August 13, 2024 | 12:36pm
MANILA, Philippines — Want to be an “artista” and bring honor to the Philippines like the country’s first British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) and Golden Globe nominee Dolly de Leon?
In a talk recently in Samsung Performing Arts Theater, Circuit Makati for their upcoming play “Request sa Radyo,” De Leon shared some advice to those who think they are talented enough to become a star but do not have the resources to join show business.
“You can enter public schools,” said Dolly, who herself took up Theater Arts in University of the Philippines, stressing the importance of training and not only talent, since there are many talented Filipinos but not everyone makes it due to lack of training.
Alternatively, one can also take advantage of free seminars and workshops, and find a way to enter the business by building a network of friends.
“For somebody who has the dream but not necessarily the resources, find friends, find like-minded people. Get together, find someone’s house, go to someone’s garage, read the play, you can find it online in a day with your generation,” she recommended.
“We have the Internet. Before, everything was in the library. If you didn’t have a library card, you can’t read a book. Now, everything is online, get your friends together, read plays, have fun in your house, in the street, in your garage, wherever it is, you don’t need resources,” she assured aspiring artists.
“If you love what you do, you’ll find the way. If you really want to do it, you know, it is your responsibility to find a way in, right?” interjected Tony Award winner Clint Ramos, who moderated the talk with Dolly and her “Request sa Radyo” alternate, Lea Salonga.
Additionally, Ramos suggested apprenticeships and internships with artists and artists groups could also help.
“I know so many talented people who have not gotten breaks, you know, for some reason. It just didn’t happen, you know, or it hasn’t happened yet,” said Dolly, “But their souls are fed (by doing the craft).”
“What is success anyway?” asked Ramos.
For Salonga, success in the industry is “100% hard work and 100% luck.”
“Is it being able to do the craft that you’ve devoted your life to, you know, until the day you die or is it about awards, fame and all of that? I think because if it’s about the latter part, there’s a lot of luck,” Ramos elaborated.
“But if it’s really about the craft, and about service, you know, then that’s hard work.”
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