Ruthie Henshall as Fantine in the Les Misérables 10th anniversary concert
Fantine is a character in the 1862 novel Les Misérables by Victor Hugo and the 1985 stage adaption
Lea Salonga as Fantine in the 25th Anniversary Concert.
of the novel. She was the lover of Félix Tholomyès, but he left her when they found out she was pregnant with their daughter Cosette. She obtained a job at a textile factory (incidentally owned by Jean Valjean) but was fired when it became known that Cosette is illegitimate. She sold her locket and hair, and became a prostitute in order to pay for Cosette. When she refused the advances of a customer, she was nearly arrested by was saved by Valjean. She contracted tuberculosis and, after Valjean promises to raise Cosette in her stead, dies.