Iza Calzado has received more than she has wished for at her age. Although it was being cast in GMA-7’s soaps that pushed Iza into the limelight, it was in 2005 when she found her star rising to great heights. In the same year that she won best supporting actress award for the Gawad Urian—which Iza recalls was a shocking moment—she also appeared as Marie Claire’s cover girl for its premiere issue. But it was nothing compared to the kind of professional achievement Iza gained when her name finally went beyond Filipino shores and arrived in Hollywood in the film The Echo. “Being a part of a Hollywood film is a dream come true. I proved to myself that anything is possible.” With all the ambitions she has fulfilled, Iza remains practical, down to earth, and faithful. “Know your strengths and focus on them. Love what you do and at some point you will achieve success. I believe that God has great things planned for me. So [it’s important to] have faith.”
(First published in Marie Claire, November 2007; Photo by Sara Black)
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