Iza Calzado as Joanna in the movie "Green Bones." 

At the ongoing 50th edition of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), award-winning actress Iza Calzado had two cameo roles: Joanna in "Green Bones" and Rosa in "The Kingdom."

2024 is one busy year for her. Apart from being a full-time wife to Ben Wintle and mother to her almost two-year-old daughter Deia Amihan, she also did some endorsements and a straight play, The Sandbox Collective's production of "Tiny Beautiful Things."

In "Green Bones," Calzado plays Joanna “Jo” Zamora-Pineda, a caring and loving mother and sister but gets trapped in a situation where she wanted her child not to be part of anymore. 

"She wants to escape that reality," she explained. 

In the Zig Dulay film, Calzado's Joanna is the sister of Domingo Zamora (lead star Dennis Trillo). 

"I didn't have much chance to work on the character, though. I did my best to portray the role. Joanna is a good person. She's simple. No flashy hairstyle. A martyr-type. She's a woman who [probably] likes to save people and wants to see the goodness in them," she said.

Iza Calzado as Rosa in the film "The Kingdom."

Unlike Joanna, Rosa, her cameo role in the Vic Sotto and Piolo Pascual-starrer "The Kingdom," is an acquaintance of Sulo (Pascual) and a former Tiwalag member, a rebel group.

Sulo and Rosa are good friends. There is chemistry between them that suggests that the two share something special together. 

"Si Rosa nakatakas na sa isang sitwasyon at nagulo lang sa pagtatagpo nilang muli ni Sulo," Calzado said.

She added that her character work was extensive as the creatives provided her with a detailed background of Rosa.

Calzado pointed out what the two characters share in common. "They are willing to sacrifice for their families and their loved ones. They also want peace in their lives,” she said.

Despite the challenges of tackling the roles, she also saw the "fighter" in them. But the difference is their respective journeys. 

Working in both roles,  Calzado always prepares herself to give an effective performance at all times. "I always do character backgrounds," she said.

Calzado commits equally to the roles given to her, whether they are lead or supporting roles.

As an actress, she gives the same amount of importance to all the characters she gets to portray. Sometimes, she allows herself to be in the moment, and she sees it as an opportunity to have experience alchemy [of sorts] with his co-actors. 

She embodies the words of the father of modern acting Konstantin Stanislavski, “There are no small parts, only small actors.”

Iza Calzado is grateful to be part of MMFF movie ‘The Kingdom’

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