Dolly de Leon's trailblazing success in Hollywood has not only brought Pinoy pride, but also served as an inspiration for Filipino actors making their way to going international.
She made history as the first Filipina to score best supporting actress nominations at the 2023 Golden Globes and British Academy Film Awards for her scene-stealing role in the award-winning black comedy film, Triangle of Sadness (2022).
It also won her awards at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award and Guldbagge Award, among other recognitions.
The Academy Awards, also known as the Oscar's, accorded Dolly a by-invitation-only membership, given to one who has demonstrated exceptional achievement in the field of theatrical motion pictures."
She has gotten this far without any thought of achieving international stardom.
The 54-year-old actress said matter-of-factly:
"The thing is I never really waited for a breakthrough to happen. That was never ever in my DNA. I just wanted a regular job. I wanted to be, you know, a working actor with a stable job as an actor. That's all I ever really wanted, and that's it!"
Dolly talked to PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) in an exclusive interview via exchange of messages on February 27, 2024.
Typical of Dolly—in her 30 years acting in films, theater, and on television—to be in the moment giving heart and soul to every character she played, even to bit roles paying measly paycheck.
In October and December 2018, with her trademark brand of acting, impassioned and focused, she auditioned and got a major role in Triangle of Sadness.
Written and directed by Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund, the movie was filmed in 2020 and premiered on May 21, 2022 at the Cannes Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation and ultimately won the much-coveted Palm d'Or.
The movie had since earned more awards and nominations from other prestigious award-giving bodies including the Oscar's, with Dolly catching the attention of critics with her acclaimed performance as a toilet manager, who used her survival skills as leverage over her super-rich cruise companions when they got cast away in a remote island.
Acting is work that Dolly loves doing, and being a natural at it is itself a gift.
Thus, for all the accolades and VIP treatment accorded to Dolly for her performance in theTriangle of Sadness, the film was just another project for her.
She said, "What keeps me grounded is the thought that all of this can go away, and that all of this is temporary.
"So I'm just making the most of every minute of living this new life now."
"I'm cherishing every moment making the most of it and doing my best."
DOLLY DE LEON, an inspiration to liza soberano
For Dolly, without meaning to downplay nor glorify the approbation by foreign award-giving bodies for her acting prowess, all that raises her hopes higher for her fellow actors in local showbiz, especially for those she has long admired and respected.
"Yun actually ang dream ko, e—para sa mga lahat ng actors na may passion for their craft to be able to work in other cultures, to work in other worlds of cinema.
"So that, you know, they experience it. And that they grow and that they hone their craft.
"Because the only way to really to grow in what we do is to experience other ways of doing it in different cultures."
This was exactly how Dolly made Liza Soberano feel when the 26-year-old actress made her Hollywood debut.
Liza landed a role in the dark comedy film Lisa Frankenstein (2024), helmed by first-time feature film director Zelda Williams and written by Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody.
In an interview uploaded on Universal Pictures's YouTube Channel on February 3, Liza expressed her admiration for Dolly who appeared in the same video as a gesture of support ahead of Lisa Frankenstein's world premiere in theaters.
Said Liza, "I was inspired by people like you who are constantly trying to push the envelope striving for greatness in everything that you do, and I wanted that for myself, too, and so here we are now, Ms. Dolly."
Last February 5, Dolly was also among Liza's peers in Philippine showbiz who left congratulatory messages as soon as Liza started posting photos on Instagram showing the red-carpet premiere of the movie in Hollywood, California.
Back to Dolly's interview with PEP.ph, the award-winning actress conveyed, "I am so happy for Liza!
"Because you know, when you're working in a different environment that you're not used to, that's new to you, it can build a lot of pressure in you as an actor.
"But with Liza, it's second nature for her to work in another country, to work in the States.
"So I'm really proud of of the success that she's enjoying now from her first project in the U.S.
"So, kudos to her!
"I mean it’s really something else which she achieved there and I heard that she also got a lot of rave reviews."
Read: How Hollywood film critics react to Liza Soberano's performance in Lisa Frankenstein
WHAT film CRITICS SAY ABOUT LIZA'S ROLE
Lisa Frankenstein is a genre-bending romp inspired by the classic 1818 fiction novel Frankenstein.
Read: REVIEW: Liza Soberano’s campy Lisa Frankenstein shocks and awes
Set in the '80s, the movie's female lead character Lisa Swallows (Ant-Man and The Wasp's Kathryn Newton) is a high school senior whose traumatic experiences prompts her to seek comfort from her favorite grave and wish for a dead man (Riverdale's Cole Sprouse) to come back to life.
In the movie, Liza plays Taffy Swallows, narcissistic and wildly popular in high-school campus, but kind-hearted towards her stepsister Lisa.
Liza did earn good reviews for her portrayal in the movie.
The Guardian's website wrote about "note-perfect Soberano" as one of the movie's two supporting characters "who steal the show, both more finely attuned to the tropes of the era."
The New York Times' website, for its part, cited writer Diablo Cody's "subversive" take on Liza's character as something unexpected for the movie's genre "and that feels refreshing."
Referring to the good reviews about Liza's performance, Dolly said: "Unfortunately, I have not seen Lisa Frankenstein. I would love to watch it!
"I'm actually looking forward to watching it because I'm also a fan of Kathryn Newton."
"So, I heard she stole the show, and I've seen little snippets of it, of her acting.
"The character that she created, Taffy, looks so lived in. It's so well-thought of.
"I'm so happy that she was able to use all the talent, all the knowledge that she learned in all her years as an actor in the Philippines.
"And, you know, to be able to marry that with the talent that she naturally has, nakaka-proud. Nakaka-proud siya. I'm so happy for her."
Read: American filmmaker declares Liza Soberano a future "superstar"
DOLLY SAYS LIZA EARNED OWN SPOTLIGHT IN HOLLYWOOD
Dolly was quick to clarify the comment about her and Liza now sharing the spotlight on international scene, which is unusual in the competitive world of showbiz..
She said firmly, "First of all, I didn't share the spotlight.
"That is her own spotlight because it's hers all by herself.
"I mean, isn't that the point of being human? To lift each other up, to bring out the best in everybody.
"I don't see any other way of doing it. We're all going through our own struggles in our careers, and we need all the help that we can get from people around us.
"I'm happy to support her. She deserves it."
Dolly remarked further that the young actress made a brave decicion to pursue a Hollywood career when she could have easily stayed in the Philippines, where she is an established A-list star with at least four box-office movies and four teleseryes under her belt.
"She worked so hard all her life," Dolly underlined.
"I mean, the thing about Liza is she has so much passion for her craft, for the industry, and so much passion for our country.
"She wants nothing but the best for all of us, and I find that so admirable.
"She’s not afraid to take risks, she's not afraid to step out of her comfort zone, and do something that, you know, she's never done before.
"Like leaving her hometown, and just going on an adventure and auditioning and working in other environments.
"Nakakabilib siya talaga, nakakabilib."
Dolly continued, "So, parang wala ng ibang way, kundi i-angat ang isa’t isa. Ano ba yung point nung ipapagkakait natin sa kapwa, yung mga colleagues natin yung success that they deserve?
"Especially for someone like Liza, who has worked so hard for it.
"Hindi naman siya umupo lang at hinintay na dumating ang grasya. She deserves all the success that she's getting."
Dolly didn't even see herself fit to coach Liza, "I have no advice to give her because she's doing a great job. She doesn't need my advice.
<"I mean, I know that I'm older so people expect me to give younger actors advice.
"But honestly, she doesn't need it. Alam na niya, alam na niya kung anong dapat gawin.
"Alam na niya kung ano yung kailangan niya. I mean, na-achieve naman niya, e.
"So, wala akong mabibigay na advice sa kanya dahil mas may wisdom pa siya kesa sa akin."
Citing the four films and four teleseryes that Liza headlined for ABS-CBN, Dolly quipped, "She’s been in the industry since she was a kid.
"So siguro siya ang dapat magbigay sa akin ng advice."
Read: Liza Soberano dons Olivier Theyskens dress at Lisa Frankenstein Hollywood premiere
DOLLY AND LIZA in the same project
Dolly had worked with Liza in the 2018 Kapamilya prime-time series Bagani and the 2019 film Alone/Together, both of which Liza co-starred with reel- and real-life sweetheart Enrique Gil.
Recalling her previous encounters with Liza, Dolly elaborated, "Technically, once ko pa lang siya nakakatrabaho, hindi twice.
"Kasi sa Bagani, hindi naman kami magka-eksena, e. Magkasabay lang kami sa service papunta sa location kasi malayo yung standby area namin doon sa mismong set.
"So, nakasakay kami sa same van papunta sa set. Yung lang first experience ko sa kanya."
In Alone/Together, Dolly played as Liza's irate boss.
"Very intense yung eksena namin noon kasi ako yung boss niya sa trabaho niya.
"Pinapagalitan ko siya ng very, very intense.
"So again, heavy scene so hindi kami nagkaroon ng chance mag-mingle and gets ko yun. As in I totally, get that."
There was hardly a chance for them to bond on the set at the time.
"You know, when you’re playing a lead part in a film, in a major production, there's a lot of pressure on you to deliver, especially, if it’s an emotional scene.
"So, I was able to ano lang parang congratulate her after the scene that we did and kinongratulate rin niya ako.
"We thanked each other for helping each other out in the scene."
Would it be possible for them to work together in the future?
With much enthusiasm, Dolly answered, "Of course, yeah! Sana magkaroon ng opportunity to work together.
"Malay natin soon?"
Read: Dolly de Leon's series with Nicole Kidman to start filming in January 2024