MANILA – Dolly de Leon started 2023 with a bang after making appearances in several Hollywood events for her movie “Triangle of Sadness.”

But one of her most memorable encounters over the course of the past month was definitely meeting Cate Blanchett at the most unexpected place during the sidelines of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LAFCA) Awards.

In an interview with Karen Davila for ANC’s “Headstart” on Monday, de Leon shared that she had gone to take a bathroom break when she heard Blanchett’s voice all of a sudden.

“Sabi niya, ‘Oh my God, this awarding has no break.’ So kumabaga, CR na CR na din siya kagaya ko. Nagmamadali siya pumasok. Nabosesan ko siya kaagad. Sabi ng agent ko, ‘Dolly is here.’ Sabi niya, ‘Dolly, Dolly!’ Siyempre nag-panic ako,” de Leon recalled animatedly.

“Sabi ko ‘I’m coming, I’m coming.’ Nataranta ako eh. Pag-open ko ng cubicle door, nakaabang na siya sa akin,” she added.

De Leon said Blanchett started talking and gushing but everything she told her was all a blur.

“She said, ‘I watched you in your….’ Wala na akong naintindihan kasi sobra akong na-starstruck. Hindi na nag-register lahat ng sinabi niya. But I knew that she was saying positive things because she was smiling and she looked very positive,” she said.

It was at that moment when she asked the Hollywood A-lister for a photo.

“I also congratulated her. I told her I’ve been following her career for a long time. And then I asked for the picture. People think na she asked for the picture, but hindi po. Ako po yung humingi ng photo. That’s my agent’s phone,” she said.

De Leon posted a copy of their photo on Instagram where she described Blanchett as one of the “sensational people” she’s recently met.

After their encounter, de Leon said it would be a dream if they could get to work together on a project.