For being the first Filipino actor, male or female, to be nominated for a Golden Globe for her “scene-stealing” performance in Triangle of Sadness, De Leon has effectively broken the Hollywood glass ceiling and paved the way for other Filipino actors to be nominated in the future.
By Alex Y. Vergara
If there’s a virtual glass ceiling stopping Filipino actors from being formally recognized in Hollywood, Dolly de Leon effectively broke it by being nominated Best Supporting Actress in the Golden Globes.
De Leon was cited for her outstanding performance in Ruben Östlund’s Triangle of Sadness. Her feat makes her the first Filipino actor, male or female, to be nominated in the Golden Globes, a curtain-raiser in the American film awards season and precursor of likely nominees in other award-giving bodies, including the Oscars.
The annual awards, which are given by members of the foreign entertainment press based in the United States, just came out with a list of nominees in various categories, including best performances by actors in lead and supporting roles. The awards night is usually aired in late January.
De Leon is up against veteran actresses Angela Bassett, Kerry Condon, Jamie Lee Curtis and Carey Mulligan.
De Leon, as described by Variety magazine, did a “scene stealing” performance in her international debut. She may have landed a “breakout role,” but the actress is no tyro, having played various bit and character roles on film, TV and theater in the Philippines for decades. She has also worked with noted Filipino directors Lav Diaz, Erik Matti and Antoinette Jadaone.
In 2018, she auditioned reportedly without an agent and got the part of Abigail in Triangle of Sadness, which was written and directed by Östlund. It was later screened at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival where it won the Palme d’Or.
