What else does Iza have to prove?

MANILA, Philippines - Iza Calzado is not placing any pressure on herself as she returns to primetime drama now as a Kapamilya star.

Iza, who shares top billing with Gabby Concepcion, Jake Cuenca and Andi Eigenmann in the soap Kahit Puso’y Masugatan directed by Wenn Deramas, relates, “Except for the first few roles when I was younger, but I never put pressure on myself. Maybe it (is) my way of coping with the business, but I never put that in my mind.”

It’s been over a year since she was regularly seen on TV.

“I’m nervous,” the 29-year-old actress says of her teleserye comeback, “but I’m more excited than nervous.”

But while she stresses that she’s feeling more positive energy than “unnecessary worries and fears,” she agrees, at least on her part, to what direk Wenn says that the cast members of the series that’s premiering July 9 after Lorenzo’s Time, have been taking on their roles like newbies out to prove themselves.

Iza explains, “Of course, there’s always that thing in me that I have to prove something, and for this project, my first soap, it’s that it will actually work, that it will be a good one. I want to prove to myself that I can still do it because I’ve taken quite a long break (from work).

“I want to prove to my parents (both deceased) who are watching over me that I am a better actress and person now than when they were still around. I want them to be proud of me, that’s one of the motivating forces of my life right now.

“I really want to prove a lot of things. And it’s not going to stop here, it is going to continue until I die, that I will have to prove, not to other people, but to myself that I can keep on improving, growing and learning.”

It’s no secret that Iza went through a roller-coaster of emotions last year. She somewhat had a public break-up albeit with a non-showbiz boyfriend, then her father, the choreographer-director Lito Calzado, passed away late last year.

How did she deal with those personal upheavals? “Iiyak lang po ako when I feel pain. But the thing is, you just have to keep the faith — in God, in yourself, and that tomorrow will be a better day.”

Career-wise, she made the major, if not shocking, move of signing up with ABS-CBN early this year, after spending a decade with GMA 7. She hinted in a Rogue magazine interview that it was prompted by her career becoming “stagnant.”

While her father was associated with GMA 7, Iza believes that her father would have given her the go-ahead if he were still alive. “To those who know my father, and those who know the story, my father wanted me to spread my wings... It’s also my personality, I like new challenges, and things like that. I think my father would have supported me, in whatever decision I would make.”

Most especially since, she says, her passion for her craft has been “reignited.”

“I really want to prove that I really love this job. Because I wasn’t sure anymore if I wanted to continue doing this. You know, there were a lot of questions in my head. But the past few days (of shooting the soap) have reignited that passion in me,” shares Iza, who portrays surrogate older sibling to Andi’s character in Kahit Puso’y Masugatan, though their sisterly bond gets threatened when they fall for the same man.

With (from left) Gabby Concepcion, direk Wenn Deramas, Andi Eigenmann and Jake Cuenca

And it helped that the transition to her new home network was “surprisingly easy.” “To be honest, I braced myself for an environment that it’s going to be all about work... (But) I am very happy to see that they’ve been taking care so much of me.”

Iza, who’s sporting a nice tan, had been traveling around the Philippines and overseas during the lull prior to the soap (she will also soon take over the hosting duties of Biggest Loser Philippines) — something that she hasn’t done in her 10 years in the biz. “After all that happened last year, feeling ko nga (the vacation) was my father’s gift to me.”

As for her love life (she’s reportedly dating a businessman-model), Iza says it’s not really her priority at the moment. “My attitude towards love will always be the same. I love giving, I love loving with all my heart. But the thing is, the decisions in my life right now will be based on my career, so love will have to take a backseat if needed be.”

One thing is certain though, after the storm she experienced last year, Iza declares that “it’s a lot better now.”

“I’m at a state of being just very grateful. It’s a state of excitement and new beginnings,” she ends.