Even with a whirlwind schedule that involves projects inside and outside the country, multi-awarded actress Dolly de Leon is still very much the grounded artist people first knew her to be since she started out in Philippine showbiz more than three decades ago. Now currently starring in the Hollywood series Nine Perfect Strangers as well as the upcoming season of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the 56-year-old artist took time to sit down with PUSH ABS-CBN for an exclusive interview on just how close a relationship she shares with her dad, engineer Juan de Leon Jr.
“I think the best lesson I ever learned from my dad is something that he taught me without telling me. He taught me by showing it. To always be kind to others. Because he was such a kind man. My father was my hero,” she told PUSH ABS-CBN.
READ: EXCLUSIVE: Dolly De Leon admits she still gets starstruck: ‘Nawawala na yung kaba ko!’
As the younger one of two siblings, Dolly also shared how close she is to her older brother Loel who is based abroad. In one post, she wrote, “My bro who tormented my childhood with pranks 😈, who helped my Dad get me through college 👩🎓, who made my trip to the US in ‘93 possible, whom I can talk to like he’s one of my girl friends, who makes me laugh silly 🤡 who’s spending his last day on PH soil today and will def make me cry. I miss him all ready.💔”
READ: Dolly de Leon shares her first impression of Kathryn Bernardo
One of Dolly’s favorite memories with her dad growing up involved him sharing in her love for pop music.
“My dad was always cracking jokes. He was always joking around, always making fun of me. I would lock myself in my room and listen to Boy George when I was a teenager and I would play ‘I’ll Tumble 4 Ya,’ it’s a Culture Club song. And every time I would come out of my room, he would dance around and sing the song na mali mali yung lyrics. ‘I’ll Tumble 4 Ya’ yung song pero he would sing ‘Jambalaya!’ tapos sumasayaw sayaw siya ng ganun. I’ll never forget that,” she admitted with a smile.
As a mother, the Nine Perfect Strangers actress shared that she wants to have just a close relationship with her own brood. As a single parent to four kids, Dolly talked about how she is as a parent in an interview with News5 earlier this year.
“I'm very hands on. I'm a single mom so I raise all my kids by myself I'm very open. I try to be a cool mom. I try to be open-minded para they can open up to me too. I have a friendship with my kids, magkaibigan kami, barkada,” she said.