It’s final: Iza Calzado will play the lead role in Echo, the Hollywood remake of Regal Films’ Sigaw, directed by Yam Laranas.
‘Oh, thank God!’ exclaimed Laranas in a text message to The STAR after he was informed that GMA 7 has finally given Iza the go-signal to do Echo which starts shooting in Canada first week of August, with Laranas himself at the helm.
‘I really fought for her,’ added Laranas. ‘I can shoot all her scenes in three weeks.’
Iza plays the female lead in Sigaw (photo, with Jomari Yllana as male lead) which is the story of an ex-convict who moves into an old apartment building and becomes trapped in a curse when he tries to save his neighbor from her abusive husband.
In Echo, Iza will reprise the role as the battered neighbor, with Jesse Bradford (Flags of Our Fathers, Swimfan) as male lead and Scottish actress Louise Linton as Iza’s best friend.
‘We were able to fix Iza’s schedule and squeeze in the shoot of Echo,’ said Ida Henares, head of the GMA Artists Center. ‘Besides her ongoing soap Impostora, Iza has other projects.’
Iza is in the cast of Ouija, a joint venture between GMA Films and Viva Films starring Jolina Magdangal and Judy Ann Santos which will have a premiere tonight (regular showing starts Wednesday, July 25) where Iza’s co-stars will give her a warm send-off. Iza is leaving end of this month.