Golden Globes and BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon only has one word after learning that she was invited to become a member of the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The breakthrough actress of the Oscar-nominated “Triangle of Sadness” was among the nearly 400 individuals — composed of distinguished artists and executives — chosen to join the Academy in 2023.
The Academy is a professional honorary organization comprising over 10,000 of the most accomplished film industry artists and leaders. It recognizes and celebrates all aspects of the arts and sciences of moviemaking through renowned awards for cinematic achievement.
Members of the Academy are able to vote in the annual Academy Awards or the Oscars, considered the oldest and most prestigious film awards in the international filmmaking scene.
The Academy has 18 branches — for the crafts ranging from actors to writers and the members-at-large category — to accommodate individuals who work in motion picture production but do not fit into one of the branches.
An individual must be sponsored by two Academy members from the branch to which the candidate seeks admission.
However, Academy Award nominees are automatically considered for membership and do not require sponsors.
Branch committees review nominees and sponsored candidates for the organization and recommendations for membership are considered by the Academy’s Board of Governors. The Board decides which individuals will receive invitations.
This year, 398 individuals were handpicked to join the Academy.
This includes Dolly, who could be considered the first Filipina to become a member.
Other invited personalities include Stephanie Hsu and Ke Huy Quan of the Oscar-winning “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” South Korean actor Park Hae-il, Hong Kong actor Tin Lok Koo, Keke Palmer, and Selma Blair.
“The Academy is proud to welcome these artists and professionals into our membership,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said in a news release.
“They represent extraordinary global talent across cinematic disciplines, and have made a vital impact on the arts and sciences of motion pictures and on movie fans worldwide,” they added.
Dolly expressed her reaction by responding to Filipino-American Hollywood journalist Janet Nepales, who congratulated the actress for securing a spot in the selective organization.
“Congratulations @DollyEdeLeon on being invited to join as a new member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this year. Other members invited include Ke Huy Quan, @RRRMovie stars @AlwaysRamCharan and @NTRamao among others. #Oscars,” Janet wrote on Wednesday, June 29.
“Intense!” Dolly responded to her with a sparkles emoji.
Dolly was among those expected to bag an Academy Award nominee after her breakthrough performance as cruise ship worker-turned-survivalist Abigail in the satire “Triangle of Sadness.”
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This role earned her several accolades from the international movie scene, including nominations from the 80th Golden Globe Awards, the 76th British Academy Film Awards and the 2022 UK Film Critics Association Awards, among others.
Dolly also won awards from the 2022 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, the 58th Guldbagge Awards, the 2022 Middleburg Film Festival, and the 4th North Dakota Film Society Awards.
The Filipina, however, failed to secure nominations from the prestigious Screen Actors Guild Awards, considered a major precursor to the Oscars. She was also not nominated for the Critics Choice Awards.