Monique Wilson

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.

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. 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.

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. 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. In 2001, together with New Voice Company executive producer Rossana Abueva, Wilson began to produce V-Day events in the Philippines.

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