MANILA, Philippines — Team nanay ka? Tanong kay Iza Calzado nang mag-press visit kami sa sino-shoot nilang echo-horror movie ni Dimples Romana for Rein Entertainment na sinulat at dinirek ni Shugo Praico, Caretakers.
Aniya, medyo offline siya mostly kaya hindi niya alam ang totoong problema ng mag-inang Angelica at Carlos Yulo.
“Wala akong team kasi I do not know. It is, I do not know these people and one thing I have learned along the way, being in the spot like for 22 years is we do not know the full story of anything so I try to reserve my judgment. I try to just— it’s already tough, I mean, in their shoes having everybody know about their lives. Parang I would rather not be part of that conversation kasi ang hirap kapag ikaw ‘yung pinag-uusapan and you never want to be on that situation so ‘yun lang. And I wish them well and wish them peace.
“Because alam mo more than happiness, peace is the best thing,” maingat na pahayag ng magaling na aktres na ibang atake naman ang gagawin sa pelikulang Caretakers.
Anyway, sa rami ng ginawang horror movie ni Iza, what is the difference of this character to her previous?
“Kasi pinakitaan niya ako (Direk Lino Cayetano) three reasons why I should accept this — it’s a good project, good message, it’s a good team. Magaling ‘yung nagsulat, magaling ang direktor, magaling ‘yung mga taong nakapalibot sa inyo. Tapos ginamitan niya ako ng friend card, kasi 20 years na kaming magkaibigan,” sabay tawang sagot ni Iza habang katabi sa upuan si Direk Lino.
“Twenty years ago, I made my very first horror film, “Sigaw,” and so they’ve been giving me so many horror films. I think in terms of my CV, horror is my top,” pag-aalala pa ng actress sa mga nagawa niyang horror films.
Ambait daw kasing tao ni Iza, kaya ang sarap niyang takutin, hirit ni Direk Lino.
“Parang 20 years na akong pinagkakatiwalaan ng Regal with that, and then, now it’s my first project with Rein and the challenge, that’s exactly what I was thinking when i got this. Like it’s another horror. I just did Shake Rattle and Roll na medyo 40s din ako na mayaman ding mother. So actually my first request was to to really make the hair different. You start with with visuals and then you work on the character.
“Ibang-iba naman ‘tong character ko rito sa character ko sa Shake Rattle and Roll, and every character, kailangan hanapan ko ng nuance na will make it a little different, kasi, okay, sabi ko, I had some hysterics there, but iba din ‘yung tao at kwento naman din so the challenge would be how I can bring that character to life without them seeming similar, kahit similar demographic, let’s say background.
“It’s a mother’s journey and what a mother is capable of doing para sa mga anak nila, which now I fully understand,” mahabang paliwanag niya sa gagampanang role.
At ang layo raw ng pagkakaiba dahil nga sa pagiging ina na niya ngayon.
“Sa lahat ng mga inibig ko – wow – ay wala pa ‘kong ‘yung... I will give up my life for you. Meron na akong I almost quit my sacrifice my life, parang I’ve never thought of that before until I had Deia (daughter niya).”
“Until I had the ‘yung — wow! this is what it means pala to have that kind of love. And you will do everything, even give up your life, or sometimes, maybe questionable things will be done along the way. That’s what a parent will do kaya minsan, sorry ha, hindi naman sa sinasabi nating tama ang action ng ibang tao, pero may nagnanakaw para sa kanilang anak, on a certain degree, maiintindihan mong mali, pero, you get why,” paglalahad ni Iza sa pagmamahal sa anak ng ina.
Anyway, sa location pa lang winner na ang pelikula. Starring Iza and Dimples, Caretakers is an intriguing narrative about two moms who become caught in a fierce war for ownership and possession of a priceless ancestral property, written and directed by Shugo Praico. Ito ang follow-up sa matagumpay na showing of Nanahimik ang Gabi and Elevator ng Rein Entertainment (with Regal Entertainment this time.)