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AT long last, Iza Calzado finally has a soap after she moved from GMA7 to ABS-CBN, “Kahit Puso’y Masugatan,” where she shares topbilling with the comebacking Andi Eigenmann. They play best friends who later on get involved with a father, Gabby Concepcion, and his son, Jake Cuenca. How was it acting with them?

“First time ko with Andi and I’m very much impressed by her in our scenes together,” Iza says. “She has a lot to give at maganda naging bonding namin. I’m also glad to work again with her mom (Jaclyn Jose), who was my mom in the first show I did on GMA. I’ve worked with Gabby Concepcion in a movie, ‘White House’, and it’s nice to work with him again. I also find it exciting to work with Jake.”

Does she feel any pressure considering this is her first soap with ABS? “In every project I do, hindi ko dinidibdib para di ako nape-pressure sa set. Basta I do my best on the set to please my director, para hindi ako hatakin ng worries and fears. I just bear in mind that I should keep on improving and growing and learning.”

She’s the cover girl of Rogue Magazine’s 5th anniversary issue and she shows a lot of cleavage. Does this mean she’s ready for more daring scenes with Gabby and Jake? “Okay lang, but since this is on TV, I’m sure may limitations pa rin.”

Iza is also in the Cinemalaya entry, “Mga Mumunting Lihim” of Direk Joey Reyes that premieres at the CCP on July 25, 9 PM. “Dun, I’m even more daring in that I do a lot of cursing and swearing, which I don’t do in real life.”

STORY OF THREE WOMEN

DIRECTOR Wenn Deramas directs Iza for the first time in “Kahit Puso’y Masugatan” that starts airing on Monday night replacing PBB. “I fell in love with her, sa work attitude niya, sa acting niyang bigay na bigay,” he says. “At napakabait niya. Ang gaan katrabaho.”

He says the story starts with three women who meet each other at the annual Quiapo fiesta procession for the Black Nazarene: Mylene Dizon, Assunta de Rossi and Mickey Ferriols. “In the story, Mylene is a cop at anak niya si Iza. Si Assunta naman is married to Joko Diaz, but the real dad of her daughter, Andi, is Carlos Morales. Mickey is mom of Jake and wife of Gabby. Assunta goes to work in Saudi where she gets jailed. Mylene is killed by a crime lord. Their kids fall into the hands of a syndicate but a boy, Balong, who becomes newcomer Marx Topacio, helps them escape. Iza and Marx are adopted by Jaclyn Jose, na tindera ng kandila, while si Andi, napulot ni Gabby at pinalaki nito. Anak naman ni Jaclyn ang newcomers from PBB na sina Keith Thompson and Pamu Pamorada. Kit has a crush on Iza at si Pamu, naging best friend ni Iza.”

Aside from “Kahit Puso’y Masugatan,” Wenn is also directing the movie “This Guy’s In Love with You, Pare” starring Vice Ganda, Toni Gonzaga and Luis Manzano, and the Star Cinema filmfest entry “Sisteraka” with Vice Ganda and Kris Aquino.

EVICTEE IS FUTURE IDOL

TWO new actors are introduced in “Kahit Puso’y Masugatan”: 15-year old Keith Thompson and 25-year old Marx Topacio. We already wrote then that, for sure, ABS won’t let go of Keith even if he’s been evicted from PBB Teens 4 as he’s the only one oozing with star quality among the housemates. We tell him he’s so lucky as the show has yet to end but he already appears with Gerald Anderson in “MMK” tonight and he now also has a regular soap.

“I’m really happy na paglabas ko pa lang ng PBB, ang dami ng offers,” he says. “I took acting workshops with Ms. Malou de Guzman and I promise to do my best para hindi naman ako mapahiya sa ABS for giving me this break.”

The PBB grand finals will be held tonight. Who does he think would win? “Lahat sila, may chance, but I want Roy to win so he can help his family in Bicol.”

SOFT VOICE, STRONG APPEAL

MARX Topacio was first offered to join showbiz by the late talent manager Douglas Quijano ten years ago, but he opted to finish school first, where he played varsity basketball, then he went into fashion and commercial modelling. He’s now trying acting for the first time, managed by Director Jeffrey Jeturian and Atty. Joji Alonso.

In “Kahit Puso’y Masugatan”, he plays the role of Balong, the childhood friend of Iza Calzado and Andi Eigenmann who helps them escape from a syndicate that holds them captive. How did he get the role?

“By accident. It was unexpected na ma-discover ako. Kasi they’re having an audition for this role and the night before the audition, someone called me so I went at akong nakuha.”

Marx said he took acting workshops to prepare for the role. We think he should also take voice lessons as he speaks so softly. We had to remind him to speak louder and Direk Wenn later confirmed to us that his voice is really a problem. “Sobrang hina niya talaga magsalita kaya lagi ko sinasabihang lakasan ang boses niya,” says Wenn.

HOLLYWOOD ACTOR ADMITS BEING A FORMER MACHO DANCER

ONE of the hottest actors in Hollywood today is Channing Tatum, who doesn’t hide that he was once an exotic dancer (macho dancer in local parlance.) Born on April 26, 1980 in Alabama, he grew up in Mississippi then finished high school in Tampa, Florida where he’s voted as the most athletic student. It was then he worked as a dancer in a local club using the name Chan Crawford. In 2000, he was cast as a dancer in Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs” music video in Orlando and was paid $400. He moved to Miami and a talent scout got him to be a fashion and TV commercial model. He first tried acting in an episode of “CSI Miami” in 2004 then did supporting roles in films, “Coach Carter” (2005) with Samuel Jackson, “She’s the Man” (2006) with Amanda Bynes and “A Guide in Recognizing Your Saints” (2006) with Robert Downey Jr.

He then did lead roles in “Step Up,” “Fighting,”  “Public Enemiesm,” “G.I. Joe,” “Brotherhood of the Rose” and “Dear John.” While filming “The Eagle”in Scotland, a crew member poured boiling water down his wetsuit and it went into his crotch, severely burning his penis. He said it “pretty much burned the skin off the head of my dick” and “was the most painful thing I have ever experienced in my life.” Later, he reports that “Now my penis is fantastic! One hundred percent recovered.”

He married actress Jenna Dewan, his leading lady in “Step Up,” in Malibu, California on July 11, 2009. His latest hits include “The Vow,” the reboot of “21 Jump St.” and the current film, “Magic Mike” which he himself produced based on his own experiences as a male stripper. Directed by Steven Soderbergh (who Channing met when they did the action flick “Haywire”), it earned about $40 million when it opened in the U.S. last weekend. It’s a movie that surprised us and we’ll review it in full later.

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Related showbiz terms: iza calzado **