What Iza Calzado wishes for as she returns to work after giving birth

Actress Iza Calzado admitted that her yearlong break from show biz — after getting pregnant and giving birth to baby Deia — did not make her feel rested at all. However, Iza feels excited to promote the horror trilogy “Shake Rattle & Roll Extreme” and help producer Regal Entertainment in its bid to get the film included in the lineup for the 2023 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) in December.

“Yes, this is my comeback from motherhood. I did other projects during the pandemic, but it’s been over a year since I had to take a pause. For me, it ended too fast. It felt like I didn’t really get to rest much. Now, the comeback is real. It’s just amazing that it’s happening at the same time as the return of ‘Shake.’ It feels great to be back working,” Iza told reporters during the teaser and cast reveal that Regal organized on Wednesday night.

All worth it

Iza said that instead of discussing what her expectations for the film are, she would rather share her aspirations for it. “Honestly, when I make projects, I don’t set expectations because this only adds pressure to the work. I like to enjoy the process of making a film,” Iza began. “What I really wish for is that more people would come and watch the movie. More than for ‘Shake,’ this is for the entire industry. I pray that the Filipino audiences return to the cinemas. Let’s start by doing this for ‘A Very Good Girl,’ which (opened on Sept. 27). We trust that the success of the movie will signify the coming back to life of Philippine cinema—that’s my fervent prayer.”

Iza promised to convince the audience to watch “Shake” by really promoting it. “But the other cast members and I will not be able to do this without your help,” she told reporters. “Luckily, we also have content creators as part of the cast. We’re counting on them because, these days, it’s really social media that people readily consume.”Iza also said that watching “Shake” in theaters would be all worth it. “It’s three movies in one. We’ve all seen the teaser. This isn’t just because I’m part of the movie, but when I saw it, I said I’m proud of the project. Borrowing the film’s title, we are ‘extremely’ grateful and proud of the work we’ve done for Regal. We are also ‘extremely’ excited to be a part of the MMFF. Whatever the decision of the selection committee would be, we will accept. We’re hoping for the best.”

Aside from Iza, also part of the film are Jane Oineza, Jane de Leon, RK Bagatsing, Paul Salas, Paolo Gumabao, AC Bonifacio, Donna Cariaga, Miggs Cuaderno and Rob Gomez, as well as influencers Esnyr Ranollo and Ninong Ry. The episodes are directed by Richard Somes, Jerrold Tarog and Joey de Guzman.

“I’m so happy to have been given a role in this film, so I will definitely promote it on all my social media platforms. As a form of content, I will enter a haunted house with Ate Iza and Jane. Everyone should watch out for that,” said Esnyr when asked about his plans to “make noise” for the film.

RK is thinking of “crossing over” and appearing on the various platforms of his costars. “We need extreme collaboration from among the actors, content creators and directors. I hope to maximize all forms of media in order to push the movie out there,” he said.

Collaboration

Meanwhile, Dustin said he would make sure more people would get to see the teaser. “I will post a lot of BTS (behind-the-scene) photos and videos, too. I also did a minivlog while we were taping. As far as our generation goes, we help each other out by way of collaboration. It’s not easy to produce quality content, which is important to me.”

Regal Entertainment executive Roselle Monteverde was also present during the event. She said she was pleased that the cast, writers, staff and directors all gave their best for the film. “Whether we get included in the MMFF lineup or not, I promise that this movie is a great theater experience,” she declared.

“Shake, Rattle & Roll Extreme” features three episodes. “Glitch” is about a nontraditional family who discovers the existence of an insidious creature on the night it merges its lair to their home. Meanwhile, “Rage” features a group of thrill-seekers who goes on a trip to watch a meteor shower. Little do they know that these celestial rocks will spread a disease that would cause them to fight for their lives. Lastly, “Mukbang” happens the night before a huge fanmeet. A group of influencers and content creators gather for a collab in a luxurious mansion, but as the night wears on, they discover that two of their own are shape-shifting monsters with a taste for human flesh. INQ