Iza Calzado: Channeling Imelda Marcos apolitical

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After drawing flak for channeling Imelda Marcos in a birthday costume party, actress Iza Calzado took to social media to clarify that she neither intended to glorify the wife of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos nor to trivialize the plight of martial law victims.

In a series of tweets, Calzado said she only channeled a “part” of the Ilocos Norte congresswoman that she related to, which is the “love for shoes and terno.”

READ: Imeldific costume ni Iza Calzado sa isang birthday party, binatikos ng netizens

Calzado earlier shared photos of her “Imelda look” in Rajo Laurel’s blue terno on Instagram, saying she was hoping that she would get to play the former first lady in a film one day. Calzado called Marcos an “interesting character study.”

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“And yes, I said I would love to play Imelda in a film because it is very interesting to me, as an actor, to try and wrap my head around the character, the person that is Imelda. Just because I said I want to play her means I put her on a pedestal,” Calzado wrote on Twitter.

“I posted that without malice or any intention of hurting the victims of Martial Law. No political agenda. I stay away from political posts,” she said.

While saying she was sorry to those she might have offended, Calzado lamented that people have become “so opinionated and sensitive about everything.”

“Nakakalungkot (It’s saddening) that in today’s society, people have become so divided, politically, that they’ve become so opinionated and sensitive. Opinionated and sensitive about EVERYTHING.. even a PARTY COSTUME! Is this the kind of society we want? A greatly divided nation?” she said.

“Yes, we must never forget our history but we should also live in the present and look towards a bright future. A unified future. Kung may nasaktan man ako, patawad (If I hurt anyone, I’m sorry). Again, my intention was never to hurt or offend you,” the actress added.

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Calzado drew flak on social media, with a Twitter user saying the actress “tried to humanize Imelda Marcos as this harmless half of a dictatorship.”

“Not really divided, and not just sensitive, but rightfully sensitive. And critical. And fair. And woke. Too many important terms you missed,” said movie reviewer Richard Bolisay. “O sige, appropriate anything related to martial law/Marcoses for your art/fashion BUT at the same time denounce it/show they are despicable.”

Film critic Philbert Dy said: “Imelda Marcos is too often treated as a harmless mascot of extravagance. She is a harmful mascot of extravagance.” YG/RAM