Articles from Manila Bulletin and Phil Daily Inquirer

Ken Zhu-Calzado-Jennylyn Mercado-Judy Ann Santos

Iza chosen over Jennylyn in movie?

Iza Calzado, who is reportedly having trouble with her schedule, has been chosen to star opposite former F4 boyband member Ken Zhu for the local production "Batanes: Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan" from Ignite Media Films.

It was also clarified recently that it is not true that the role was stolen from Jennylyn Mercado because it was to Judy Ann Santos that the role was first offered.

Judy Ann had to beg off from the project also because of schedule conflicts.

But the deal is not yet that sealed for Iza because she is currently juggling the Hollywood film "The Echo," "Desperadas," and TV's "Impostora."

Should more schedule problems arise, the role might be won by Jennylyn because she was suggested to do it in case Iza fails to clear her working air.

Source: Manila Bulletin, Entertainment, The Juicy Corner, page L-4, Sunday, 2007 August 26.

thanks to kczhu

Inquirer Entertainment

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Iza goes F4

By Bayani San Diego Jr.
Inquirer
Last updated 11:57pm (Mla time) 2007 August 25


Iza Calzado

MANILA, Philippines - Following her Hollywood debut in “The Echo,” Filipino actress Iza Calzado is set to co-star with Taiwan’s Ken Zhu, formerly of the boy band F4, in a movie to be shot in Batanes.

The news was confirmed by the film’s producer, Arleen Cuevas and co-directors Adolf Alix and Dave Hukom of Ignite Media.

Adolf says Iza is “perfect” for the role—a Manila sales girl who relocates to Batanes and falls in love with an Ivatan man and a stranded fisherman from Taiwan.

The Taiwanese fisherman is to be played by Ken, while the role of the Ivatan is yet to be cast.

Adolf recalls that Judy Ann Santos was originally tapped for the movie, tentatively titled “Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan.”

“She loved the script,” Dave recounts. “But there were scheduling problems.”

“Judy Ann recommended Iza, a good friend and co-star in the hit movie ‘Ouija,’” Adolf says.

Iza immediately expressed interest in the script, written by Arah Jell Badayos, who wrote and co-directed “Mudraks” for last year’s Cinemalaya.

Iza, however, bagged a major role in “The Echo,” the Hollywood version of Yam Laranas’ “Sigaw.”

Thrilled

That was when they thought of Iza’s fellow GMA 7 talent Jennylyn Mercado for the part. But Iza’s schedule eased up a bit and “she eventually signed up for our project,” Dave says.

Lito Calzado, Iza’s father, confirms that his daughter will start working on the Batanes movie in October.

Adolf says that from the start Iza has been excited over the script and the prospect of going to Batanes.

“She wants to get a feel of the place before the shoot. From Toronto (where she is shooting “The Echo”), she will proceed to Batanes.”

Ken Zhu, one of the stars of the popular youth drama “Meteor Garden” (currently aired by GMA 7), was just as thrilled over the script, relates producer Arleen.

“I got in touch with him through a friend of a friend who’s a Hong Kong producer,” she says.

After sending the script’s first draft to Ken’s agent, Arleen was surprised to get an e-mail from Ken.

“He said that he had read the script himself,” she notes.

Ken also acted as consultant, giving tips on the cultural practices in Taiwan, to make the script’s flashback scenes more accurate.

“Sa Dulo” is Adolf’s second film to be shot in Batanes, after Cinemalaya’s “Kadin” this year.

“After I did an ocular for ‘Kadin,’ I told Dave that Ignite should do a love story set in Batanes,” Adolf says. “For ‘Kadin,’ we used an HD camera, but for this new movie, we will be using a 35mm film camera. Batanes should really be captured on film.”

Source: http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/entertainment/entertainment/view_article.php?article_id=84702


thanks to kczhu