DSCTA alumni spotlight: Dolly De Leon

Dolly De Leon has received critical acclaim for her exceptional performance in the Cannes Film Festival 2022 Best Picture (Palme d'Or) winner, Triangle of Sadness. In the Ruben Östlund film, she portrayed the role of a toilet cleaner to a deserted island leader.

A graduate of BA Theatre Arts, De Leon credits her acting training to her former DSCTA professors, mentors, and coaches –Chris Vertido, Ella Luansing, the late Tony Mabesa for acting, Ogie Juliano for voice and movement. She also acknowledges Prof. Jose Estrella’s mentorship and guidance in her effective portrayal of various characters for theatre, film, and television.

Dolly De Leon has performed notable roles in Dulaang UP and UP Playwrights Theatre productions: she played Anna in Old Times, Maria Clara in Noli, Paulita Gomez in Fili, Portia in The Merchant of Venice for The Portia Society, George de Jesus in Oryang: Las Viajeras, Stephania in The Tempest, Olga (Marilyn) in Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters (Tatlong Maria adapted by Rody Vera) for Tanghalang Pilipino. She also portrayed roles in The Vagina Monologues, As You Like It, Three Sisters (Virgin Labfest), Medea, Spring Awakening, The Duchess of Malfi, Distrito De Molo, The Country Wife, Bilanggo ng Pag-ibig, Tanghalang Ateneo’s Middle Finger, and in Ang Naghihingalo- a Virgin Labfest production selected as one of three one-act plays to be revisited in this year’s VLF. She acted in Have Thy Will, a collection of William Shakespeare’s sonnets during The Shakespeare in Asia, Manila Conference hosted by the Department of English and Comparative Literature.

A performer-scholar, De Leon has also trained in Noh under Noh Master Naohiko Umewaka and has performed in his productions The Italian Restaurant and The Coffee Shop Within the Play.

Aside from theater, Dolly De Leon also ventures onto other performance platforms. She has done bit roles and bigger roles in television advertisements, radio, film, sitcoms, and soap operas both locally and internationally. Among her notable television performances are Erik Matti’s 7 Days of Hell episode for HBO Series Folklore and On the Job, Lav Diaz’ Historiya ni Ha, Antoinette Jadaone’s The Kangks Show and Raymund Gutierrez’s Verdict, where she won the FAMAS Awards 2020 for best supporting actress.