How Dolly De Leon is changing the game for Filipino actors

Sassy, spunky and always on point. Dolly de Leon is as much of a rock star off camera as she is may it be on the big or small screen.

We chatted with our very own Golden Globe nominee before she flew out for the international red carpet premiere of the Hulu series “Nine Perfect Strangers,” which is premiering this May 22 on Prime Video. Miss Dolly, as I love to call her, always looks the part of a Top 10 best-dressed celebrity. We talked about her inclusion in the second season of Hulu’s “Nine Perfect Strangers” that marks a watershed moment — not just for Filipino representation on an international stage, but for the evolution of global storytelling itself.

From her breakout role in “Triangle of Sadness” three years ago as Agnes, Dolly continues to defy borders and stereotypes. But this casting isn’t simply a feel-good headline or a victory lap for diversity. It signals something deeper: the recalibration of what roles Filipino actors are allowed to play, and more importantly, who gets to tell universal human stories.

Based on the bestselling novel by Liane Moriarty, ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2 brings together another eclectic set of characters under the watchful gaze of an enigmatic wellness guru (played by Nicole Kidman).

In “Nine Perfect Strangers,” Dolly is playing the role of Agnes who started her journey in the Philippines and later on took the European convent route. She told us, “What made me say yes? When I fell in love with Agnes, my character. Siya ay ex-nun. Bakit ako naka-relate doon?

“Lost soul siya na hinahanap ang sarili niya. Alam ko ang pakiramdam ng ganon — many years in my life, lost ako. At kaya siya pumunta doon sa wellness center ni Masha, Nicole Kidman’s character, is to have that realization.”

“Nine Perfect Strangers,” based on the bestselling novel by Liane Moriarty, is no stranger to prestige. Its first season brought together an eclectic ensemble cast and unwrapped layers of trauma, healing and deception under the watchful gaze of Nicole’s enigmatic wellness guru character.

With Season 2 shifting its setting to the Austrian Alps and welcoming new faces, Dolly doesn’t just arrive as another Southeast Asian addition. She steps in as a vital narrative force — her character is layered, powerful and integral to the unfolding drama.

This is more than representation. It’s evolution.

The author with Dolly after the interview.

For decades, Filipino actors in Hollywood have been relegated to roles defined by ethnicity rather than humanity — maids, nurses, or supporting characters with thick accents and thinner backstories. What Dolly brings to the screen in “Nine Perfect Strangers” isn’t “Filipina-ness” for flavor. She brings gravitas. Her presence tells audiences: Filipinos aren’t just part of the background; they’re protagonists in complex, premium narratives and we do know that the audiences are ready.

Global streamers like Hulu are finally seeing the untapped richness of Southeast Asian talent — not just for content aimed at diaspora markets, but for mainstream prestige dramas. The casting of Dolly alongside names like Nicole and Murray Bartlett is not diversity for diversity’s sake. It’s the quiet acknowledgment of a seismic shift in taste and talent. Hollywood is no longer the gatekeeper of what stories matter; instead, it’s becoming the amplifier for voices that have always had something to say.

It’s cute that despite her growing presence in the scene, Dolly remains humble through it all. She told us that she still has these pinch me moments, “Grabe! As in sobrang hindi ako makapaniwala, as in ‘di ako makapaniwala kasi aside from makakasama ko si Nicole Kidman, iyong ibang cast pak na pak din sila.”

“Kahit noong nag-land na ako sa Munich, noong chinichika ko na sila ‘di ako makapaniwala!”

What makes Dolly’s presence even more potent is her refusal to flatten herself into a digestible stereotype. She doesn’t play roles to please, she plays to challenge. Her power lies in her unpredictability — the kind that can dominate a screen without screaming for attention.

In “Nine Perfect Strangers,” this translates into a character that is sharp, unflinching and essential. Her storyline isn’t just tagged on; it drives the emotional architecture of the show.

And guess what? Dolly said that besides this amazing series, she is also gearing up for another big global project soon.