When the cheering and emotional acceptance speeches settled down at the Oscars, only one thing was clear: it was the night of the Asian story, the Asian actors and the difficult Asian actor’s journey to well-deserved recognition.

It was also a night of quotable quotes for the victors.

Someone noted every rejection, every disappointment has led them to this moment at the Oscars.

Quivered a very emotional Ke Huy Quan after accepting his first Oscar for his Best Supporting actor performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once: “My mom is 84 years old, and she’s at home watching. Mom! I just won an Oscar!”

And he went on: “My journey started on a boat. I spent a year in a refugee camp, and somehow, I ended up here, on Hollywood’s biggest stage. They say stories like this only happen in the movies – I cannot believe it’s happening to me. This is the American dream! … Dreams are something you have to believe in, I almost gave up on mine. To all of you out there, please keep your dreams alive.”

One wondered if he was one of those Vietnamese refugees reared in Palawan and Bataan after fleeing their home country on a boat.

Quan got the part after some hiatus of some forty years when he tagged along with one of his older brothers to a casting call for the role of Short Round, the plucky Chinese sidekick in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

He ended up in a room with Stephen Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford.

At that time, his family couldn’t even afford to go to the movies.

Moreover, he got the role and described the shoot in Sri Lanka as “the best adventure of my life.”

From the first time Oscar best actress winner Michelle Yeoh: “For all the little boys and girls who look like me watching tonight, this is a beacon of hope and possibilities. This is history in the making. Ladies, don’t let anyone ever tell you you’re past your prime.”

She made history as the first Asian and the first Malaysian to win best actress in The Academy’s 95-year history.

Reacted Filipino filmmaker Keith Sicat of Yeoh’s triumph at the Oscars: “Lots of mixed feelings for her historic win. Somehow it gives a bit of hope that the world is ready for wilder storytelling, a broader set of faces, a wider spectrum of voices. Here’s to hoping it won’t take more than 20 years for another person of color to win the Best Actress prize, or 39 years for another Asian to win the Best Supporting Actor. Michelle Yeoh is fire!”

The 60-year old actress could be looking back at her modest beginnings in the movies as a James Bond leading lady, the cantankerous mom in Crazy Rich Asians and the Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in The Lady. She had to take piano lessons for the part since the Burmese lady played the keyboard on her spare time in Burma.

Her showbiz past also yielded the unthinkable: she was also Miss Malaysia in 1983 and joined the Miss World contest the same year but failed to make it in the top 15.

In 2015, Yeoh handed the Life Achievement award to the Philippines’ Nora Aunor in the ASEAN film fest held in Sarawak, Malaysia.

Moreover, the presence of Filipino actor Dolly de Leon at the Oscars was historic as well although she failed to clinch an Oscar nomination.

The Filipino actor arrived at the 95th Annual Academy Awards alongside Triangle of Sadness co-stars Harris Dickinson, Vicki Berlin, Zlatko Buric, and director Ruben Ostlund.

She wore a double-breasted jacket with a statement flower pin from the Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini Pre-Fall 2023 collection.

She has no illusions about the Oscars. Earlier, she was honest enough to say she was disappointed by the Oscar snub. But deep in her, she has learned the value of acceptance.

As the saying goes, you can’t win them all.

Nothing exciting for her at the Oscars except to be reunited with the cast of Triangle of Sadness.

Clinching a tsunami of international nomination for best supporting role and winning quite a sizable number of them, de Leon has a lot to be proud of. Nobody from the Philippines got that number of nominations from international award giving bodies.

Looking at those historic awards nights from LA to London and Sweden among others, she can only recall the red carpets walks, the endless photo ops and interviews. She remembered those moments as one that involved a lot of walking in the limelight. “You get used to it somehow,” she said once. She admitted she had never walked under the glare of cameras that many times in her showbiz life.

For the record, she is the first Filipina to be nominated in the Golden Globe and BAFTA and a slew of many more awards from Los Angeles to Sweden.

Seeing her at the Oscars was a proud moment for the Filipino actor.

The Cannes Palme d’Or-winning social class satire earned Oscar nominations for Best Film as well as Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for its Swedish filmmaker Ruben Ostlund.

Seeing her with the cast and crew and the director of Triangle of Sadness was a brief shining moment for celebration.

Reacted Ustlund on his Oscar nominations: “Ahoy! My gratitude goes out to the Academy this evening. Free Botox for everyone! Maybe now I’ll lose the ‘Swedish director freaks out title.’ It is the perfect dramaturgy! The ‘triangle of sadness’ refers to the space just below one’s forehead, between their eyebrows, that is often considered the first thing to go as we age. In Sweden, we call it, ‘the trouble wrinkle’ and its emergence suggests that the owner has lived a life filled with struggle. This production was not that…As a director, one of the things I value most is the communal experience we all share when watching something together on the big screen. This film, perhaps more so than any of my previous work, is truly made for cinemas. It is loud, unapologetically in your face and meant to elicit strong reactions.  I am so lucky to do what I get to do while working with an all-star ensemble cast of actors and the production team who were all crazy enough to go on this wild ride with me.”

It has been a historic awards-season journey for Dolly. She became the first Filipino actor to be nominated at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs, and to win at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards as well as the Guldbagge Awards which is Sweden’s equivalent of the Oscars.

After she came back from Cannes where Ruben Ostlund’s Triangle of Sadness ran off with the highly coveted Palme D’or, the Filipino actor Dolly de Leon was suddenly swamped with projects right and left.

To name a few, there’s Salome written and directed by Teng Mangansakan, Kitty K7 written by Pamela Miras and directed by Joy Aquino, Do You Think I’m Sexy written and directed by Dennis Marasigan, and Pura Serbidora written by Dennis Evangelista, directed by Louie Ignacio and a role in the top-rating teleserye, Dirty Linen.

For her renewed acting life, she got herself a manager in the person of seasoned talent discoverer Ferdie Lapuz.

The choice has been dictated by the fact that she loves the independent filmmaking scene in Manila. “Just look at the stories they tell, the filmmakers, the atmosphere on the set. I knew Ferdie (Lapuz) would help me continue to do more work in that world. Ferdie and I really complement each other.”

But the overall feeling since De Leon’s plethora of acting nominations is a sudden turnaround for the way theater actors are treated in the Philippines. “The feeling is like I just landed on another planet. People were acting really strange. It made me realize how people around us change more than we do when something remarkable happens to us.”

But the truth is, the lesson she learned from Cannes is this simple: don’t take yourself too seriously.

Of the awards she got so far and the Oscar prediction which didn’t happen, she once said: “Of course, the feeling is one of elation. It is doubly good when what you aimed for as an actor is appreciated on a grand scale. Acting is not easy. For the most part, it is tough especially considering that you had to work with mostly foreign actors and an acclaimed foreign filmmaker.”

True enough, every line delivered by her character, Abigail, has prompted cheers from the press during its initial public screenings.

Another entertainment magazine opined, “Her story is just one part of Östlund’s searing commentary on privilege, greed, and power — but Abigail’s power play, exquisitely brought to life by De Leon’s deadpan delivery, is what audiences will remember.”

For all this good feedback, De Leon can only credit director Ruben Ostlund. “Everything started with him. It was all his vision and his ideas. He always made sure we were consistently on the right track towards truth. Nothing escapes him. He can sense if I am just winging it and I get called for it.  The direction is so tight and well-defined but at the same time, he gives us leeway on how we can contribute. There a sense of freedom even if all our actions are seemingly controlled. He knows what will work and he doesn’t hold back on giving it to us straight. At the same time, I feel I am being taken care of as an actor. It’s like heading for the deep ravine and you feel safe that someone will come to your rescue. I love the feeling of being nurtured by an acclaimed director.”

On the awards night where Triangle of Sadness got the highest citation in Cannes, De Leon was ecstatic. She eluded the best actress award, but the media and seasoned critics were stunned by her performance.

She told an interviewer earlier that the film is about exploiting power, of people who misuse power and use it for their own benefit and not for the betterment of humanity.

Even if the Oscar nomination eluded her, the Cannes experience is still ringing in her ears.

“It was an evening of immense joy. I like to think of it as a victory for the entire team. It felt good that the director (Ostlund) recognized all our efforts. I had the best time working with the Greek team and the Swedish team. We all knew we were embarking on something very special because we were working with a master. A very funny and sweet one at that. I learned a lot from this Swedish production. But I think the best thing I’ve ever gotten from this whole experience is I’ve learned to be strong, resilient, and adaptable,” she related.

De Leon is no stranger to awards.

Earlier, she bagged a FAMAS award for best supporting actress in a film called Verdict.

She views all awards as the viewing public’s solid appreciation of the film’s message. “When a prize is given, it serves as a reinforcement of their appreciation and is a fantastic affirmation of all our hard work.”

Dolly, who was a UP Diliman theater arts major, knows the basics of acting, foremost of which is to create a reflection of life that resonates with at least one audience member. “I also value a collaborative process, a meeting of creative minds whose vision is to get to the truth.”

It was the second time Ostlund bagged the Palme d’Or after his last Cannes film, Square.

What was special working with him?  “He was a perfectionist which I felt was a good thing. I felt safe on the set because I knew that nothing would go past him and we had to deliver nothing short of excellence. I will never forget the camaraderie and professionalism of my co-actors. I remember Harris Dickinson for being a great scene partner who has a kind of intuition that’s always fun to work with. Charlbi Dean who’s a sweet, gentle and caring lady and was my constant companion. I found a true friend in her plus she’s quite a talented actor; Vicki Berlin who gave me so much in the scenes. She’s such a generous actor. Iris Berben who always shared words of wisdom while having a fantastic sense of humor as well. Henrik Dorsin was also fun and sweet. So was Zlatko and Jean Kristoff Folly who were so caring, fun and great scene partners as well. I love all of them. They’re all so much fun to work with.”

De Leon took it calmly when she was informed, she has a steamy love scene with one actor in the cast. “I was excited because I’ve never done anything like that on camera. At the same time, I was challenged up to what extent I can portray the part. At the same time, I was a little nervous. Intimate scenes require a different level of acting. It requires a certain kind of concentration and belief. In addition, it is also very technical.”

She asked her co-actor about his limitations. She was also honest about her limits.  “Once everything is laid out into the open, then we can just treat it as any other scene.

It also helps that we knew the scene was needed to move the characters and the story forward and that it wasn’t just put there for shock value.”

It was a closed set for the intimate scene and she felt very safe.

A long and hard road is how she will describe her evolution as an actress. “I’ve endured and went through many challenges: from experiencing rejection after rejection after rejection, to being ridiculed and doubted. Superiors have shaped me into who I am today and taught me great lessons on kindness and empathy. It reminds me to always treat any person with dignity. We all need to look out for each other and appreciate everyone around us.”

She acknowledges the great acting mentors of her lifetime, foremost of whom was the late actor-director and now National Artist for Theater Tony Mabesa. “Teacher Mabesa toughened me up. He taught me the value of discipline, to come prepared, be on time for every engagement and to respect all aspects of theater. Jose Estrella gave me the opportunity to explore and test my limits as an actor. Through her direction she helped me reach a certain level of maturity as an actor. I’ll forever be indebted to them. During this whole Cannes experience, I’d think of Sir Tony every day and how proud he’d be. He was always proud of our theater victories big or small.”

A mother of four children, ages 9 to 26, De Leon points out that motherhood is also a great teacher for actors. “My children teach great lessons every single day. It’s never ending. But as an actor they’ve taught me to be selfless and nurturing. Values that I’m still learning to this day.”

Did it occur to her that the theme of the film — misuse of power – is so obvious in the Philippine setting especially after the elections?

She sees a lot of challenges for the Filipino people in the next five years. “But we have to endure and fight for the greater good. We have a long way to go to real progress, but it’s doable if we safeguard our history and remind ourselves not to make the same mistakes we’ve made in the past. Our children’s future depends on it.”

As it turned out, the 95th Oscar night at the Dolby Theater was a night for Asian actors and filmmaker.

The jarring slapping incident was promptly forgotten.

And the equally jarring last-minute snobbery at the 2016 Oscars for Korean soprano Sumi Jo when her live song number was canceled at the last minute.

In 2016, two of the five songs nominated for Best Original Song were not performed at the Oscars which didn’t sit well with the snubbed musicians on the red carpet. “I must tell you the truth I’m quite disappointed,” Grammy-winning opera singer Sumi Jo told Variety. “For me it was very important for me to perform in front of everybody but ya know…it’s very sad.”

The soprano was supposed to sing the Oscar-nominated song “Simple Song” from Paolo Sorrentino’s “Youth.” (The only three performances in the Original Song category was rendered by mega pop stars Lady Gaga, Sam Smith and The Weekend.)

“We feel like we represent some of the diversity as well,” David Lang, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, said. “In fairness, letting everyone sing would be a way to show it. I think they’re worried that because we come from the opera world, that people won’t like opera. But actually, Sumi Jo is one of the great singers of our time. And if people heard her, they would love her.”

Some years back, Sumi Jo got her comeuppance when her compatriot, director Bong Joon-ho, won the best director award with the Korean film Parasite winning the Oscar for Best Picture, the first Korean film to get the award in said category.

Two years ago, a Korean actress Yuh-Jung Youn won the Oscar best supporting actress trophy for the film, Minari.

Meanwhile, it’s back to reality for Dolly de Leon who will use her award season fame to drum up interest and support for her chosen advocacies.

Apart from the UN Refugee Agency connection, she lent her voice to the art advocacy program, Project Hulmahan to help Marikina shoemakers as well as other communities nationwide.

Over 700 artists from all over the country turned some 1,500 wooden shoes into amazing artworks for auction.

The official unveiling of Project Hulmahan was held on March 15 at Estancia Mall.

Meanwhile, Dolly is all set to work on two Hollywood films in March:  a comedy by Paul Feig and Between Temples with Jason Scwharztman.

Here’s to more triumph for the Asian actors in future Oscars, BAFTA and Golden Globe awards night.