Iza in no hurry to become
wife and mom

Iza is the featured star in GMA-7’s Thursday night drama, "Obra," for the whole month of November. "This is a very hectic month for me as I’m also shooting two movies simultaneously, ‘One True Love’ and ‘Desperadas 2’," she says. "Goodbye tulog muna ako dahil sa magdamagang shooting at taping."

Last night’s "Obra" showed a horror story directed by Topel Lee, "Sanib," where Iza gets possessed by two spirits who are mother and daughter. It’s like "The Exorcist." "Sanib" was also the title of an Aubrey Miles flick directed by Celso Kid for Regal. In "Boksingera" (also the title of Susan Roces’ launching film in the ‘50s), she plays a female boxer a la-Hilary Swank in the Oscar-winning "Million Dollar Baby." In "Beauty Queer," she plays a perennial beauty pageant loser so she joins a gay beauty contest, like Keanna Reeves in "Reyna." In "Stella .45," she plays the role of an assassin like Angelina Jolie in "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and "Wanted." As you can see, it’s all very original.

"I myself chose the stories I want to do," says Iza. "Sabi ko, gusto ko namang mag-comedy so they gave me ‘Beauty Queer,’ at gusto ko ring mag-action, so they gave me ‘Boksingera’ and ‘Stella .45.’ So ‘Obra’ will definitely show different sides of me. ‘Beauty Queer’ is something my late mom will like kasi dream niya talagang maging beauty queen ako. As a child, bawal akong mag-bike kasi baka masugatan daw ako’t magkapeklat. Pero hindi siguro talaga meant for me to be a beauty queen kaya heto, sa TV na lang. For this role, talagang nag-research ako among my gay friends kasi I speak gay lingo all the time. For my action roles naman, I took up boxing and also trained to know different kinds of kicks. Enjoy akong gawin ang ganitong very physical roles."

How come some writers said she confirmed to them that Dingdong Dantes and her friend Karylle have definitely broken up?

"Ay, wala akong kino-confirm na ganun. What I said was magkahiwalay sila kasi si Karylle is in the US at si Dong, naiwan dito dahil we’re shooting nga ang ‘One True Love.’ Never kong gagawin ‘yung makialam sa buhay ng ibang tao, kahit na close friends ko pa sila."

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Pia Guanio had an out-of-town vacation recently to celebrate her birthday and it was reported that she and Vic Sotto tied the knot in Las Vegas. "I don’t take it against those who reported that," says Pia. "Pati raw sa radio, binalita na, but it’s simply not true. Alam kong maraming nag-aabang kung kailan kami pakakasal kaya hindi naman ito ililihim kung sakaling pakakasal na nga kami. We’ll have an official announcement kasi we’d want to share that significant moment in our life with the people. We’ll never do a secret marriage as it will be unfair to those who love and care for us. Isa pa, busy si Vic ngayon with their filmfest entry nina Tito and Joey, ang ‘Iskul Bukol: 20 Years After’ na sinu-shoot nila."

"Iskul Bukol" was a hit sitcom that ran from 1978 to 1987 on IBC-13 about the life of students in Wanbol University. The cast now gets to revive their respective roles in the show: Vic as Victor Ungasis, the brainy teacher’s pet; Tito and Joey Escalera as the class bullies who always pick on Vic; Mely Tagasa as their teacher Miss Tapia; Bibeth Orteza as a student also named Bibeth who has a crush on Vic; Anthony Raquel as the gay Tonette Macho, and Jimmy Santos as Big J.

In the movie version, Vic now plays a top history teacher in Wanbol University who’s an expert in archaeology. He recovered the Kali of Humabon that opens a door to a mystery and he now wants to find the Kampilan of Lapu-Lapu which is in the hands of Shimata, a rich Japanese whose interest is in the Peseta found in the Kampilan’s sheath. This is one of the 30 pieces of silver of Judas Iscariot and anyone who owns one becomes immortal. The Alibata inscriptions on the Kampilan, when put side by side with the Kali, will determine the exact location of the missing Peseta.

This triggers a race as to who’ll get the Peseta first, making the movie an exciting action-adventure-comedy flick. Also in the cast of the are Ryan Agoncillo, Carlene Aguilar, Francine Prieto, Keempee de Leon, Oyo Sotto, Benjie Paras, EB Babes, child star Robert Villar and megastar Sharon Cuneta as Sharon Escalera, younger sister of Tito and Joey. Its big budget (with location shooting in Cambodia) and its huge powerhouse cast makes a lot of folks place their bets on "Iskul Bukol" to be the top grosser in the coming December filmfest.

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Star Magic signed up four child stars: Paul Salas, Kyle Balili, Rhap Salazar and Mica Roi Torre. Paul is the son of Jim Salas, former member of the Universal Motion Dancers. He was discovered in GMA 7’s "Starstruck Kids" but later moved to ABS-CBN as Uragon, the leader in "Kung Fu Kids." He has won a best child actor award for the "Aquarium" episode in "Shake Rattle & Roll 8." He’s now seen as the young Ryan Agoncillo in "Pieta."

Kyle, Rhap and Mica are all products of "Little Big Star." Kyle played Kim Chiu’s friend in "Sana Maulit Muli" and was also in "Prinsesa ng Banyera." He played the young Vhong Navarro in "Supahpapalicious" and is now in "Utoy" with Dolphy.

Rhap won the grand prize in "Little Big Star" and later went into acting as Jimboy, the son of Eugene Domingo in "Kokey." He’s known as Jed Madela Jr. as he can easily reach high notes like Jed. Mica was Rhap’s runner-up and then appeared with Sarah Geronimo in "Bituing Walang Ningning" and was also in "Prinsesa ng Banyera" and "Kokey." She also appears in theater, with Ogie Alcasid in "Birhen ng Caysasay" and as the young Cory Aquino in "Cory the Musical."

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Rhian Ramos can now gloat and tell her detractors to eat their hearts out since her new show, "La Lola," that they expected to flop is rating very high, getting 35 to 36% plus ratings and even topping the ratings of other GMA primetime shows at times.

"Honestly, hindi ko po ine-expect na tataas agad ang rating namin," she says. "Unang-una, wala pang pruweba ang tandem namin ni JC De Vera and some people were saying it’s a big risk for GMA-7 kasi mas established na ang love team niya with Yasmien Kurdi. Tapos, experimental din ito kasi the original version of the show, hindi pa napapalabas dito. First time ginawa ng GMA na isang Spanish telenovela, ginawan agad ng local version kahit hindi pa aired dito ang original source nito. The pressure on us was really grabe kasi hit na hit siya nang gawin sa ibang bansa, so mapapahiya kami if it didn’t click here. But we can say the gamble paid off kasi nga tinangkilik din ng Pinoy viewers kaya happy naman kaming lahat at thankful sa naging outcome nito na consistent na 30 plus ang rating."

So what can she say to her detractors? Will she gloat and laugh at their faces?

"No, ever since, hindi ko lang naman sila pinapansin. Basta I’m thankful to the Lord na nagre-rate ang ‘La Lola.’ That’s all. Those who are not happy with me or with the show, ‘di huwag na lang panoorin. But as it happens, ang dami pala talaga gustong manood ng show."

What can she say to the comment that part of the show’s success can be attributed to her nice chemistry with leading man JC De Vera?

"Siguro naman, it’s true. There’s a good connection kasi between our characters as Lola and Facundo. But at first, nervous talaga ako kasi mas accepted na ang love team niya with Yasmien, ‘di ba? Buti na lang, nagustuhan din ng viewers ang tambalan namin."

Some folks say that they’re now really on even off cam?

"No, that’s not true. I admit we’re much closer now kaysa noong kai-start pa lang ng show. After several weeks of taping together, nakapag-bond na kami at mas comfortable na rin kami sa isa’t isa. Pero wag naman i-expect na dahil lang nag-click ang tandem namin in ‘La Lola,’ magiging kami na. Walang ganun."

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Nancy Castiglione, who changed her face and, later, her name and is now known as Nancy Jane, is preggy.

The baby in her tummy is now on its third month. Nancy is a balikbayan from Canada. She started on TV appearing on GMA-7 shows. She was linked to actors like Luis Manzano and Paolo Contis. The father of her baby is a non-showbiz guy named Ignacio, nicknamed Nacho. He comes from a rich family in Davao where they own a hotel. They met during a drifting event as Nancy is very fond of drifting cars. No, they won’t walk down the aisle just because they’re going to have a child soon. Nancy wants to go back to Canada for a while to deliver her child there with her parents. Nancy now follows in the footstep of Jennylyn Mercado and Vina Morales who are also unwed moms.

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Miriam Quiambao is dead set on not just being a TV host but also an actress. She’s now officially managed by Annabelle Rama and her first acting stint under Annabelle is her episode with Iza Calzado’s "Obra" about beauty queens. She and Carlene Aguilar, another beauty queen who’s also gone into acting and now managed by Lolit Solis, play the sisters of Iza, with former Miss International Melanie Marquez as their mom.

"The story is nice at comedy ang dating," says Miriam. "The episode is about beauty queens and beauty pageants kaya bagay na bagay sa amin nina Carlene and Ms. Melanie."

Miriam took some acting workshops before going seriously into acting. "I don’t want naman to come unprepared. This is something new for me, even if I’ve done na a movie before with Sharon Cuneta."