Maria Izadora Ussher "Iza" Calzado-Wintle is a Filipino actress, television host, dancer, and model who previously worked as one of GMA Network's homegrown contract artists. After ten years, Calzado signed an exclusive contract with ABS-CBN. Calzado also signed a non-exclusive contract with Star Cinema. By 2014, she also became one of the main celebrity ambassadors of Booky, top local food app and blog of which her husband, Ben Wintle, is the CEO. In March 2017, she won the Yakushi Pearl Award for Best Performance in the Osaka Film Festival for her performance in the film Bliss.
Early and personal life
Born Maria Izadora Ussher Calzado, she was named after the dancer, Isadora Duncan. Her father was the late Lito Calzado, a choreographer and a TV director. Her mother is Maria Antonia Ussher. She has an elder brother, Dash Calzado, who is a member of Legit Misfitz, a 90's Pinoy rap group. Calzado finished elementary at School of the Holy Spirit; she finished high school at the basic education department of Miriam College; then went on to take her undergraduate degree in fine arts at the University of Santo Tomas. In December 2018, Calzado married partner Ben Wintle. On March 25, 2020, Calzado was hospitalized for pneumonia. On March 28, she announced that she tested positive for the coronavirus disease, amid its pandemic in the Philippines. On March 30, Calzado's manager Noel Ferrer announced that she already tested negative for COVID-19 and she would be discharged from the hospital.
Acting career
Before entering show business, she worked as a dubber for the Venezuelan telenovela, Mis 3 hermanas. Calzado started out as a guest teen star in the show, Click, which led to further roles. She participated in the drama Kung Mawawala Ka as the soap's villain, Phoebe Valiente and starred in her first soap opera, Te Amo, Maging Sino Ka Man and was paired with Argentinean actor, Segundo Cernadas. In 2005, she played the role of Amihan, the Queen of goddesses in Encantadia. She continued to play the role of Amihan in its prequel, Etheria: Ang Ikalimang Kaharian ng Encantadia and its sequel, '. In 2006, she starred in Moments of Love, wherein she played the role of Divina Buenacer and starred alongside Dingdong Dantes and Karylle. In 2007, she starred in ' of Ignite Media Films, here, she worked with Taiwanese actor Ken Zhu of F4 and director, Adolf Alix. She also starred in Impostora. On January 18, 2008, Iza Calzado won the Model Star Award from the Korea Asia Model Award Festival. Calzado reprised her role in The Echo, the English-language remake of Filipino director Yam Laranas’ horror filmSigaw. Calzado starred in One True Love which was released on November 19, 2008. In 2009, she starred in All About Eve. That same year, she hosted the Binibining Pilipinas 2009 Pageant and was part of the MMFF Film Ang Panday as Maria Makiling. On February 28, 2010, she began appearing in Healthy Cravings on Q with Jeremy Favia. She also appeared in Party Pilipinas. Also, in 2010, Calzado made her first appearance in a two-piece bikini for her TV series, Beauty Queen, with TJ Trinidad as her leading man. She also made appearances on Pilyang Kerubin, also with TJ Trinidad. In August 2010, she also began appearing as co-host with Lucy Torres in The Sweet Life on the same network. On February 14, 2011 she was launched as a new host in the noon time variety show Eat Bulaga. Calzado took over the role of Regine Velasquez-Alcasid in I Heart You, Pare!, making it her first comedy show. She also began hosting Showbiz Exclusives on GMA News TV. Her last appearance as a GMA contract artist was in the sitcom, Andres de Saya. On January 24, 2012, Calzado signed a three-year exclusive contract with ABS-CBN. She will also make an appearances in Maalaala Mo Kaya to celebrate her 10th year in show business. Today, she can also be seen on the Sunday variety show, ASAP. As an ABS-CBN contract artist, she starred in her first drama series Kahit Puso'y Masugatan, wherein she starred alongside Andi Eigenmann, Jake Cuenca and Gabby Concepcion. In 2014, the story of her childhood to her weight struggles as a teen was told in Maalaala Mo Kaya where she was portrayed by Empress Shuck she then hosted the second season of replacing Sharon Cuneta. She portrayed Patty in the blockbuster hit movie, Starting Over Again along with Piolo Pascual and Toni Gonzaga. She also starred in the family dramaHawak Kamay with Piolo Pascual, Zaijian Jaranilla, Xyriel Manabat, Yesha Camille and Andrea Brillantes. In 2015 she was a guest on the show FPJ's Ang Probinsyano as Col. Olivia Buenaventura and she portrayed Atty. Stella Garcia in Etiquette for Mistresses with Kim Chiu, Cheena Crab, Claudine Barretto, and Kris Aquino. On April 30, 2015, Calzado made her theater debut for Sabel: Love and Passion, as Sabel. She played a main antagonistic role in the Primetime television series, A Love to Last, alongside Bea Alonzo and Ian Veneracion. Calzado played a main role alongside Jasmine Curtis-Smith and Meryll Soriano in the 2019 film Culion, which was shown in the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival.
