Dolly de Leon (left) in 'Nine Perfect Strangers.' Handout

Dolly de Leon is back in Hollywood, this time for the second season of the Prime Video/Hulu series "Nine Perfect Strangers." 

Speaking to ABS-CBN News, the award-winning actress said, "Ito ang first series na ginawa ko outside of the Philippines and working with a huge cast of talented people."

(This is the first time I did a series outside of the Philippines and working with a huge cast of talented people)

"Nine Perfect Strangers" is top-billed by Nicole Kidman, who is also one of the producers of this series, Grace Van Patten, Annie Murphy, Manny Jacinto, Melissa McCarthy, Regina Hall, Christine Baranski, Henry Golding, among others.

De Leon got a call from her agent when the offer to do the role of Agnes was made. 

"Binasa ko 'yung script and I fell in love with the character immediately and that's primarily also why I said yes it. I love my character. Her name is Agnes, dating siya madre, pumasok siya sa wellness center ni Nicole Kidman para mag self-healing," she said.

(I read the script and I fell in love with the character immediately and that's primarily also why I said yes to it. I love my character. Her name is Agnes, she's a former nun, she came into a wellness center which Nicole Kidman owns to do self-healing.)

De Leon said they shot the series for a total of six months, from January to June of last year, in Munich, Germany and Austria. It was quite a struggle for De Leon, particularly being far away from her family, but once she steps on the set, the homesickness vanishes.

Working with Kidman, according to De Leon, was a bit surreal. "She's super nice, warm and friendly. Hindi ko akalain na for someone with that stature, but hindi. She's very accessible, she's so much fun on the set, very in the moment siya (she's very 'in the moment') when we're doing our scenes together," she said.

This is not the first time Kidman worked with a Filipino actor. In her previous series "Expats" in 2022, she worked with other stellar actors including Ruby Ruiz. 

De Leon said this is a great door of opportunity to showcase the world class Filipino talent.

"Importante sa akin na makita tayo sa world stage na makita ang Pinoy na marami tayong maambag sa industriya, na mahusay naman talaga tayo. We have so much talent here in the Philippines and I feel so proud na may representative tayo sa proyektong ito," she said.

(For me, it's important that the world sees that the Filipino can contribute so much to the industry. We are good, we have so much talent here in the Philippines, and I feel so proud that we have a representation in this project.)

UNFORGETTABLE OFF-CAM MOMENT WITH KIDMAN

During our interview, De Leon also candidly shared an off-cam moment she had with Kidman. While she maintains that professional space between her and the Hollywood actress, she gathered her courage and approached Kidman for an invitation.

"Nag-host ako ng dinner sa apartment ko kasi gusto ko patikim sa kanila 'yung Pinoy food. So nag-plan ako ng dinner with the whole cast and some of the crew," she narrated. 

(I hosted a dinner in my apartment because I wanted them to taste Filipino food. So I planned a dinner with the whole cast and some of the crew.)

"Nilapitan ko siya and I said, 'I'm hosting a dinner in my apartment I wish you could come and join us I'm cooking Filipino food'. Tapos sabi niya, 'Oh no I can't, I won't be here. I already made plans but I wish I could be there.' So hindi siya nakapunta."

(I approached her and I said 'I'm hosting a dinner in my apartment I wish you could come and join us I'm cooking Filipino food'. The she replied, 'Oh no I can't, I won't be here. I already made plans but I wish I could be there.' So she wasn't able to make it.) 

"Then the following time na nakita ko siya on set, sabi niya, 'So how was it?' Sabi ko, 'What?' kasi nakalimutan ko na. Sabi niya, 'The dinner.' 'Oh it was so good, I wish you were there.' 'Well I hope you could cook again so I can taste it.'"

(Then the following time I saw her on the set, she asked me 'so how was it?' I said, 'What?' Because I totally forgot about it already. She goes, 'The dinner'. Oh it was so good, I wish you were there. 'Well I hope you could cook again so I can taste it.' she said)

De Leon will attend the premiere of the Season 2 of "Nine Perfect Strangers" in Hollywood next month, and the series will premiere on May 22 (PH ime) on Prime Video.