Iza in a class of her own

“Woman of the hour” could very well describe Iza Calzado right now after news broke out that she has scored a Hollywood stint by reprising her role in the Hollywood remake of the Filipino thriller “Sigaw.” Her portrayal in the original version, which earned her supporting honors, also won over the producers of the remake.   

But this should not come as a surprise. One of the most visible faces in the Philippine entertainment industry these days, Iza has elicited adoration among fans for her mature and high-caliber acting ability in both television and film.

Blessed with an ethereal and classy beauty, she is in a class of her own for managing to pull off a variety of characters, from warrior queen, barrio girl, heartbroken lass, haunting ghost, lost sea princess, to lady from the past.

The FREEMAN Entertainment was able to interview this 24-year-old actress exclusively a couple of weeks before the latest development in her career hit the news. And one of the most interesting revelations during the lengthy and candid chat — call it a good omen of sorts—that she has always wanted to become a respected Hollywood actress.   

That Hollywood break might no longer be a farfetched dream for this young lady. And Iza, born Maria Izadora Ussher Calzado, deserves every good fortune that comes her way.

Daughter of TV director and choreographer Lito Calzado, Iza had been exposed to show business at a young age. But it was only after doing a Pantene commercial in 2002 that she figured out that she should try her luck and venture into acting. Her supporting role in the movie “Milan” would then serve as a turning point in her showbiz career. 

Interestingly, when she was in high school, Iza actually weighed almost 200 pounds, making her a laughing stock among boys her age. “Grabe talaga noon, lagi akong inaasar ng mga kaklase ko especially when I was in grade school kasi sobra akong mataba.”

 She said that this was the reason why she gave up one childhood dream of becoming a prima ballerina. “I had ballet lessons before kasi gusto ko talagang maging world-class ballet dancer. Kaya lang since lagi akong tinutukso kaya ayon sinira nila pangarap ko,” shared Iza.

Those crying times nevertheless drove Iza to work on improving herself. A look at the present Iza, no one could tell what she had been through in her childhood days. After gaining a slimmer figure through intense dieting and exercise, Iza admitted to being a gym addict. “Ngayon sobrang strict na talaga ako sa diet ko at addict talaga ako sa workout kasi ayoko din naman kasing magpa-opera. I’d rather go to the gym everyday and diet.”

With her public service program “At your service, Star power” on QTV Channel, Iza has already received several awards and earned praises from fans and critics alike, but refused to accept solo credit for the show’s achievements. “Magaling lang talaga ang show at hindi lang dahil ako ang host,” she stressed.

 Hosting a public service program exposed Iza to the depressing socio-economic realities and even if she really does charity works, she pointed out that “as much as possible I don’t talk about it kasi a lot of actors and actresses also do the same thing because they have good hearts at talagang nagkataon lang na meron akong show kaya nalalaman ng mga tao na I’m into public service.”

A talented actress like Iza never runs out of shows and movies. She even jokingly said that she’s a favorite when it comes to playing “momo” or ghost roles. “Gusto daw kasi nila ako kasi may dalang swerte ako sa horror. Ewan ko ba kung matatawag na papuri o hindi yung lagi akong sinasabihan na bagay daw ako sa ganung roles,” Iza mused.

But in her latest horror movie entitled “Ouija” with Judy Ann Santos and Jolina Magdangal, Iza is not playing the ghost this time but the one who is haunted. She plays Sandra, cousin to Juday and Jolens, and one of the four granddaughters summoned home upon the death of their grandmother.  

While in her ongoing soap “Impostora,” Iza plays the twin sisters Sara and Lara. Through cosmetic surgery, Sara eventually assumes the face of Vanessa played by Sunshine Dizon—and thus, begins a tale of deception. In this soap, Iza faces the painstaking process of dubbing since her voice is used for the character of Sara.

Iza also shared that working with Sunshine for the third primetime soap in a row has strengthened the bond between them. Recalling their “Encantadia” days, she revealed that up until now she feels awed by the mark the fantaserye has left on the Philippine primetime viewing public. “Sobrang dami ng mga fun memories ko with ‘Enca’ kasi halos lahat kami we actually looked forward to each and every taping. Sobrang saya para lang kaming naglalaro kaya masyado kami naging close ng mga cast.” If given the chance, she also admitted that she want to do the project all over again, if not on TV, then on the big screen.

Iza is not only in control of her career, but also of her love life. She admitted to being happily in love with her long time non-showbiz boyfriend. Still and all, Iza wants to focus on her career and on improving her craft. She said, “I am here in this industry because God wants me to be here for a purpose. I will never be as great as I am now if I’m not here in showbiz, that’s why I always appreciate the things I do—and I always work hard.”