Why Iza Calzado is apprehensive about playing a mother

Iza Calzado

I’m not selfless enough to have a baby just yet,” explained actress Iza Calzado on why she first felt hesitant to play a mother of two in Perci Intalan’s screen drama, “Distance.”

The film, which used to be titled “Sa Pagitan ng Dito at Doon,” is an official entry in the 2018 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, which runs from Aug. 3 to 12.

“I initially had apprehensions, not because I was afraid that the role would make me look old, but because I wasn’t sure I’d be a believable mother on the big screen,” explained Iza, who earlier played a mom in the TV series “A Love to Last” on ABS-CBN. “But when I read the story and discovered that my character has had selfish choices, just like my role in the series, then I said I could do it.”

Iza further explained: “To be a good parent requires selflessness. I feel I’m not that selfless yet. Motherhood is a big commitment, and I’m just not emotionally prepared for it yet.”
The actress is set to marry British businessman Ben Wintle this year.

“Distance” is about the experience of Liza, who was drowning in grief for losing the love of her life when she receives a visit from the most unlikely person—her husband Anton (Nonie Buencamino), whom she left five years ago. With no questions asked and no conditions made, Anton invites her back into his and their two daughters’ lives.

“It’s a quiet drama loaded with emotions—that’s what drew me to the project. I’m so lucky to have a formidable cast. The only challenge for me in directing this film was capturing their best performances and managing them,” director Perci shared with the Inquirer. “It had been a relatively smooth production. I just hope it will move the audience the same way it moved me.”

“Distance” features Therese Malvar, Alessandra Malonzo, Adrianna So, Max Eigenmann, Timothy Castillo, Lhian Khey Gimeno and Mailes Kanapi.

Perci described his lead star as “a fearless actress. Iza didn’t care if she looked deglamorized. She had no makeup on and some of her costumes were unflattering. I told her, ‘Surprise me! Show me something new.’ The fact that she fully accepted her character helped her a lot.”

“It takes courage and guts to stay true to what you feel. When Liza left, I don’t think it was with the intention of really leaving her family. Something happened along the way that made her stay with her lover,” Iza said of her character. “The big difference is that, she totally disconnected herself with her family. I think I would’ve at least communicated with them. It’s a complex family situation. I’ve never experienced being in a family that has issues being swept under the rug. I imagine that the tension there is very intense.”

Iza let on that homosexuality is one of the film’s subplots. “The main theme is family drama. I could’ve left my family for a man, and the emotion would have been the same. It doesn’t really change much. There’s also a lesbian-themed subplot for my character’s daughter, that’s why it has to be a woman that I left my daughters for,” she explained.

This revelation prompted questions that made Iza express her views on lesbian relationships.
The actress, who studied in an all-girl school, said: “I never had a girlfriend. There were girls who sent letters to me, but I didn’t take notice of them. They liked me because I was boyish. In college, I’ve always had a boyfriend.”