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Dolly De Leon on working with Kathryn Bernardo, the importance of script, and mental health
"I got depressed after 'Triangle of Sadness," confessed Golden Globe and BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon, who gained critical acclaim and international recognition for her memorable portrayal of Abigail, the toilet manager-turned-leader of a small group of shipwrecked island survivors in Ruben Ostlund's Palme d'Or-winning film.
"Now I am oversharing," the petite UP Diliman educated and theater-trained actress confessed during an educational panel hosted by the FilAm Creatives in Los Angeles.
"I was with a lot of creative people, in a crème de la crème atmosphere for six weeks and then I went back to the Philippines during the pandemic. I got depressed. I was calling up my friends to ask if they would like to go out and meet but, of course, they all did not want to due to the pandemic. Because I couldn't go out, I experienced three or four days of loneliness and sadness. So, I started writing. I was able to write a one-act play during the pandemic. I can't imagine myself as a director, but I am very much interested in writing."
The 54-year-old actress, who was in the City of Angels to promote her comedy-drama-mystery film "A Very Good Girl" with co-star Kathryn Bernardo, portrays Mother Molly, a heartless retail mogul who fires Bernardo (Philo) which triggers a chain of unfortunate events.
De Leon, who has a Bachelor of Arts in Theater Arts and was trained by the late National Artist for Theater Tony Mabesa, revealed that the most important thing she learned from theater is discipline. "You get scolded if you are late or are not prepared. There is no room or excuse for being late or unprepared. You have to show up every day. As they say in the theater world, 'You are either dead or dying if you don't show up for work.' So, I learned to respect other people's time, to come on time and be prepared. That is hard to shake off."
De Leon, who worked with distinguished Filipino directors like Lav Diaz, Erik Matti and Antoinette Jadone, said that she handles her roles depending on the script. "I just trust the material, where the character is coming from. I do not plan my posture or speech. I just let it come out organically. That is why the material or the script matters. As they say in the theater world, 'All the information you need is on the script.' All the answers to your questions are in the script."
Bernardo, 27, who said she began her acting career when she was just six years old, admitted that she learned a lot from De Leon. "I learned from Miss D that there are different ways of preparing for a role. In movies and television, there is method acting. Miss D introduced me to this. To put your emotions somewhere and to retrieve it whenever you need it and then put that back."
"The first time I worked with Kathryn was when she was only 12 years old!" said De Leon. "She is a very talented actress and a quick learner. I gave her some tips on acting and just putting those emotions in a box and then making them accessible when you need them. Because we, actors, need to take care of our mental health too. We do not need to relive those negative or bad experiences all the time."
De Leon explained, "I just put my emotions that are coming from my core in a box and then just access it when I need it. Actors should also take care of their mental health, so they do not need to relieve bad experiences every time they need that emotion. Relieving bad experiences is also bad for one's mental health."
Born in Cabanatuan and the youngest of four siblings, Bernardo is also dubbed as the "Phenomenal Box Office Queen" for starring in the highest-grossing Filipino film, "Hello, Love, Goodbye" in the Philippines, the Middle East, Australia and North America.
What keeps her level-headed and grounded, she said is "having the right people in your life. People who will always be there for you in both your highest and lowest points – your parents, your family, your friends. Fame can get into your head, and you may be blinded by it, but the right people will always keep you grounded. So, I am very particular about choosing the people who will surround me."
Born to Luzviminda and Teodore Bernardo, she said that when she told her mom that she wanted to be an actress, her mother told her to "just do your best. Don't do it half-baked. Always give it your best."
"So, there are no big or small roles for me. All my roles are important. I always try to do my best in all my roles. Her advice is always in my mind," she said.
The panel discussions with the two actresses and another one with the filmmakers of the movie were presented by the FilAm Creatives headed by Executive Director Mark Labella, Vice President of Career Development Programs Drea Castro and Director of Live Events Jeff Francisco. Introduced by Jazz Tangcay and moderated by Yong Chavez, the educational panels were held at the Historical Art Deco Building.
At the end of the panel discussion, De Leon asked the audience who were the actors in the audience. After seeing some hands raised, she said, "You are all badass! I know the struggles that you actors go through. I have heard your stories. And we are here to stay. Let us show them what we are made of!"
—MGP, GMA Integrated News
