IZA CALZADO

'Maria Izadora Usher Calzado', popularly known as 'Iza Calzado' is a Filipina actress, commercial model, and TV host who gained big attention in show business in May 2002. Her biggest breaks in Philippine showbiz include teaming-up with Argentine actor Segundo Cernadas in GMA Network's ''Te Amo, Maging Sino Ka Man'' and taking the role as Amihan in ''Encantadia''. Although, she considers playing the role of Mary Grace in Star Cinema's ''Milan'' as the turning point of her career. She is considered to be one of today's most beautiful faces in the Philippine Cinema and Young dramatic/award winning actresses.

Contents

Biography

Acting career

Hollywood

Endorsements and Commercials

Awards and Nominations

Filmography

Television

Movies

Trivia

References

External links

Biography

Maria Izadora Ussher Calzado, born on August 12, 1982 is named by her father after a modern dance legend, Isadora Duncan.
She is the daughter of choreographer and TV director Lito Calzado, and the late Irish-Spanish-Filipina, Mary Ann Ussher. Iza's brother, Dash, is a member of Legit Misfitz, a Pinoy rap group.
In the late 1990s, she finished her high school in Miriam College and after which finished her undergraduate education in the University of Santo Tomas with a degree in Fine Arts.

Acting career

Before entering show business, Iza Calzado actually worked as a dubber.
Iza started out as a guest teen star in the defunct youth oriented show ''Click'', but her short-lived stint in the said program led to continuous showbiz tales.
Many believe that she acts like a veteran actress and is lucky enough to do challenging projects. Despite the fact that most of her TV assignments in GMA 7 cater young adults she still impresses entertainment authorities with her dramatic prowess.
Iza won her first ever heroine role through the soap opera ''Te Amo'' with the Argentinean actor Segundo Cernadas. A beautiful face with talent and charisma that’s why she was suited to play a rural Cinderella who falls in love with a runaway Prince.
Amihan the Queen of goddesses in ''Encantadia'' was the hit character she marked in 2005 for the fantasy- driven market. In that tele-fantasya she worked with other Kapuso stars like Diana Zubiri, Jennylyn Mercado, Yasmien Kurdi, Mark Herras, Karylle, Dingdong Dantes and with Cogie Domingo and Sunshine Dizon in ''Kung Mawawala Ka''.
The success of her reel partnership with Dingdong Dantes goes on and on in ''Atlantika''. After being the deity of air in Encantadia and Etheria, she’s the candidate to be the princess of the civilization under the sea in this top rating series.
In the past Iza never thought that she would be an actress. But as a daughter of TV Director Lito Calzado, the hidden beauty soon surfaced as a commercial model, which became her ticket to stardom.
Iza adds that good opportunity was her earlier blessing because she didn’t have to join any talent search or reality shows that can make or break a young talent.
Watching local movies or TV shows was not her habit before but she admires the dramatic styles of Maricel Soriano, Hilda Coronel and Caridad Sanchez.
When it comes to dream roles Iza wants the offbeat ones just like a madwoman or drug dependent. Incidentally on her first two movies this year, ''Blackout'' with Robin Padilla, she would be drug dependent and "Mona" as a prostitute in Singapore.
For local counterpart she’s looking forward to working again with Piolo Pascual. They played an estrangeg couple in the flick ''Milan''. Aside from Piolo she’d be thrilled to have a movie or TV project with Jericho Rosales, Dennis Trillo, Jay Manalo, and Victor Neri as she really marvels at their acting ability. But of course, Richard Gomez and Aga Muhlach would definitely be part of her A-list.
Calzado will be the leading lady of F4 member Ken Zhu in the movie to be filmed in Philippines, "''Batanes: Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan''" of Ignite Media Films, with director, Adolf Alix. Iza just finished ''Impostora'' and will be back to the country on September 23.^[1]

Hollywood

Iza Calzado bagged her original role in ''The Echo'', the English-language remake of Filipino director Yam Laranas’ horror film ''Sigaw''.
Calzado will be sharing the screen with Hollywood actor Jesse Bradford, who was last seen in Clint Eastwood’s World War II epic ''Flag of Our Fathers''.
Bradford will portray an ex-convict who will get entangled in the troubles of a battered wife, to be played by Calzado. Although she will be reprising a role that won her an Urian Best Supporting Actress award in 2005, she still had to audition for the part in the Hollywood remake and, in the final round, she had to slug it out with three foreign actresses. She worked with Gallaga in the 2005 film ''Pinoy Blonde'' and took another acting workshop under him, in preparation for last year’s ''Eternity''. She is scheduled to leave mid-August and will stay in Toronto for three weeks.^[2]

Endorsements and Commercials

★ 2002- Pantene Testimonial Commercial

★ 2002- Globe Telecom, Commercial

★ 2003- A II Z Clothing Co.

★ 2004- HBC, Hortaleza Beauty Exclusives, Commercial

★ 2004- SanSan Cosmetics, Print Ad

★ 2004- Pantene Testimonial, Vignette

★ 2004- Belo Medical Group

★ 2004- JC Martin, Multi-level Mktg Co.

★ 2004- Boston Co. Shoes and Bags

★ 2004- Regatta Clothing Co.

★ 2005- Avon Fragrances

★ 2005- Goldilocks Chicken Barbecue, Commercial

★ 2005- Pantene Testimonial Commercial

★ 2005- Close-up, Vignette

★ 2005- Pantene, Vignette

★ 2005- Rexona, Vignette

★ 2006- Lady's Choice Commercial Series

★ 2006- Soda by Pink, Clothing Line

★ 2006- Barcelona Brandy, Commercial

★ 2007- Enervon, Commercial

★ 2007- Ponds, Commercial

★ 2007- Nestle, Commercial

Awards and Nominations

'Year'	'Film Award/Critics'	'Award/Nomination'
2005	'' 2nd USTv Thomasian Students' Choice Awards ''	''Students' Choice for Best Actress''
2006	'' Metro Manila Film Festival ''	'' Best Actress Nominee
2007	''QTV 11's Ang Pinaka: Sumikat na Female Models Turned Artista ''	''Rank #7''
2007	''YES! Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful Celebrities''	Rank ??
2007	'' FHM Philippines Top 100 Sexiest Women in the World ''	''Rank #55''
2007	''QTV 11's Ang Pinaka: Winner na Celebrity Weight Losers''	''Rank #5''
2006	''QTV 11's Ang Pinaka Survey: Top 10 Most Exciting Young Actresses in the Philippines''	'' Rank #4''
2006	''QTV 11's Ang Pinaka Survey: Winner na Covergirls''	''Rank ??''
2006	''QTV 11's Ang Pinaka Survey: Showbiz Makeovers''	''Rank ??''
2006	'' Philippine Daily Inquirer I AM SUPER! Awards ''	'' Awardee
2006	'' FHM Philippines Top 100 Sexiest Women in the World ''	'' Rank #40 ''
2006	'' Nickelodeon’s 2006 Kids’ Choice Awards ''	'' Pinoy Wannabe Awardee Nomination''
2006	'' Yes! Reader's Choice Awards ''	'' Favorite Actress of the year Nomination''
2005	'' Golden Screen Awards ''	'' Breakthrough Performance by an Actress '' for Milan
2005	'' Yes! Reader's Choice Awards ''	'' Most Beautiful Celebrity (nominated)
2004	'' 28th Gawad Urian ''	'' Pinakamahusya na Pangalawang Aktres (Best Supporting Actress) ''
2004	'' Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Foundation Awards''	''Most Promising Female Actress''
2004	'' FHM Philippines Top 100 Sexiest Women in the World ''	'' Rank #65 ''
2004	'' Metro Manila Film Festival ''	'' Best Supporting Actress Nomination '' for the movie Sigaw
2005	'' S Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful Faces in Philippine Cinema ''	''Rank #10''
2004	'' S Magazine's Top 50 Showbiz Sweethearts''	''Rank #11''
2004	'' Metro Manila Film Festival''	'' Best Supporting Actress Nomination '' for the movie Sabel

Filmography

Television

'Year'	'Title'	'Role'
2008	''Joaquin Bordado''	TBA
2007	''Impostora''	Lara/Sara
2007	''Magpakailanman: The Rosa Rosal Story''	Young Rosa
2007	''23rd PMPC Star Awards for Movies''	Herself-Host
2007	''Lola Basyang Episode - Ang Prinsiping Mahaba ang Ilong''	Prinsesa Isabella
2007	''Magpakailanman: Paano ba maging ina? (The Babymaker Story)''	Rebecca
2006	''29th Gawad Urian Awards''	Herself-Presenter
2006	''Atlantika''	Amaya/Cielo
2006	''Sandwichlandia'' (Fantasy Commercial Series)	Tina Tinapay
2006	''	Sangre Amihan
2005	''Etheria: Ang Ikalimang Kaharian ng Encantadia	Sangre Amihan
2005	''Encantadia	Reyna Amihan
2005	''At Your Service: Star Power ''	Herself-Host
2005	'' SOP''	Herself-Performer/Host
2005	''3R (Respect, Relax, Respond)''	Herself-Host
2005	''Love To Love Season 4: Sweet Exchange''	Trisha Rogelio
2004	'' Te Amo, Maging Sino Ka Man ''	Rosela Atilado
2003	'' All My Love (Mis Tres Hermanas) ''	voice of Lisa (Scarlet Ortiz)
2001	'' Kung Mawawala Ka''	Phoebe Valiente
2001	'' Click''	Belle

Movies

'Year'	'Title'	'Role'
2008	''The Echo'' (Hollywood Remake of ''Sigaw'')	Gina
2007	''	Pam
2007	''Desperadas''	Stephanie
2007	'' Despedida''	''(rumored)''
2007	'' Ouija''	Sandra
2007	'' Mona: Singapore Escort''	Mona
2007	'' Blackout''	Belen
2006	''Shake, Rattle & Roll 8 ''	Cecille
2006	'' Eternity''	Milagros
2006	'' Moments of Love ''	Divina Buenacer
2005	''Mulawin The Movie''	Reyna Amihan
2005	''Ispiritista: Itay, may moomoo!''	Linda
2005	''Pinoy Blonde''	Yanni
2004	'' Sigaw (The Echo)''	Anna
2004	''Sabel''	Jenny
2004	''Annie B. ''	Trisha
2004	'' Milan''	Mary Grace

Trivia

★ She was the first choice to play the Darna role on ''Darna''.

★ At age seven, she went into commercial modeling and landed small roles in Seiko movies, one of which was directed by National Artists for Film Lino Brocka.

★ As a teenager, she weighed 200 lbs.

★ Her first television appearance as an actress is in GMA's now defunct Teen Oriented show ''Click''.

★ She has a Spanish & Irish blood.

★ Actresses Zsa Zsa Padilla and Lorna Tolentino are her distant relatives.

References

1. GMA NEWS.TV, Iza Calzado is Ken Zhu's leading lady in 'Batanes'
2. Inquirer.net, Iza Calzado goes to Hollywood

Article on Iza Calzado going to Hollywood in the Asian Journal through this link http://www.asianjournal.com/?c=188&a=21657
http://www.igma.tv/story/1787/Hollywood-Beckons-for-Iza

External links

★ Profile on iGMA.tv

★ Iza on IMDB