
Published on Jun 28, 2025
Lea Salonga is the latest celebrity to fall victim to a deepfake video of herself on the internet. The broadway star shared on social media that she had received a concerned message from her aunt after coming across an A.I.-generated video of Lea claiming that she was wheelchair-bound caused by an illness.
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Lea Salonga Warns Against the Dangers of A.I.
“Just chatted with an auntie of mine from Manila who sent a message that was unnerving, She had just seen a video claiming that I was in a wheelchair due to arthritis and was cured by some treatment.” wrote Lea on Facebook.
She followed it by warning her followers against A.I. or artificial intelligence. “I told her that I was fine, minor aches and pains from my job, but that’s it. She was bamboozled by a fake video. A.I. is scary. Stay vigilant and aware.”
Lea is just one of many Filipino celebrities whose image has been used to promote certain items online. A few weeks ago, VIVA Artists Agency released a post condemning a Facebook page that's been utilizing Anne Curtis-Smith’s image “illegally and without any authority whatsoever" for their own gain.
Comedian Michael V. also took to social media this year to expose an A.I.-made video of himself seemingly endorsing a product. He described how the clip replaced his mouth movement and learned to mimic his voice to deliver a pre-made script. “These fake photos, alam n'yo na kung ga'no kadaling gawin. Dinoktor din nila yung comments ko para malinis,” he said on Instagram.
Like Lea, he ended his post by asking his followers to remain vigilant. “Ang Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), masyado nang tumatalino. Dapat matuto tayong maging mapanuri kung ang pinapanood o binabasa ay fake o totoo. Please REPORT and share.”
Deepfakes are created by a type of A.I. technology that can produce fake images, videos, and audio recordings, often taking existing content and swapping parts of it for something else. As per TechTarget, the term itself is a portmanteau of “deep learning” and “fake.”
According to The Guardian, some telltale signs that you’re viewing a deepfake video include patchy skin tone, flickering around the edges of the frame, and poorly copied fine details like hair strands. “Badly rendered jewellery and teeth can also be a giveaway, as can strange lighting effects, such as inconsistent illumination and reflections on the iris.”