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Iza shares insightful stories about marriage, motherhood and finding true friends in showbiz

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Liezel dela Cruz

In a recent vlog on YouTube, Diamond Star Maricel Soriano reunited with one of her ‘anak-anakan’ in showbiz, Iza Calzado, whom she worked with last in the Kapamilya series &quot;<a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/angsaiyoayakin" target="_blank">Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin</a>.&quot;In the episode, Iza shared how motherhood has profoundly changed her life, and how her husband, Ben Wintle, played a pivotal role in this transformation. Moreover, she underscored that showbiz can seed lasting friendships, talking about the supportive squads and families she has found within the industry.<div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="703" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/d0nNakXMcw0" title="BAKIT NAPA-IYAK SI IZA CALZADO? I Maricel Soriano" width="1250"></iframe></div>Iza finds her life significantly more fulfilling and calmer since giving birth to her daughter Deia Amihan. Though she still grapples with questions, these thoughts are now anchored on her child, providing her with a clearer sense of purpose and direction. With a smile, she reflects, &quot;Binago ako in the best way.”Looking back on her filmography, she reminisced about starting at a young age, but her initial foray was brief with the short-lived project &quot;Ora Encantada.&quot; Her mother used to accompany her to auditions until things got shaky within their family, halting her pursuit of acting. At the same time, she gained extra weight which dampened her confidence and which she regarded as a hindrance to a potential career in the entertainment scene. Her journey as an obese teenager was even featured in an episode of “<a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/maalaalamokaya" target="_blank">Maalala Mo Kaya</a>” coinciding with her hosting stint for the Philippine version of “The Biggest Loser” in 2014.Influenced by her father, the late choreographer Lito Calzado, she began to harbor dreams of becoming a full-time actress. However, she thought this dream was a mere fantasy.At the age of 19, she lost her mother. Just three days after her mom was laid to rest, she received a call for a shampoo commercial that she couldn’t turn down since she desperately needed the talent fee. Besides, she needed something to spark change in her ‘messy’ life, having been immersed in a partying lifestyle at the time.One of the highlights in her career happened 20 years ago when she landed the role of Sang&#x27;gre Amihan in &quot;Encantadia,&quot; a portrayal so iconic that she named her daughter after the character. Beyond the plaudits and fame she gained through the series, she formed lasting friendships with fellow sang’gres Karylle, Diana Zubiri, and Sunshine Dizon, whom she is closest to, having known each other as teens. In fact, she considers Sunshine as her first acting coach, as her first drama following the shampoo commercial was a teleserye co-starring Sunshine and Cogie Domingo.Her closeness with Karylle came as no surprise, given that they are distant relatives. Meanwhile, despite Diana now residing in Australia, their bond has deepened thanks to the shared experience of motherhood.In any set she finds herself on, expect Iza to gain friends, thanks to her warm and sunny disposition. It&#x27;s no surprise then that she established strong connections with Kris Aquino, Kim Chiu, and Claudine Barretto while working on the film &quot;Etiquette for Mistresses,&quot; directed by Chito Roño.When shown her photo with the young Zaijian Jaranilla and Xyriel Manabat at the farewell party for their teleserye “<a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/articles-photos/throwback-2014s-hawak-kamay-14687" target="_blank">Hawak Kamay</a>” (2014), Iza was prompted to reflect that showbiz friendships aren’t fake and short-lived contrary to common assumptions.“’Pag ginagawa ninyo ang isang teleserye, nagiging pamilya talaga kayo. You’re together for, sometimes, more than three times a week lalo na dati, tapos ang mga scenes n’yo ay napaka-emosyonal,” she related. That’s why to this day, she still regards Xyriel and Zaijian as her own children whenever she bumps into them.Speaking of families forged on teleserye sets, that’s exactly what she found working with Maricel, Sam Milby, and Jodi Sta Maria in “<a href="https://ent.abs-cbn.com/angsaiyoayakin" target="_blank">Ang Sa Iyo Ay Akin</a>” during the height of the pandemic. Even now, she calls Jodi her sister, and Maricel her mom.The Kapamilya actress then opened about her relationship with her husband, Ben Wintle. According to Iza, they were introduced by Belle Daza at a magazine event in 2011. On that same year, her dad’s health was declining, but she’s thankful that she was able to introduce Ben to him in the hospital. She initially perceived Ben as a man of calmness and kindness, so gentle and reserved that she doubted whether her bubbly fun-loving personality would complement his, “Si Ben, ang bait-bait niya. Eh, gusto ko medyo bad boy.” But now that they&#x27;re a family of three, she realizes that Ben is exactly the man she needs.When asked about the adjustment to married life, Iza admitted that it wasn&#x27;t a drastic change for her since they had already been living together after their engagement. Although they still discover something new about each other every day, they don’t let these changes and revelations distract them from making right decisions, particularly now that they have a daughter whose well-being is deeply affected by their choices.“Before Deia, tingin ko lang sa kanya ay husband. Ngayon, he is the father of my child, and with that comes this whole new level of love and respect that was not even there before. Dahil doon, nag-iiba pa ‘yung lalim ng pagmamahal at respeto ko sa kanya,” she emphasized that marriage is team work.One marriage rule she adheres to in their relationship is avoiding bringing up the idea of divorce, “Kasi ‘pag lagi mong ine-entertain or very open ka doon sa idea na ‘yon, ang dali niya i-throw around na, ‘Maghiwalay tayo.’”In her give-and-take relationship with Ben, she also gains insights from him, such as lessons on being driven and hardworking. “’Yung determination niya para ma-fulfil whatever ‘yung goal niya, tatapusin niya talaga,” shared Iza. “Kung bumitaw siya, hindi namin ito mararating ngayon.”The loving wife and mom admitted that Deia came sooner than anticipated, as she had lined-up projects after her weeding. But the moment she confirmed her pregnancy, her fear gave way to gratitude and excitement. She promised to make her child feel that even though she arrived an unexpected time, she is still the greatest gift.Iza underwent an emergency caesarean operation during childbirth, so her initial concern upon delivery was her child’s well-being. However, upon hearing her baby&#x27;s cry, she couldn&#x27;t help but cry happy tears as well.As a mother, Iza makes sure that she is hands-on while also giving her child space to learn independently. She understands that Deia&#x27;s current challenges may seem simple, like stumbling while learning to walk, but she also recognizes that there will come a time when she must allow her daughter to navigate life&#x27;s complexities through her own experiences.As a mom and a wife, Iza’s biggest wish is for her family’s good health, especially now that she’s already in her 40s. Her prayer is simple yet heartfelt: “Lord, give me a good amount of time to really be here, to properly guide my child in this world.” <div>*Photos credit to missizacalzado IG</div>

Maricel Soriano and Iza Calzado share an inspiring conversation about showbiz, family, and motherhood. 