It may be hard to believe, but things haven't sunk in for Dolly de Leon just yet. That's what all the hotshots say, but she means it, she promises. The ebb and flow of life is nothing new to her, and she's learned to ride its waves out in the most graceful of ways. She's lived a life of constant movement: before she was an actress, she was a woman of the theater. Before she lived in Cubao, she was in Cainta and before Cainta was Mandaluyong and a myriad other stops in between. In between those transitions, she's been a waitress, mascot, financial advisor, etc., you name it. Before she became a "mover" herself, she loved the idea of the movers of Generation Z who, like her, dreamed of a better world. Before she became showstopping toilet manager (and peddler of the flesh) Abigail in the Palme d'Or-winning black comedy Triangle of Sadness, she was living in a black comedy of her own, trapped by the worn-down tropes and the shortsightedness of a local film industry that has a habit of failing its lesser-heralded talents. She's unsinkable that way, and now the view atop the deck looks stunning.
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"For me, walang permanent," she says.
Most evidently in superstardom. The tides of international celebrity have inevitably come in for her. But De Leon is the captain this time, and the ship's sail is taking her to previously uncharted territory for any Filipino. She's the first-ever Filipino performer to bag a nomination at the Golden Globes. With her in the Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture category is Hollywood giants Angela Bassett for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Kerry Condon for The Banshees of Inisherin, Jamie Lee Curtis for Everything Everywhere All At Once, and Carey Mulligan for She Said. She had already received the award for Best Supporting Performance at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, along with Ke Huy Quan for his role in Everything Everywhere All At Once.
Still, she scoffs at the notion of this newfound notoriety. "Teka muna," she pauses. "Hindi ko nararamdaman 'yung fame na sinasabi mo." The tidal waves haven't fazed her one bit, it seems. "Nagtataka nga ako na gusto niyo ko interviewihin e. Hindi talaga nagsi-sink in, promise... Parang bola pero hindi."
De Leon thinks of this crazy cycle of interviews, covers, features, soundbites, and more as just another part of the job. She's been asked every damn question in the media textbook. It's the same job she's had for more or less 30 years at this point.
"It's not because I'm famous. Hindi talaga e. Kasi hanggang ngayon nangungupahan pa rin ako ng bahay, wala akong sasakyan. Alam mo 'yung ganoon? Simple lang ako." Her career, interestingly, is anything but.
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PHOTO: CYRUS PANGANIBAN
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“I think before I was a very lazy actor. Hindi ko nakikita ‘yung value ng rehearsal. ’Wag na tayo mag-rehearse, mag-show na tayo. Gusto ko na mag-perform!’"
It takes a certain complexity to survive the acting business, especially in the Philippines. Much like other actors relegated to the backdrop, De Leon thought about quitting at various points, too. But the joy of creation has endured. She's had some pretty good tutors to prepare her along the way. At the University of the Philippines-Diliman, De Leon studied under titans of the theater, like professor of dramaturgy José Estrella or the late National Artist for Theater Director Tony Mabesa. Her first feature film was Shake, Rattle & Roll III, under the direction of the Peque Gallaga. All this was happening while she was a theater student in college, acting as an "extra" (the old term phased out by "talent").
"Pero hindi siya naging consistent or steady, really more on theater ako. Naging regular thing na lang siguro siya five years later," she noted.
She's always had an extra layer to her. But she's never really broken out of the boxes she's been put in by her roles, by weak stories, and by some local productions here. "Hindi naman ako ever talaga nag-breakthrough dito e. I guess I would say I wasn’t 'typecast.' Hindi ako comfortable with that term. Lagi akong iba’t-ibang characters. I guess mas na-typecast ako as ‘character,' if that makes sense.”
She's what she refers to as a "device" here: a character who's a sounding board to the leads. "Naging top of mind na ako sa mga maliit na character na kailangan kausapin ‘yung bida sa storya. Lagi naman akong free. ‘Yung kailangan ma-express ng character ‘yung hinaing niya sa 'kin, mga challenges niya sa life. ‘Yon basically ang naging role ko for a long time."
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“I think what makes a great actor is the ability to listen... Actually, it’s a dance, between you and your scene partners, or between you and your camera. To be able to tell a story very clearly."
It was a long time coming for the 53-year-old. She thinks of herself as a much more well-rounded actor these days, welded by time, patience, and experience. De Leon is someone who's slowly shed the skin of her self-centricity over the years. “I think before I was a very lazy actor. Hindi ko nakikita ‘yung value ng rehearsal. ’Wag na tayo mag-rehearse, mag-show na tayo. Gusto ko na mag-perform!’" she says of her old self. "May pagka-narcissistic siguro, I suppose. More of, everything was about me. I wanted to be looked at. I wanted the attention. I wanted to perform. I didn’t want to rehearse or practice. Maglagay na sila ng audience. Ganoon."
She says that being self-centered, like she once was, is a common trait among those who are starting out in this business. “Beginners tend to lose sight of that (the beauty of the craft). Ang concern nila ay the way they look or how they sound or how they sound or kailangan nila magmukhang magaling. Doon pa lang, you'll fail na talaga.”
PHOTO: CYRUS PANGANIBAN
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If they really want to stay the course, they should turn their attention solely to the craft itself. There's this maniacal obsession that happens for the people that shape a particular art form. In De Leon's case, that's the characters she plays. "People naman, when we represent them, hindi naman nila iniisip na kailangan nila galingan e. Iniisip nila ‘yung reality ng particular moment."
In a simpler sense, acting is ultimately a game of attentiveness—to the moment, to the storyline, to the dialogue, to the character. “I think what makes a great actor is the ability to listen. It could be na nag-aral ka, pinag-aralan mo ‘yung script tapos planadong-planado mo ang lahat, tapos ang scene partner mo iba ang ginagawa, at di ka naga-adjust. Hindi mo iniiba ang timpla mo, hindi magwo-work ang scene. Treat the situation like it’s real without you planning what your next move is... Actually, it’s a dance, between you and your scene partners, or between you and your camera."
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"I think the Philippine film industry is very shortsighted, to be honest. Alam mo, problema kasi dito, management, hindi ‘yung filmmakers."
Actors have to think about what happens behind the cameras, too. Above the lights and the sets and the directors and the hundreds of members that make up the cast and crew, producers shape the way audiences view the product, of course. In the Philippines, it's especially prevalent. It's something that can be severely limiting to what our cinema can be. De Leon, of all people, has seen enough of it.
"I think the Philippine film industry is very shortsighted, to be honest," the star claims. "Alam mo, problema kasi dito, management, hindi ‘yung filmmakers. Ang daming magagaling na filmmakers. Marami sila but they just don’t have the wings to fly because they’re held back by management and producers who are shortsighted."
She adds: "Puro kita, kita, kita. I also know writers who are so good at writing screenplays. They just need people to trust their stories and to know their stories can fly."
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In previous interviews, she's referenced the preferential treatment some actors and actresses will always have over someone like her. Back home, it's all about the mega-star looks and the definitive marketability. Clout has jurisdiction over everything.
"Napapansin ko now, ‘yung casting, based na lang how influential people are. If you’re a vlogger, you can be cast. ‘Yung iba, dahil sa Instagram feeds. Marami namang talented. You do whatever you can to catch attention and I respect that."
But what De Leon despises is an industry predicated on only that. "Kaya lang, if the basis is solely on popularity, at hindi ang skill, then I’m against that. If you want to tap these influencers, at least, train them. Teach them the skill. Maraming magagaling na acting teachers diyan," she expresses. "We’re sending a message to the kids na magpasikat lang kayo and you’ll survive. Kailangang may skill. Kailangang may tiyaga. Mag-aral. Magtrabaho. Pag-aralan ang craft. Kasi kami, nagpapakahirap kami mag-aral at mag-research at mag-trabaho. Ano ba?"
"I’ve always been a rebel from the start. I’m happy that I have a whole generation by my side fighting the good fight."
This is no shade. It's simply putting the spotlight on the ugly truths of Philippine showbusiness. Despite a relatively dazzling performance in a film like the crime drama Verdict, where she played Elsa, a few years back, or in Folklore, as a single mother and cop, or in some pocket roles in some Lav Diaz films, De Leon has been stuck in the streams of creative monotony outside projects like these. But she's always had the makings of a mover, something she's learned from a younger generation hell-bent on doing something fresher, better, and, more different in ways that certain dinosaurs of industries look to deny.
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"In terms of timing, I suppose mas inclusive na ngayon ang mundo, dahil sa generation ninyo. Gen Z, kayo ang nag-start ng revolution na ‘yon: to be inclusive, to be diverse," she tells us. "Samantalang noong panahon ko, stereotypes ang namumuno sa mundo. Pero sa tingin ko rin, it’s really more of, nage-emerge na ang iba’t-ibang klaseng tao and dumadami na kami at kailangan marinig ang boses namin."
She notes: "Mas proactive sila doon (overseas). Mas outspoken sila doon, whereas dito, mas tanggap natin kung ano ang sistema, ‘yung status quo. Siguro dahil napaka-religious nating tao at hindi tayo palaban. Gusto natin peace tayo lagi; acceptance versus confrontation. Ayan tuloy, naho-hold back tayo in terms of growth. Sa ibang bansa, mas ‘change needs to happen’ sila e."
The world is getting braver by the moment, and so is De Leon. "Hindi na kayo uupo at tumatanggap lang sa kung ano ang binibigay ng mundo. Kumbaga, you're movers, you're gamechangers, at nakiki-ride ako doon.Triny ko naman e. Kaya lang, mahirap when you’re surrounded by a generation of people set in their ways of being content. Ako, I don’t think I’m that way. I’ve always been a rebel from the start. I’m happy that I have a whole generation by my side fighting the good fight."
PHOTO: CYRUS PANGANIBAN
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“In yacht, toilet manager; here, captain.”
This fearlessness is what drew her to Triangle of Sadness in the first place. “It’s fearless. Hindi siya natatakot na kung ano ang sasabihin ng ibang tao. Dito, masyado tayong concerned sa sasabihin ng ibang tao. Dito kasi, magshoo-shoot ka nang isang araw, at titingan ang reaction ng mga viewers pagkatapos. Iibahin depending on what viewers think. Ang mas concern niya (director Ruben Östlund) ay ‘yung quality ng work at hindi kung ano ang reaction ng ibang tao sa storya or if it's palatable. He's more concerned about the commentary."
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Östlund's hilariously tragic English-language debut has a lot to say about the class divide and the absurdity of privilege. It was an underdog, too, heading into Cannes. De Leon, the toilet manager, may have made her first official appearance in the second part, but it's in the third act where the audience is introduced to De Leon, the star. Here she becomes the de facto leader of a ragtag crew on a remote island. De Leon goes from a mere "device" in her prior Filipino films to leading an ensemble (how allegorical). Abigail is left to her own devices. “In yacht, toilet manager; here, captain,” she spits in front of Russian oligarchs, a deaf German society lady, an uptight cabin crew manager, and some supermodels, among others.
"I think a lot us feel like we’re underdogs, in the losing end of it. We want to have that hope that we can rise above that and end up as winners."
Like the grenade explosion that led them to the island, De Leon bursts onto the scene, feet wet, Evian water bottles, chips, pretzels, and all. She emerges from the lifeboat (or love boat) as the only member of the group who knows what it's like to live outside their diamond bubbles. With the evolving power dynamic, De Leon stuns, or as Gen Zers say, she ate.
We root for Abigail not just because of her underdog-dom. "Nasasarapan ang mga tao manood sa isang tao na perceived as powerless and helpless." We also love her because of how she illustrates the corruptibility that comes with power. The discourse doesn't necessarily end there, too. The film, in a macro-sense, is a satire of the superficiality of the super-rich. It's a critique of power systems and the psychosocial elements of greed, wealth, social mobility, and revenge fantasies. Viewers are asked to confront the dehumanization in labor and production, too. We're treated to a shit (and vomit) show and wackadoodle circus of epic proportions.
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While the film's actual material and the values it hoped to communicate leave much to be desired (in this writer's opinion), it makes for a nice, fun watch overall. De Leon's portrayal of Abigail is just brilliant. She makes us Octopus kilawin, starts fires, catches fish, takes on a supermodel lover, hangs up a kulambo (mosquito net) in her love boat, and holds the entire group (and movie) together. As Yaya says, Abigail ran a matriarchy and domesticated alpha males. Damn right she did. As she should.
"I know that some people are saying na hindi enough honor daw ang ma-nominate, pero I don’t think like that e. For me, just the fact na may buzz, happy na ako doon nanare-recognize ‘yung trabaho ko. Kung manalo ako, edi bongga."
The actress is aware, too, of how likable her character is. She sees some parallels to Abigail, as well. "I think a lot us feel like we’re underdogs, in the losing end of it. We want to have that hope that we can rise above that and end up as winners."
De Leon shot with Östlund for a total of eight weeks in Sweden and Greece, she notes, with each scene having to take roughly 25 shots every time. For this role, the actress had to draw from some experiences with diaspora and domestic work of her own. "Ang kinuha ko sa iba is ‘yung experience sa sarili kong nanay. ‘Yung nanay ko kasi Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) dati. May iba rin akong friends na kakilala na OFW din. When I create a character, I just based it on myself. What if I were an OFW or what if I were Abigail, how would I react?"
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One of the things she remembers most from this experience is how Östlund didn't rush anything throughout the taping. It was a meditation on the creative process of filmmaking. "Walang shortcuts. They will cut costs in the best places where quality is not sacrificed. They never do things para makatawid lang or para lang magawa ‘yung deliverable. Here kasi, puro shortcuts, nagmamadali lagi. Pero hindi naman lahat ganoon, in general lang."
"The ability to choose is the greatest gift that was given to us as humans. Just the fact that you are able to choose what you eat, what to wear, where to go, is the same thing. Choice is a right."
And her performance is absolutely endearing. So much so that she's been validated by critics, fellow performers, and viewers around the world. January officially marks the start of the awards season campaign, as the Golden Globes and Oscars races heat up. De Leon, however, is as cool as a cucumber. She stresses that she's not too worried about winning, really. What matters most here is the power of representation.
“Honestly, hindi ko iniisip kasi masisiraan ako ng bait. Ine-enjoy ko na lang ang mga pangyayari ngayon, and I don’t want to think that far ahead," she admits. "I know that some people are saying na hindi enough honor daw ang ma-nominate, pero I don’t think like that e. For me, just the fact na may buzz, happy na ako doon na nare-recognize ‘yung trabaho ko. Kung manalo ako, e di bongga." Bongga, it definitely would be.
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In the end, what matters most to De Leon isn't the cheap thrills of popularity. She's been freed from the box people have been trying to put her in throughout her career. She's finally "earned" the greatest gift mankind is blessed with.
“’Yon ang pinakamalaking change na nangyari sa buhay ko: ‘yung liberty to choose. Kasi dati, kahit anong offer diyan, tinatanggap ko. Ngayon, mayroon na akong option. ‘Yon ang part na ine-enjoy ko the most about this movie. The ability to choose is the greatest gift that was given to us as humans. Just the fact that you are able to choose what you eat, what to wear, where to go, is the same thing. Choice is a right."
"I want to be surprised by a beautiful script by a great filmmaker behind the camera, and to work with likeminded actors and visionary filmmakers, who want to be as truthful as possible.”
Triangle of Sadness has sent her into untouched waters, the kind well beyond her wildest imagination. Now she gets the oppoprtunity to enter the realm of Hollywood. De Leon has an abundance of projects coming to her, one of which is a comedy with Jason Schwartzman that's said to already be in the works. The actress has also expressed her desire to collaborate with auteurs like Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo del Toro, or Yorgos Lanthimos in the future. She's not too particular on leaving the Philippines though. The performer, nevertheless, says that she hopes to do more films and shows here in the country, or perhaps even go back to the local theater scene sometime.
But it's not as much about being cast in dream roles as it is about as getting the right project, which is something only afforded to certified stars. “Wala talaga akong dream roles. I get asked that question a lot, and my mind tends to change by the day. To me, I want to be surprised by a beautiful script by a great filmmaker behind the camera, and to work with likeminded actors and visionary filmmakers, who want to be as truthful as possible.”
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De Leon is in cruise control at the moment. As she stirs the ship onwards elsewhere, she is again reminded of the great dramedy that is life. "Nabo-bore ako kapag pare-pareho lang ginagawa ko," she quips. Maybe that's just who she is. It says a lot about where she's going, as well. She's lived the life of a seafarer, after all. And the waves, we all know, never die. "Wala naman akong permanent residence. Palipat-lipat lang ako kung saan man masarap mag-create."
Produced and styled by Bryle B. Suralta Sittings by Mark Austria Photographs by Cyrus Panganiban Grooming by Cheryl Cabanos Special thanks to Zena Bernardo and Rae Ducut
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