And a chance to go to Hollywood

WHY not?” replies director Maryo Delos Reyes when asked if the public deserves the melodramatic offerings now flooding television. Blame Bakekang for the blitz of tearjerkers but viewers are in for the ten-hanky haul with the arrival of Impostora, the latest primetime soap starring fantaserye fixture Iza Calzado and Bakekang star Sunshine Dizon.

“Melodrama is always larger than life,” Direk Maryo explains. “It is the type of fiction that gives you the artistic license to go over the top, to be campy, and to use a lot of cliché. The intention is really to entertain, to give the people a delightful story na may suspension of disbelief and you pepper it with all the sampalan, sumbatan, and iyakan. As a director, I have learned to accept that this type of fiction is really written this way.”
Impostora, about the trials and tribulations of conjoined twins Sara and Lara before and after they are separated, promises to live up to the tradition.

A return to ‘normal’

Playing the dual title role is Iza Calzado, who is only too happy to step into the role of a “normal” character being cast in hybrid roles in a string of top-rating fantaserye shows.

“It is such a relief!” she admits. “What only bothers me is that I have to provide my own clothes. Kainis lang.”

Laughing, she adds, “What is wonderful about this projects is the focus of the story and the drama involved. I need it especially this time. I was talking to some of my peers one time and we are very pleased that melodrama is in vogue. You see, our batch, we are in that age wherein, if I compare ourselves to clay, hinuhulma pa lang kami. I have only been in this business for five years, mind you. That’s relatively a short time compared to other people. I have so much to learn and I know that a project like this gives me that learning opportunity.”

It was also a chance to work with a stalwart director and friend Sunshine Dizon who plays the role of Nessa in a plot twist that echoes the series title.

Will an acting showdown between her and Sunshine ever happen? “I always respect seniority. I am very partial to those things. She is ahead of me. She taught me a lot! I am very grateful to her because she has no qualms in assisting me especially when I was starting. You have to remember when I started in Kung Mawawala Ka, she was the lead and yet, she gave me tips on how to act. When I had my first lead role in Te Amo, there are days when I would call her and ask on how to do crucial scenes. Sunshine and I have this very good chemistry, I must say. Moreover, we are good friends. We are very excited about this project.”

As for bagging an acting award for her role, Iza demurs. “Honestly I don’t think about those things. I dream about them, pero not like, in this project dapat manalo ako. I do not think it works that way. I never expected that my work in Sigaw or Milan would bring me honors. Right now, all I can say is we‘ll see.”

Going Hollywood
Another project that Iza is very excited about is The Echo. Her movie originally billed as Sigaw is now in the process of being made into a Hollywood film. Yam Laramas will also direct it. Sigaw is very memorable to Iza because it gave her a best supporting actress trophy.

She updates, “All I can say, as for this moment, please pray for me! As a Filipina, I beg of you, please pray for me. I will not say anything else! You know what, we will see. You are making me cry! If the Lord wants it for me, I am sure He will give it to me. I do not even know if the producers want to get me. Yun ang tanong! I do not have the answer to that. You know, for the longest time I forgot about it. Until I was asked by a reporter and he said that Yam Laramas, my director told him about this possibility of me being cast in the Hollywood version. Therefore, I was rattled upon hearing about it again. I told the reporter to let me compose myself. All I can say is director Yam really keeps his word. Again, please pray for me. I know that right now, they are still casting.”
So if she gets the part, will it be the end of Impostora for her?

“I will just cross the bridge when we get there,” she replies. “You know what, knowing the people here, ikaw, if you know a Filipina has a chance to do a project in Hollywood, what would you do? Of course, I know they (GMA executives) would allow me.”

She would, she admits, pursue the Hollywood dream. “Actually, for the longest time, I had reservations and all sorts of fears were manifesting. I am in that point now when if He gives it to me, that means God really wants me to do it. That means my Creator thinks I can do it. If my Creator thinks I can do it, why can’t I, why shouldn’t I? You know, I am not this confident all the time but right now, I am up for the challenge. Kaya ko to! I even asked the universe to give it to me!”