‘Love it more than sex’: Lea Salonga, Dolly de Leon advise aspiring artists
MANILA, Philippines — “Don't take it too seriously. It's actually a lot of fun!”
Such was the Philippines’ first Olivier and Tony Awards Best Actress winner Lea Salonga’s message to her younger self, which she relayed to her live audience during a recent talk in Makati City for her upcoming play, “Request sa Radyo.”
For Dolly de Leon, Lea’s alternate in the play, it was the opposite: “But I was just having fun and I wasn't taking anything seriously! So I tell myself, ‘Stop being so insecure. You have a seat at the table'.”
According to Dolly, there is actually “plenty of space” for any aspiring artist.
“Or create your own space,” she enthused.
Related: ‘Tigang ka talaga!’: Dolly de Leon recalls her famous line that began road to stardom
“I mean, don't go into this work thinking it's gonna be glamorous because it's not, it's a lot of hard work,” Lea clarified.
“It's a lot of sacrifice. You sacrifice your social life, you sacrifice time with your family and with your loved ones. If you’d be doing this and you'd better love this, like more than sex, more than food, more than sleep. You have to love it more than sex, more than food, more than sleep,” she reiterated her point to those dreaming of a career like hers.
Related: OFWs, too: Dolly de Leon, Lea Salonga narrate life as migrant workers
When asked if the sacrifice should be in that order (sex, food, sleep), Lea quipped, “No order!”
“I agree with Lea,” Dolly said.
Whenever young people approach her for advice, Lea said she gives the same tips.
“Sigurado ba kayo? Stop and think of why you're doing this. Why are you doing it? Why do you want to be an actor? Why do you want to work in production? And if it's because you love it and you want to discover more about yourself and you want to get better at what you do, then you're probably in the right place,” she said.
“But if you are in it for the fame or for the money, darling, you're in the wrong place. Get out!” — Video by Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo, video editing by Martin Ramos
