‘That’s Entertainment’ colleagues remember Isabel Granada with a smile

Isabel Granada was a child-woman. Her sudden demise shocked show biz folks since Isa was visible on the scene again after her hiatus abroad.

I was pleasantly surprised when she sent me a message on Facebook about her comeback. She even asked me if I still remembered her. “Of course,” I replied.

Isa’s recent portrayal of a haughty, powerful woman in ABS-CBN’s “A Love to Last” was quite impressive. Even if it was just a cameo role, she nailed it.

Too bad that Isa already got her “call slip” from heaven. She could have starred in more movies and TV shows, because Isa’s return proved that she still had the fire in her.

On a lighter note, I asked some of Isa’s “That’s Entertainment” colleagues to share their funny memories about her.

No doubt, the ever-bubbly and doll-faced sweetheart would rather be remembered with a smile than tears.

Chuckie Dreyfus

CHUCKIE DREYFUS: Isa and I had a special connection. Even without saying a word, we got each other’s drift.

It’s like we could read each other’s mind. She was so bungisngis. When someone cracked a joke, she would laugh out loud even before the punchline was delivered.

Manilyn Reynes

MANILYN REYNES: I will always remember Isa as my little sister. She was the girl with the most sincere smile, which she gave to everyone she saw.

She was also the girl with the longest and most beautiful eyelashes. Isa and I made fun of those lashes. We would apply more mascara to give emphasis on how long and thick they were. And we laughed at how her lashes seemed like a hand fan all spread out.

JOJO ALEJAR: We worked together in “Got to Believe,” where I played Isa’s husband. In jest, we said, “After all these years, it’s us who ended up together.”

In one scene where we shared a good-night kiss, she said, “Good night, Kuya” (since that was what she called me off-cam).

We could not stop laughing, and her headdress even fell off. We had to retake the scene.

Sheryl Cruz

SHERYL CRUZ: I used to tease Isa that her surname is “Granada” because she was like a bomb. Wherever she went, she made an explosive impact.

JESTONI ALARCON: Isa was like a little sister to me. My wife Lizette and I would often play badminton with her.

It’s been ages since our “That’s Entertainment” days, but I would still tease Isa about her former love team partner, Chuckie Dreyfus. It made her giggle and blush like a high school girl.

A new player in the biz, JGYU Films Production mixes public service with “informative entertainment.”

Its initial project “Sagimsim” (Premonition) is topbilled by Vandolph, Lara Quigaman-Alcaraz and Jay Manalo.

The film presents the different phases of disaster management as experienced by its main characters.

It aims to demonstrate to the untrained how to save themselves and others if and when the dreaded earthquake, so-called “The Big One,” comes.

What a timely “quake up call!”