Cover Dolly de Leon in the second episode of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2 (Photo: Reiner Bajo / courtesy of Disney, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video)
Dolly de Leon in the second episode of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2 (Photo: Reiner Bajo / courtesy of Disney, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video)
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Dolly de Leon has taken the world by storm with her stunning new role in the highly anticipated series ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’
A week before the second season of the highly anticipated Hulu series Nine Perfect Strangers hit the Philippines through Prime Video, Dolly de Leon graced its Los Angeles premiere at The Beverly Estate in a stylish and edgy illusion mesh slip dress designed by Brooklyn-based label Kid Super.
It would be understandable to presume that with a principal role in an international television series, De Leon would easily be sucked in the glitz and glamour of the famed city. As such, one might think that she has already become one of Hollywood’s unreachable celebrities. Nothing could be so wrong. During the cast’s interviews with the international press, she greeted us with the warmth of an old friend. Her energy was also boundless. Days later, she flew across the world to attend the advanced screening of the pilot episode at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater in Makati City.
Above Dolly de Leon portrays the role of Sister Agnes in the second season of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’, an expansion of the novel exclusively written for television (Photo: courtesy of Creazion Studios)
Dolly de Leon portrays the role of Sister Agnes in the second season of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’, an expansion of the novel exclusively written for television (Photo: courtesy of Creazion Studios)
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De Leon values the craft and discipline of an actor. For her, this was what made her filming experience alongside Nine Perfect Strangers’s powerhouse and diverse cast—including Nicole Kidman, Christine Baranski, Henry Golding, Mark Strong and more—truly unforgettable.
“Saya! Sobrang saya at ang sarap-sarap nilang lahat katrabaho [It was fun! So much fun and it felt so good to work with them all],” she shares with Tatler.
Nine Perfect Strangers leaps off the pages of the New York Times bestseller of the same title by Liane Moriarty, offering unconventional approaches to healing one’s traumas and inner issues. In Season 1, audiences were brought to a reclusive brook in Byron Bay, New South Wales. Though the idyllic scenery of the fictional wellness resort, Tranquillum House, evoking serenity, this group of strangers discovered more about themselves and the cycle of life—anything but inner peace.
Above Dolly de Leon in the third episode of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2 (Photo: Reiner Bajo / courtesy of Disney, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video)
Dolly de Leon in the third episode of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2 (Photo: Reiner Bajo / courtesy of Disney, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video)
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However challenging it was for them to tear down their walls and resolve pain and resentment to achieve a bit of tranquillity, they nevertheless did it with the help of their Russian wellness guide, Masha Dmitrichenko (Nicole Kidman), by the end of the season. Dmitrichenko even made waves among the global medical community after the clandestine operation was published in The New Yorker, with her on the cover.
In Season 2, things have dramatically shifted. Dmitrichenko relocates her resort to a sanatorium-turned-chalet in the heart of Zauberwald, nestled in the Austrian Alps. The stakes are higher this time.
Read more: Dolly de Leon joins Nicole Kidman in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ season 2
Above Dolly de Leon with Aras Aydin in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2 (Photo: Reiner Bajo / courtesy of Disney, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video)
Dolly de Leon with Aras Aydin in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2 (Photo: Reiner Bajo / courtesy of Disney, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video)
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“Grabe! [It was] surreal!” exclaims De Leon, recalling the experience of shooting the series in the Alps, among others, for six months. “The photos of the Alps do not give [the place] justice until you see it in person...It gave the series that ethereal quality.” De Leon continues mentioning their other filming locations: “Munich was a beautiful, peaceful city, which helped me keep calm during breaks... My favourite location was Salzburg, where we shot a big scene at the castle. The Sound of Music was filmed there, and it’s a magical place.”
De Leon plays the mysterious Sister Agnes, a former nun who continues to struggle with her belief that God went silent on her, then left the Church after a traumatic incident.
Above The cast of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2 (Photo: Reiner Bajo / courtesy of Disney, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video)
The cast of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2 (Photo: Reiner Bajo / courtesy of Disney, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video)
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Playing a character with a complicated inner struggle is one of the reasons why De Leon said yes to the project.
“I have strong faith, so the show did not shake my faith at all,” says De Leon. “I believe in a Supreme Being, so that’s where Sister Agnes and I differ. She had doubts, while I didn’t.”
In her process, the actor credits Sister Mary John, a nun from her alma mater, St Scholastica’s College, as one of the two persons she consulted to shape Sister Agnes and understand why the character holds those beliefs. The other was a psychiatrist friend who provided her with insights into the psyche of Sister Agnes and how past experiences and lingering thoughts manifest in her actions. “I needed to find justifications on why my character made those choices in the series, and these two helped me a lot with that,” she says.
Read more: Dolly de Leon and Jon Jon Briones join the cast of ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’
De Leon is grateful for the attention to detail put into every set, which makes scenes more effective, and for how the producers prioritise their actors’ safety in all aspects. Having a fair share of international experience, including the upcoming second season of the Netflix series Avatar: The Last Airbender, she hopes to see such standards reflected in the local entertainment industry.
One of her fondest memories was when she invited the cast to dinner at her apartment while they were filming, which Kidman couldn’t attend due to prior commitments.
Read more: Dolly de Leon’s visceral performance in ‘Request sa Radyo’ is a masterclass in pensive acting
Above The official trailer of the second season of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’
“The next time we saw each other on the set, Nicole asked, ‘So, how was the dinner?’ I said, ‘Huh? What dinner?’ because I already forgot about it. Then I remembered and told her it went well. Then she asked, ‘So when are you going to cook for me?’ I immediately answered, ‘Just tell me when!’” De Leon recalls.
“Sister Agnes’s reservations over Dmitrichenko’s methods I think were justifiable because she believes that it is important for us to move forward, but not forgetting all aspects of our past. I hope audiences come to realise that it’s always important to remember the mistakes made in the past, and it’s okay to fail and make missteps sometimes. Our failures are what would lead us to a brighter future because that’s how we learn as humans,” De Leon concludes.
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About
Before assuming the Art and Culture Editor position, Franz has always had a penchant for visual and performing arts. He is passionate about exploring and writing about the local cultural scene and rediscovering the country’s storied past and rich heritage. Besides working on this luxury lifestyle magazine, Franz is an avid book reader, local traveller, museum-goer, chorister, and community theatre playwright.
Work
Franz earned a degree in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas. He writes about local visual and performing artists and their craft; drinks wines, liquors, and spirits and talks about the creativity of their respective winemakers and master blenders; tries to learn more about business and investments; respects the tradition and artistry that go behind the making of watches and jewellery; and appreciates the genius of architecture and creative design.
As head of Tatler Philippines’ pool of writers, he helps them bring impactful and socially relevant stories to light.
For any leads, you may reach him through @franzsorillaiv on Instagram or franz@tatlerphilippines.com via email.
