Iza Calzado
As an avid viewer of ABS-CBN’s hit teleserye, “A Love to Last” (ALTL), I’m having a bad case of separation anxiety since the series has come to an end. It ought to have a sequel. The show’s lead stars, Ian Veneracion (as Anton), Bea Alonzo (Andeng, Anton’s second wife) and Iza Calzado (the ex-wife, Grace) outdid themselves.
Their emotional tug-of-war in the show was riveting. We cried and cheered with them through the heady detours of love and heartbreak they had to deal with. ALTL made us rethink our views on love and marriage. It showed us that, just because love isn’t easy, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t right.
Here’s my chat with three of the fab ladies in the series: Iza (I), Arlene Muhlach (A) and Matet de Leon (M):
What are the love lessons you learned from ALTL?
I: I learned that love thrives in an environment that is selfless, filled with trust, respect, patience, loyalty and strength. It’s difficult to be in a blended family, and it takes a lot of open-mindedness from everyone involved to make the setup work.
M: Anything can go wrong, but you can always count on family. Communication and trust are key factors in making a marriage work.
Matet de Leon
A: Love has to be given unconditionally. High expectations from others will only disappoint you. Thus, it’s always better to love freely. Just knowing that your loved ones are around you should be more than enough to fulfill you.
Which of your character’s traits do you wish to imbibe?
I: Grace is very selfish. She does not know how to accept the consequences of her actions. I do not want to be like her. However, I do admire her determination to do everything to get her family back. She just went way too far.
What will you miss about ALTL?
I: I’ll miss friends I made and the relationships that were built on the set. I will miss playing Grace. Playing her was like going through a roller-coaster ride (laughs)!
If you were in Andeng’s place, would you fight for Anton or give up?
M: I would, because I believe in the sanctity of marriage. We made a promise to God to always love each other.
A: Grace better brace herself. I won’t let the situation pass without giving her a piece of my mind and maybe a major tap on her shoulder. That’s putting it nicely, because I’m very confrontational. I can’t just let things go without fighting for it.
Arlene Muhlach
What did you discover about Iza, Ian and Bea during your shoot?
M: Iza is super funny and very intelligent. Kuya Ian is a comic, even if his jokes are corny sometimes. He’s very adventurous.
A: I’ve worked with Bea in “Magkaribal” and knew beforehand how she was as an actor. Her discipline and friendliness are awesome. Ian was an “alaga” of my father, Cheng Muhlach, and is like a brother to me. I didn’t get to hang out with Iza too much because her scenes were never with me, but she’s known for her thoughtfulness and graciousness. I would have liked to get to know her better.