This interview contains spoilers about the plot of “Triangle of Sorrow”.
LOS ANGELES — Humble but not self-deprecating actress Dolly De Leon speaks out about the shortcomings of her process in a casual fact that clarifies her honesty. ” she confessed.
Despite her ratings, she apparently did well enough in one of them.At 53 and a veteran of theater, television and film in her home country, the Filipino had a role that defied tropes in class satire. is attracting international attention.sorrow triangle,” in theaters on Friday.
De Leon plays Abigail, a crew member on a luxury cruise ship that carries qualified oligarchs and fashion models. After things go wrong, her hands-on skills are far more valuable than the wealth and beauty of a seemingly deserted island.
The multinational ensemble production featuring Woody Harrelson, Harris Dickinson and the late Charubi Dean won the top prize, the Palme d’Or, at the Cannes Film Festival in June. So Indiewire described de Leon’s performance as follows:bold and sickScreen Daily, on the other hand, praised her for playing it. cunning and ruthless”
But when the film’s writer-director, Ruben Ostlund, traveled to the Philippines in 2019 to play a pivotal role, De Leon said that she had a troubled relationship with her audition, and that she didn’t know what to expect. I never thought I would get a job. However, Ostlund recalled being impressed with her playfulness in the romantic scenes they tried.
“I’m just an actor who needs a job,” De Leon said. “Whatever the role was, it was a different job for me. I knew there was some fame that came with it.
Ostland is interested in reversing the power dynamics between the millionaires and the low-paid people who serve them, and Deleon’s transformation from housekeeping staff on board to authoritative captain ashore is very persuasive. “There are very few scenes where you have to convince yourself that she dominates this group,” he said on a video call.
De Leon explains: If I were her, she would probably still be chasing people. ”
Sitting in a West Hollywood hotel conference room during a recent interview, De Leon exudes a relaxed energy, dressed in a white top, tennis shoes and light blue jeans, with the occasional tiny vape.
The Manila native traced her acting inspiration to elementary school skits. Her teacher asked her students to pretend her mother had died. In that tragic scenario, she found a real, therapeutic outlet for long-repressed emotions.
“It felt so good because we weren’t allowed to cry at home,” she explained.
As a theater arts student at the University of the Philippines Diliman, De Leon played extras on television and the dramatic substance gradually came to her. “I’m not picky. I’ll take whatever role I’m given,” she said. Her first love, the stage, on the other hand, posed greater artistic challenges.
Over time, movies became an option as well, and she gained fans as a character actor in projects involving top local talent. One director, renowned Filipino writer Lav Diaz, cast her in his 2019 film.Stop,” based solely on her reputation. At the time, he had never seen her perform.
“Here in the Philippines, she’s already earned that license, that status, that level of respect,” Diaz said in an email about her blind faith in De Leon.Ha history(2021), a period drama about a famous puppeteer.
Unlike Ostlund, who calls for 30 to 70 takes per shot, Diaz only does one take per setup, implicitly calling for hyperfocus on the cast.
“When I say I trust an actor, the fundamental transcription of the act is responsibility and commitment,” Diaz explained. “To affirm that is the final portrayal of the actor. All I can say is that Dolly is great on Ha and great on Triangle of Sadness.”
In Ostland’s biting comedy, De Leon has taken on the task of dignifying a figure who is essentially representative of the millions of Filipinos who work abroad to support their families at home.
“For many Filipinos, they are the heroes who bring dollars to our country and boost the economy,” she added.
For De Leon, “Triangle of Sadness” is not only about economic inequality, but also about physical attractiveness as currency. This is illustrated by Abigail’s business relationship (Dickinson) with the model. Their meeting was De Leon’s first on-screen love scene.
De Leon said Abigail’s ability to fish and make fire shows that she’s turning into the leader of this microcosm.
“In this world, we are so surrounded by beauty, fame and money that we often feel powerless,” she explained. We forget that we still have certain powers that we can use to our advantage.”
But Ostland wanted to find out if putting an unexpected person in power would cause abuse.
In the film’s open-ended ending, Abigail faces a dilemma as to whether or not to defend her position. Ostlund took dozens of shots at de Leon’s face.
“I felt that this was the scene Dolly was in charge of throughout the production,” said Ostlund. “As we say in Sweden, Dolly has foxes behind her ears, which means she’s not who you’d expect.”
Initially, De Leon tackled the moment with a version of Abigail determined to use her powers.
“We tried a different approach where she’s torn at a crossroads,” she said, adding, “It ended up being a better choice in terms of highlighting Abigail’s humanity.” ’ he added.
As De Leon considered possible collaborations with American and European storytellers, he remembered Dean, who passed away in August. It was her friend, Dean, who encouraged her to hire a manager to broaden her professional horizons.
“She used to live here, so I really feel her loss while I’m in Los Angeles,” De Leon said. I think we sat down and did this interview.”
The Cannes reception for her performance still surprises de Leon. But even as her kids playfully make fun of her new profile in the West, she maintains her low-key outlook.
“It’s an incredible feeling to go through something like this, no matter how late it is,” she said. “I’m not in my 20s anymore, so I don’t have my head in the clouds, so this happened at perfect time. I’m more grounded as a person and as an actor. If I was younger, I would have acted like I was better than everyone else,” she said with a modest laugh.