Isabelle up for another challenge

MANILA, Philippines - Isabelle Daza might have to scale down her workload, at least until August, as she steps up her training for the Ironman on Aug. 4. “Right now, I’m preparing for my triathlon, the Ironman 70.3 in Cebu this August. This is my first big one. I’m excited. I’m going to do a little documentary on (the experience). But it’s a private thing. Maybe I’ll post it on- line to hopefully inspire the others,” Isabelle told The STAR and other media during a recent intimate dinner-interview.

“I like to challenge myself. I like to level up and I’m really very sporty,” Isabelle, 25, explained when asked her reasons for joining the punishing endur- ance race. “It’s tough because it has to be a one-year preparation. You have to be focused. I have a coach. Ang galing niya that sometimes I want to cry.”

The tanned and leggy beauty devotes some two hours on weekdays and three to four hours on weekends to her grueling training. “I go swimming for two kilometers, biking for 50 to 60 kilometers and running for 10 to 15 kilometers. It’s actu- ally the feeling after that I’m after. The feeling that I have accomplished (something).”

Isabelle just accomplished an acting feat — her first big- screen project and a blockbust- er hit at that. The Kapuso host- actress was cast by Star Cin- ema (the Kapamilya’s movie- making outfit) as the woman (incidentally or intentionally) named Belle who comes in between lead stars John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo in the romance-dramedy It Takes A Man & A Woman by Cathy Garcia-Molina.

The third and (reportedly) last installment to the success- ful trilogy that started with A Very Special Love (2009) is pre- dicted to exceed the P200M- mark as it enters its second week only in theaters.

“When my manager (Leo Dominguez) called me and told me that (Star Cinema) was thinking of getting me for the movie, sumigaw ako. Then after 30 seconds, I asked, ‘Why me? Are you sure?’ I asked them (Star Cinema) why me? Then they just said they wanted me for the part. It was offered to Iza Calzado but it didn’t work out. When I met direk Cathy, I asked her if I could do workshops, but she won’t let me because she wanted me ‘raw.’ She just guided me through the scenes.”

Being a fan of the John Lloyd-Sarah loveteam since their first film, Isabelle felt that “I have to be as good as them, or at least meet their expectations” in It Takes A Man &A Woman.

Most difficult scenes for Isabelle (spoiler alert!) were the breakdown scene and kissing scene (her first-ever onscreen) with John Lloyd.

About the breakdown scene, she related, “Direk Cathy is very inspiring and when she talks to you, she gets you into the scene. Then she plays music in the background. (But) I was so stressed about it! I called my mom, ‘What would I do, I’m so hiya naman,’ and she said to ‘just give it your all, don’t mind the people.’ Nakakahiya kasi ang daming nanonood. And I was really pressured because John Lloyd was so good.”

Isabelle also dished on the lady direc- tor’s style. “When direk Cathy directs, she makes it relatable to your life. And she just shoots one or two scenes a day. She’s very meticulous — she looks at all the props, even the hair, etc.” She was all praises for Sarah, especially

for her comedic timing. “We all know her as the popstar, but nobody really appreciates how good of an actor she re- ally is. Ang galing niya magpatawa. Every time I watch her scenes with John Lloyd, natatawa talaga ako at nakikilig. And I think that’s something very difficult to capture because your audience now is so intelli- gent, that when you’re faking it, (they can tell).”

Meanwhile, Isabelle has another film coming up, the independently-produced Lihis, under the direction of the esteemed Joel Lamangan and based on the screen- play of the multi-awarded Ricky Lee. It stars her with Lovi Poe, Jake Cuenca and — who else — her mother, Gloria Diaz who plays — what else — her mother. “Ang hirap di ba?” she mused.

But it really is. “I had a confrontation scene with my mom na sobrang hirap be- cause it’s your mom. Mom ko parang dinala niya lang ako sa scene. She did something really intense that I got carried away. I just cried in reaction to her.”

Working with her mom became of a discovery of sorts. “First time ko nakita siya na sobrang napabilib ako sa mom ko in acting. My mom is different at work. She doesn’t talk. She reads her script, again and again. She’s very serious. She’s not like that at home or anywhere else! That’s one thing I discovered about her when we were working together.”

With her mom on the set, she got plenty of pointers. “When (direk Joel) tells me one thing, my mom tells me one thing. But my mom (secretly) kasi takot din siya kay direk Joel (laughs). I listen to them both.”

As for her mom’s advice in handling her work commitments, Isabelle shared, “She always says, do your best, every- body is there, waiting for you, focused on you, and all you’re giving is half (the ef- fort), that cannot be. And don’t be irritable because everybody’s working hard.”

Asked if she’s still as reluctant as she was deemed to be when she was just starting out in showbiz, Isabelle said, “I still am — not reluctant — but kind of awkward with it. Because there are things in showbiz that make me think ‘Do I re- ally have to do that?’ But I’m enjoying it, don’t get me wrong.”

And she didn’t expect she’d enjoy act- ing as much as she does hosting. Isabelle, who hosts on GMA 7’s Eat, Bulaga! and Party Pilipinas as well as GMA News TV’s Taste Buddies (plus appearances in teles- eryes and comedy shows), said, “I actually didn’t think I’d enjoy acting as much as I do hosting. I love (hosting) so much, because it’s live and quick. In acting, you have to be patient, actually sabi ng mom ko, ‘you know, mga artista, we are paid to wait, and we act for free,’ kasi that’s really what the job entails, you really have to wait and then you do your scene, which can be done in five minutes.”

But with her experience so far, she’s been inspired because “the people I was working with was so good at what they do.”

As for the beauty-queen dreams of friends and fans for her: That she will follow in the footsteps of her mother, the 1969 Miss Universe, Isabelle stressed, “It’s not my thing.”

She continued, “It’s something I’d never dreamed of being. I don’t think that I will be happier if I join and I win (a beauty contest) as I am today. For me, there are so many beautiful women out there, why would I compete with them? I don’t even think I’m the most beautiful person in this room, so what will make me think I’m the most beautiful person in the Philippines, let alone in the universe? And I’m very happy with GMA 7, with my job. So, I don’t think it’s an achieve- ment that I need to get. Although, a lot of people (have been) very sweet and I’m always touched if they think of me or that they think I’m viable for that.”

While Isabelle is gaining notice on her own merit, she does find it a challenge to navigate her way in the industry and make a name for herself what with the inevitable comparisons to her mom.

“I think it’s a challenge because people will always compare me to my mom, if not my mom, somebody else. So, it’s hard to kind of make a name for yourself when you’re always under the shadow of some- one,” she admitted. “Although I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for my mom. So I em- brace that aspect also. If people introduce me as the daughter of Gloria Diaz, I’m happy. Make my mark? I guess I just have to work hard and do my best because you work for yourself, I think.”

When asked why fans should support her, Isabelle candidly answered that it’s their choice to like her or not.

When told that patronage of fans can spell career stability, she said, “I don’t think that your fans define who you are. I think your work speaks for yourself.”