Five Inspiring Things You Need To Know About Dolly de Leon
Some of you may be wondering who Dolly de Leon is. If you aren’t keeping up with pop-culture or not up-to-date with new release movies, I GOT YOU! First and foremost, it is very important that you know who Dolly de Leon is. This past December, she became the first Filipino actress to be nominated for the Globe, Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, for her performance in Ruben Östlund’s Triangle of Sadness. Triangle of Sadness is a 2022 satirical black comedy film starring Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean, Zlatko Burić, Henrik Dorsin, Vicki Berlin, Woody Harrelson and of course, Dolly de Leon. Not only that, she also took home the win for Best Supporting Performance in the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards (LAFCA)!
Dolly de Leon’s journey is truly inspiring. If you didn’t know her, you would think she's an overnight success. Which is totally the opposite. She has worked so hard to get to where she is now. Her resilience has truly paid off. Dolly de Leon is a reminder to all who think that giving up on your passion is the only way to survive. Take the steps, do the work and don’t give up!
Here are five inspiring things you need to know about Golden Globe nominee and the winner of Best Supporting Performance Award in LAFCA, Dolly de Leon.
1. She’s been acting for over 30 years, getting her big break and International recognition in December 2022. De Leon started acting professionally when she was at the University of the Philippines studying to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts, but was already acting for fun in school, joining the drama club, the dance club, the Glee club. That’s when she really started learning more about the craft.
2. Dolly de Leon had side hustles. She’s been a cashier, a sales clerk, and a babysitter. She has done corporate work - PR and media relations. Dolly has also done facilitation of team building and team development programs. She’s sold insurance. “I’ve done so many things because it’s really not easy being an actor in the Philippines. I don’t really get that much work and when I do, I don’t really get paid very well. I have to find other ways to augment my income, but not to be fully employed because I still want to continue acting.”
3. Dolly was persuaded to stop acting but didn’t fall for it. “Maybe you should rethink your career and start doing something else.” People would send her links to an online teaching job or teaching students online English or things like that. She never looked into it because she didn’t want to let go of acting. “It’s really my passion and it’s really something I really want to never let go of. Thank god, I never did because now the offers are improving. I’m getting more exciting roles to play and it was really worth all the heartache. I suffered for more than 30 years in this profession. Thank god, I stuck with it!”
4. Dolly de Leon auditioned through Skype! De Leon tells Forbes that after an initial audition, she got on a Skype call with Östlund with the help of one of her four children to prepare for the important video call. “That was a time when if Zoom ever existed, I didn’t know anything about it,” continues de Leon. “All I knew was Skype or FaceTime to impress Ruben. We really did everything we could to have great lighting and to make me look presentable. Using online tools is challenging especially for people who don’t use it often.
5. Dolly cried when she learned of her Global Globe nomination. The reason she got so emotional, is because she believes, when you do your job, you’re doing it because you love it, but when people recognize you or they say, ‘You did a good job, they love your work,’ it gives you a strong sense of affirmation, a sense that, yes, you are doing the right thing, you are on the right track, and you are in the right profession.”
I’d like to leave you with this...in a Rappler interview, Dolly says, “It’s an honor and a privilege to be recognized by critics who think outside the box and recognize the artistry of film-making. I’m proud to represent every individual who is struggling in their chosen industry. Every single soul who’s watched the film would know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, go out and find out. It’s still in cinemas dito sa ‘tin. Para sa’tin ‘to (This is for us),” she said. If you have seen the film, comment below!
Written By Rose Buado
Business and Life Purpose Professional Certified Coach
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