Iza Calzado, Toni Gonzaga recall humble beginnings at GMA

Iza Calzado and Toni Gonzaga | Image: Toni Talks YouTube

Iza Calzado and Toni Gonzaga both kicked off their careers at GMA, and as they recalled their famous confrontation scene in Star Cinema’s “Starting Over Again,” the two actresses also reminisced about their time as Kapusos.

“Pero naalala ko kasi sabay tayo nag simula sa GMA. Nauna lang ako ng two years. Pero hindi kita makakalimutan kasi before Eat Bulaga, All My Love. Naririnig ko na ‘yung pangalan mo Iza Calzado na nag-dub niyan,” recalled Gonzaga. 

Calzado looked back on the projects she did with her first network while highlighting that she had always wanted to enter show biz since she was a little girl.

“Commercial, Kung Mawawala Ka, Mis Tres Hermanas, then Te Amo. Kung Mawawala Ka, my first show! With Cogie and Sunshine,” she said. 

“Bata ako, gusto ko talaga [mag-artista] dahil si daddy diba nasa industriya. Nag artista ako for a bit nung bata ako. I wanted to be in That’s Entertainment.” reminisced Calzado. 

However, the “Encantadia” star admitted that when she started to gain weight as a kid, she left the industry for a while before returning as an adult.

“When I was getting bigger, maybe I was getting self-conscious kapag hindi ko nakukuha ‘yung role. I don’t know. Maybe things at home weren’t so great, ayun I stopped,” she opened up. 

Careers at GMA

After almost a decade in the work, Calzado left GMA in 2012. In 2023, she paid a visit to the Kapuso network after appearing in Fast Talk with Boy Abunda. The actress noted that regardless of which station she is at, she never forgets the people she worked with. 

“Hello, mga Kapuso! It’s nice to be back. Hindi ko sukat akalain na mangyayari ito. So much has changed, but so many things are still the same. The love that I have for the people in this business, regardless of which station you’re from, basta nakatrabaho kita, and you made an impact in my life, siyempre hindi ako nakakalimot. Even if you think nakakalimot ako, hindi ako nakakalimot,” affirmed Calzado.

Meanwhile, Gonzaga also began her career with GMA when she first appeared on the network comedy show ‘Bubble Gang’ and became one of the original hosts of the longest-running noontime show ‘Eat Bulaga from 2002 to 2005 before transferring to ABS-CBN.