LIZA SOBERANO INSPIRED BY DOLLY DE LEON TO PURSUE HOLLYWOOD DREAM
LIZA SOBERANO HAD AN acting “showdown” with Dolly de Leon in a project nobody probably imagined would happen when they first worked together years ago.
According to the “Lisa Frankenstein” star, she previously acted with the first Filipino Golden Globe and BAFTA nominee in the 2019 film “Alone/Together,” where the latter played Liza’s terror boss.
The two actresses finally got to work together again in a short film for the digital bank app and all-in-one money platform Maya. The brand ambassadors collaborated on a quirky and “very meta” TVC, loaded with pop-culture references, laughs, action and some “tear-jerking” moments.
“So, are you gonna be my support today?” Liza asked Dolly in the opening scene, referencing the latter’s past as a bit player and support to lead stars, including Liza, before all the international breaks.
“No, I’m the new Maya endorser,” Dolly corrected Liza, the original endorser, setting into motion an epic “rivalry” where they tried to upstage each other in delivering the brand’s message about “breaking free from limitations” and “pushing boundaries” in an increasingly digital world.
Fueling the “competition” is when Dolly appeared to reference the “fuss” that followed after Liza’s first Maya TVC a year ago. To recall, she got the internet talking when she said that while she was “grateful” for all experiences in her over decade-long showbiz career, she believed she “earned the right to finally be me, to finally be able to do things as Hope Soberano (her real name).” That campaign, which also introduced Liza’s interests in writing and directing, signaled the onset of her career redirection beyond the Philippines.
Now, in their current collab ad, Liza could be seen resisting to watch her old audition tape as Hope Soberano, making Dolly quip: “You’re so ungrateful.” To which a tearyeyed Liza replied, “I’ve always been grateful, I’m just ready for challenging roles.”
“Ready ka na nga,” Dolly later conceded as they ended up being on the same side while navigating a battlefield straight from a video game. In real life, one could say that they’re also on the same side in terms of “pushing boundaries” in their careers. Hollywood dreams Liza just spoke about last year are now coming to life with “Lisa Frankenstein” as opening salvo.
In a video message during the launch of their collab, Dolly, who’s still in Germany to shoot for the Nicole Kidman-led series “Nine Perfect Strangers,” said that Liza deserved “all the praise” she’s been getting for her Hollywood debut.
“I’m so proud of you for taking control of your career with such boldness and grace. We’re the same in so many ways, because you know, I look for partnerships that allow me to push myself and get crazy.”
Liza also shared her on-set experience with Dolly. “Behind the scenes, we were just talking about ‘Call of Duty’ all the time. In the last scene that we did together, we were on the battlefield in a video game, that was inspired by ‘Call of Duty.’ We’re both huge fans of it, so we were talking about what our gun setups are and everything, hahaha!” she said.
“But in terms of acting, being someone who is incredibly talented and yet hungry to learn and experience things, is what I picked up from her the most. She’s so fearless, and so unapologetic about dreaming big and reaching for the stars.”
In a separate one-on-one chat with The STAR, the 26-year-old revealed how the 54-year-old veteran actress was instrumental in the pursuit of her Hollywood dream.
When she shifted her sights abroad, she said (in a previous interview) that her career move faced “some backlash” and made her pass up some great opportunities here. But she decided to stick to her plan, drawing inspiration from Dolly.
After decades of playing support, including no-name, no-credit or nodialogue roles, Dolly had a windfall of lead roles and international projects following her acclaimed performance in the 2022 Cannes Palme d’Orwinning Swedish film “Triangle of Sadness.”
“I would say she has one of the most inspiring stories of all time,” Liza said of Dolly’s acting journey. “I saw an interview of hers back then, she was starting not naman to lose hope but she has always been passionate and really loved the craft in the industry we’re in. “But being an actor, it’s hard, it’s very competitive, there are so many demands and despite that, she didn’t listen to anyone who would say anything negative about her, she didn’t care about what people thought. She just did what she wanted to do, and what she loves. I think committing to your goals and committing to the things that you love will take you a long way. That’s how she inspires me.”
“When I learned that she won her Best Supporting Actress award, I kind of honestly teared up. It just meant that it’s possible for everyone,” Liza further said of Dolly’s recognition from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
“When she won that award, that’s when I realized it’s even possible for me and for that moment that she had, I will be forever grateful because that’s kind of what opened up my eyes to even thinking that it’s a possibility.”
When The STAR sought Dolly’s reaction to Liza’s statement, she shared, “Honestly, I got a bit emotional reading this. I never knew she felt this way. It’s always refreshing to know that people are inspired by what happened to me, especially for people like Liza since she’s already achieved so much. It’s humbling.
“It actually was a pleasant surprise to know her better during our shoot because she was just so authentic. I discovered that we share the same ideologies, the same passion for our job, love of country and upholding basic rights of workers in the industry. We also share the same passion for gaming!” said Dolly.
“I’m glad we did Maya together because it gave me a chance to see another side of her — her human, non-celebrity side which is just beautiful. I’m so happy for her success and can’t wait to see more of her work on that side of the world.”