Dolly de Leon talks Nicole Kidman, Lea Salonga & state of Philippine cinema
MANILA, Philippines — Dolly de Leon opened up about her experience acting alongside Hollywood superstar Nicole Kidman in the upcoming second season of the Prime Video series “Nine Perfect Strangers.”
“Nicole actually was there for a short time lang eh. When she arrived, she shot all her scenes na sunod-sunod… As a scene partner, she always gives something different after every take. So, what’s great about working with her is you’re always in a space of waiting for the unexpected. There’s nothing predictable about her attack as an actor,” Dolly told The STAR in a recent interview.
“Masaya yung ganon. Gusto ko yung ganun, yung pagka-eksena ko, minsan may ibabato na bago. So, that stimulates me as an actor. And she’s super sweet, super friendly, super warm. She’s nice to the crew. Okay siya!”
Dolly is not taking it easy, even though she initially wanted to “relax” after wrapping up the months-long filming of the show in Munich, Germany. Since coming home last month to become part of the jury for the 20th Cinemalaya film festival, she will also be back in the Philippine theater scene for “Request Sa Radyo,” where she’s been collaborating with Broadway icon Lea Salonga.
“Sinabi ko nga yan sa sarili ko na parang after ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ pahinga muna. But it’s hard to say no to something I feel strongly about, especially Cinemalaya. For me, it’s also my duty as an actor to contribute to the industry, not just in terms of performing or acting, but also to hopefully make things better by being a juror in festivals,” she said.
Given her recent juror experience, Dolly shared her thoughts on the current state of Philippine cinema.
“I think that we’re on our way to going back to that state where we were in the ‘70s because of the political unrest and the social injustices. That has become the theme of our films this year, and I think it’s going to be a trend in the coming years because medyo magulo yung gobyerno natin, eh, honestly,” she said.
“So that’s what inspires filmmakers, right? Because they say, usually the best films that come out of a nation are when they’re going through political unrest. That’s why in the ‘70s, ‘di ba, Martial Law, ang gaganda ng mga pelikula na ginawa nila Lino Brocka, Mike De Leon, Ishmael Bernal. So ngayon, may ganun ulit. I think that’s what’s inspiring them.
“I think it’s also because we have issues about land-grabbing, so we have stories about Lumad and indigenous people coming out. That’s why ‘Tumandok’ has such a strong impact because that’s their theme. If you watched the short films, many of them explored indigenous themes.
“I think that’s really good because for us — well, for me, I grew up in a culture where Western entertainment has always been the main influence. When I turned on the TV as a kid, there were only a few Filipino shows. Most were American. The West has a strong influence on us, but now we have our own voice, and we’re able to craft stories about us.”
Dolly also revealed that she is set to star in a 2025 Cinemalaya entry and has a few projects lined up in the US and the UK for next year.
“But there’s no announcement yet, so I can’t talk about them for now,” she said. “Here in the Philippines, there are also a few projects in the works. But this year, we’ll be doing a limited series, ‘Severino.’”
A production under CreaZion Studios (whose talent agency also manages Dolly’s career), “Severino” is based on the story of the first documented serial killer in the Philippines. Joining Dolly in the cast are Dennis Trillo in the titular role, Meryll Soriano and Chai Fonacier.
In the meantime, fans can catch Dolly live next month via “Request sa Radyo.”
A play by Franz Xaver Kroetz, “Request sa Radyo (Wunschkonzert/Request Program)” is described in the production notes as “a masterpiece of modern theater, which transforms mundane into the extraordinary through silence and leaves audience contemplating the depths of solitude.”
Featuring Dolly and Lea in alternating performances, the strictly limited engagement with 20 performances will begin on Oct. 10 and run until Oct. 20 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theatre in Makati City. Check out www.RequestSaRadyo.com for updates and other details about the show presented by Ayala Land, GMG Productions, John B. Echauz & Joanna Silayan-Echauz, Bobby Garcia of Atlantis Productions and Tony Award winner Clint Ramos.
“For me, doing plays is not work, strictly speaking. For me, doing plays is like second nature. It’s really what I love to do. If it were up to me, I’d rather do plays than anything else,” she remarked.
“So, I didn’t say no to it, and Clint Ramos and I have been discussing it for a long time. It was really part of the plan. However, I couldn’t announce it during the early stages.”
She believes that being different and yet similar to Lea in many ways is one factor why people should watch both versions of “Request sa Radyo.”
“I think that’s what’s cool about Lea, she has no filter. She’s very honest. She just gives the answer she believes in. Because sometimes, right, other people who experienced stardom and fame tend to filter themselves and give safe answers because they think that’s what’s politically correct or what should be said,” Dolly noted.
“Pero kaming dalawa, we both believe (to) just be yourself and be honest and speak your truth. Yeah, that’s what makes us unique. Magkaiba talaga kami, ‘di ba, pero marami rin kaming similarities. We’re both parents, we’re both stage actors, and that’s (theater) really our passion. Pareho kaming nagtrabaho out of the country ng matagal. We’re both Filipino, both women, both middle-aged, right? But everything else is uniquely different, which is what makes it really special.
“Which means special din ang magiging approach namin sa ‘Request sa Radyo,’ and which means maganda kung panoorin both versions kasi ibang-iba yun for sure.”
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