Dolly de Leon has always fought for the right of small, no-name actors; now, with a Golden Globe nomination, her name carries even more weight as she advocates for the underdog
Cover Dolly de Leon has always fought for the right of small, no-name actors; now, with a Golden Globe nomination, her name carries even more weight as she advocates for the underdog

Dolly de Leon has always fought for the right of small, no-name actors; now, with a Golden Globe nomination, her name carries even more weight as she advocates for the underdog

She astonished the country with her Golden Globes and Los Angeles Film Critics Association nod in 2022. Dolly de Leon was not quite the household name before this, having reprised obscure characters in the past, albeit brilliantly. While she lost out on her Best Supporting Actress bid at the Golden Globes, De Leon has surely skyrocketed to the realm of Who’s Who in cinema heaven, using her new-found voice for the greater good.

Tatler arrived an hour and a half early at the home of De Leon in Cubao to collect her for the cover shoot. Our appointment was at noon but thought the Manila traffic would be unforgiving. With the attention lavished on her, we harboured an initial fear that a diva would meet us. This was, however, doused instantly when De Leon showed up with a warm smile, a “good morning”, and “I’m so sorry I made you wait”.

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Tatler Asia
In 2018, when de Leon auditioned for Abigail, a pivotal role in Triangle of Sadness, she was a relative unknown; she had some friends in the industry, but her driving force was her determination.
Above In 2018, when de Leon auditioned for Abigail, a pivotal role in Triangle of Sadness, she was a relative unknown; she had some friends in the industry, but her driving force was her determination.
Tatler Asia
In 2018, when de Leon auditioned for Abigail, a pivotal role in Triangle of Sadness, she was a relative unknown; she had some friends in the industry, but her driving force was her determination.
Above In 2018, when de Leon auditioned for Abigail, a pivotal role in Triangle of Sadness, she was a relative unknown; she had some friends in the industry, but her driving force was her determination.
Tatler Asia
In 2018, when de Leon auditioned for Abigail, a pivotal role in Triangle of Sadness, she was a relative unknown; she had some friends in the industry, but her driving force was her determination.
Above In 2018, when de Leon auditioned for Abigail, a pivotal role in Triangle of Sadness, she was a relative unknown; she had some friends in the industry, but her driving force was her determination.
Tatler Asia
In 2018, when de Leon auditioned for Abigail, a pivotal role in Triangle of Sadness, she was a relative unknown; she had some friends in the industry, but her driving force was her determination.
Above In 2018, when de Leon auditioned for Abigail, a pivotal role in Triangle of Sadness, she was a relative unknown; she had some friends in the industry, but her driving force was her determination.

The actress was dressed in a hoodie and jeans combo, contrasting the dazzling outfits she had been photographed wearing in the previous few weeks. We had been briefed that she had only arrived home at 5 am that morning, yet she received us cordially. Despite her groundbreaking achievement, there was never a hint of arrogance about her, only humility.

De Leon is the breakout star of Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or-winning film Triangle of Sadness and the first Filipino nominated for a Golden Globe. In December 2022, she won the Los Angeles Film Critics Award for best-supporting performance, and at the time of writing, she is long-listed for a Bafta. There were rumblings about the possibility of an Oscar nod.

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“I think this [accomplishment] came at the right time because if it happened when I was younger, I would not have taken it the way I am now. I would not have cherished it this much, or I may have even gone as far as exploiting the fame,” she says, telling us after the event: “It was a magical night that I'll never forget and will forever be honoured to be accepted in a room full of artists I admire and respect.

Tatler Asia
Dolly de Leon has always fought for the right of small, no-name actors; now, with a Golden Globe nomination, her name carries even more weight as she advocates for the underdog
Above Dolly de Leon has always fought for the right of small, no-name actors; now, with a Golden Globe nomination, her name carries even more weight as she advocates for the underdog

“I also had many lessons to learn back then; I had much studying to do. This time, I have matured enough to understand that fame is not the be-all and end-all. What matters most is mastering my craft, doing my best in my chosen profession, building fruitful relationships, and being kind to everyone I meet”.

More from Tatler: Golden Globes 2023: The full list of nominees and winners

The Makings of a Star

Tatler Asia
While she lost out on her Best Supporting Actress bid at the Golden Globes, De Leon has surely skyrocketed to the realm of Who’s Who in cinema heaven, using her new-found voice for the greater good.
Above While she lost out on her Best Supporting Actress bid at the Golden Globes, De Leon has surely skyrocketed to the realm of Who’s Who in cinema heaven, using her new-found voice for the greater good.

This composure and self-knowledge have come partly with maturity and perhaps from her upbringing. “I grew up in a conservative Catholic family, the youngest of four children. Our grandmother raised us for the most part as my father had a job and my mother, who was into bowling, was mostly out,” she recalls. “The rules at home were stringent. For example, nobody was allowed to cry, especially after being scolded.” As such, de Leon learnt how to stand up for herself—to the extent that she was sometimes branded a “problem child”.

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But this strict childhood must have also built her strength, a quality that saw her through the most challenging times of her career. “I almost quit three times,” she says. “The first was when I got pregnant in my late twenties. I was supposed to be in a film by Carlos-Siguion Reyna, and I was choosing between that and corporate [work] because I knew that acting would not sustain my baby, who was about to arrive. The second time, I got more work from side hustles like facilitating team-building programmes, teaching presentation skills and social networking etiquette. The most recent time was in 2018 when I [got fed up] with the roles given to me. They were all the same: nameless and always in the background.

Tatler Asia
Dolly de Leon has always fought for the right of small, no-name actors; now, with a Golden Globe nomination, her name carries even more weight as she advocates for the underdog
Above Dolly de Leon has always fought for the right of small, no-name actors; now, with a Golden Globe nomination, her name carries even more weight as she advocates for the underdog

“The talents or extras get as little as Php500 per day, and they are made to wait out in the sun with cardboard boxes as chairs. They get treated like garbage; That needs to change. Big corporations have the budget to pay their big stars, so why don’t they have the budget to pay the background actors?”

- Dolly de Leon -

“This is the reality for most of us [working class]. They hire us for talents that they do not intend to maximise. I wanted to quit; I even reached the point where I was already applying for online jobs,” she says. “It was my daughter who snapped me out of it and said, ‘If you turn your back on acting, you will never truly be happy.’”

De Leon admits that she bore much resentment towards the local film industry in the past, a pain that only time healed. “For a long time, I felt bitter, hence my decision to quit. In the Filipino entertainment industry, there was no element of nurturing and looking out for each other. You go to the set, do not know anybody, sit in the corner, and wait.”

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“The talents or extras get as little as Php500 per day, and they are made to wait out in the sun with cardboard boxes as chairs. They get treated like garbage,” she says. “That needs to change. Big corporations have the budget to pay their big stars, so why don’t they have the budget to pay the background actors?”

De Leon believes this is an important issue that needs addressing, and she hopes that sharing her own experiences might help to cause a shift in this dynamic between the big players in the Filipino entertainment industry and its lesser-known members.

Read more: Who is Chloe Flower, the Asian American musician who performed at the 2023 Golden Globes?

Tatler Asia
Dolly de Leon has always fought for the right of small, no-name actors; now, with a Golden Globe nomination, her name carries even more weight as she advocates for the underdog
Above Dolly de Leon has always fought for the right of small, no-name actors; now, with a Golden Globe nomination, her name carries even more weight as she advocates for the underdog

“Change needs to come from each individual,” de Leon asserts. “One problem that I see is that Filipinos often have no choice but to accept the poor circumstances they find themselves in. What’s truly disheartening is that the roles and the compensation are minor. The money you take home is merely enough to sustain one family.

“Everyone who fights for social justice and human rights plays a big role [in alleviating social ills]. It just so happens that artists are in that position where voices are relatively louder, so we might as well use that voice for something good. To be quiet about it and pretend everything is okay—I will never do that.”

More from Tatler: Golden Globes 2023: Michelle Yeoh, Henry Golding and more Asian stars wow on the red carpet

“If I were outside looking in, I would hug myself tightly. I had much to endure to get to where I am today"

- Dolly de Leon -

In 2018, when de Leon auditioned for Abigail, a pivotal role in Triangle of Sadness, she was a relative unknown; she had some friends in the industry, but her driving force was her determination. “I am proud of myself,” she says softly. “If I were outside looking in, I would hug myself tightly. I had much to endure to get to where I am today; I am a mother of four and raised them single-handedly. Of course, I would not have done it without the support of my family and friends.

“The words of Snoop Dogg are quite relevant at this point: ‘I want to thank me for believing in me.’ Filipino culture always deems us to be humble, but I think it is also important to reward and pat yourself on the back at the end of the day. Self-love is important. Let’s give ourselves that.”

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While de Leon confesses that the recent slew of interviews, press events and photoshoots are tiring, she finds comfort in knowing that her efforts may help countless “nobodies” whose big breaks are yet to come. “It truly feels overwhelming. Sometimes, I just want to sleep. But I think the world, especially the Filipinos need more inspiration today, and if through my work I can inspire, then it is all worth it,” she says.

“It is a lonely road to success, especially when you are unknown, and you cannot blame people for not giving you attention. It helps when you read or hear a story like [mine] somewhere in the world, someone worked hard and finally got a reward. It motivates you to continue and keep doing what you love.”

Tatler Asia
Dolly de Leon has always fought for the right of small, no-name actors; now, with a Golden Globe nomination, her name carries even more weight as she advocates for the underdog
Above Dolly de Leon has always fought for the right of small, no-name actors; now, with a Golden Globe nomination, her name carries even more weight as she advocates for the underdog

What's Next?

With this international recognition, there’s no doubt the actor can be called objectively successful, but she is far from done. “I will be doing a project in the US this March: it’s a comedy, and I play the mean stepmother of the lead, Jason Schwartzman. I also have another project sometime between the summer and fall,” she says.

And as grateful as she is to be acknowledged as a talent worth knowing, de Leon is proud to recognise her own efforts. “Ultimately, I can only affirm myself and say, ‘Job well done, Dolly. Thank you, universe, for recognising a ‘no name’.”

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Credits

Photography  

Mark Nicdao

Styling  

Liz Uy

Stylist's Assistant  

Patrick Perez, Jenica Tolentino, Chesca Flores

Jewellery  

Suki Jewellery

Words  

Jove Moya

Make-Up  

Juan Sarte III

Hair  

Brent Sales