From a high school student interviewing the male lead for an English assignment; to a 24-year-old teacher being wooed by the lead character played by teen celeb Arron Villaflor; to the mystery girl caught on cam kissing Heart Evangelista’s beau. Yes! That very girl in an elevator with the handsome Brazilian-Japanese model-actor Daniel Matsunaga caught on a CCTV camera is no less than Iszee --- our featured Angel for the Month of March.
The footage, identified as ‘Daniel Matsunaga elevator scandal’ that spread through the cyber world like a virus January this year, is in actuality a part of the new promotional of Veet (waxing and hair removal products). As local tinseltown buzzed with speculations regarding video in question, after the initial shock upon learning it was regarded as a scandal wore off, Iszee surprisingly did not feel anything out of the ordinary save at times a little giddy, knowing full well that she is the mystery girl everyone’s curious about. When asked how the whole experience was, she answered with a shy laugh, “It’s actually a bit embarrassing, but truth is I don’t know him (Daniel) at all! I had to tune in to channel 7 pa just to get a look-see before I get to meet him. Turns out, he was a total gentleman. And well, he’s undeniably gorgeous so who’s to complain?”
March angel Iszee is not known to complain. Even when photographer Oliver Panlilio placed her for a quantifiable amount of time under the scorching heat of the sun, no complains whatsoever were heard. Instead, she was even generous and concerned enough to share a point or two to better the photo shoot much to the delight and gratitude of photographer Panlilio and team. Light and positive aura emanates from this angel who is equipped with a ready smile that can surely brighten anyone’s dampened heart.
Born Crystal Joice Aranas Herrera by a Cebuana mother, from whom she inherited her good looks and a Kapampangan father, where she definitely got her love for food, she is currently a third year BS Travel Management (Tourism) student at Holy Angel University. She had started modeling at the early age of 14 and had been to a number of pageants most recent of which was sponsored by Cinta Derma Clinic and Spa in 2010 where she bagged the highest title. This triumph had opened more doors to her already blossoming career.
As a little kid, Iszee is one of those who would play dress-up then act and parade in front of the mirror. This innocent child’s play had paid off as acting opened its doors for her when she crossed paths with Director Jason Laxamana, a homegrown Kapampangan lad of many talents in the world of arts and media, through her boyfriend. In 2009, she was cast as a high school student doing an interview with the lead male character in the ETC Best Short Film “Balangingi (Nosebleed)”. The next year, Director Jason seem to have a lot of confidence in her when he gave her a big role for her full-length film debut acting alongside teen heartthrob Arron Villaflor, who played the title role whose love interest was Iszee’s character. If being in the league with stars like Arron Villaflor, Megan Young and John Lapus wasn’t an achievement enough in itself, said film “Astro Mayabang” would even turn out to be one of the seven finalists winning two awards on the Cinema One Originals Indie Film Fest held last quarter of 2010. How’s all that for a newbie?
19-year-old Iszee however, is not an all-work-no-play lady. As a self-proclaimed make-up artist, she would test her skills on friends’ equally beautiful faces for bonding moments, although she had also made use of this other talent of hers semi-professionally on some occasions for fashion shows. Relaxing for her is bathing on the great ambiance of Gustav Café more often than not with the company of her friends whom she considers very precious to her. “They’re the ones who are always there with me through my ups and downs. They’re like family to me.” she quipped.
With a loving family and a supportive group of friends to course her through the uphill ride of her career, some would say she has her lucky stars to thank. Indeed she does, but not just her lucky stars. She is thankful for her great support group of family and friends; for the guidance of her manager Mr. Ferdinand Lapuz; for the trust and confidence of her ‘discoverer’-friend Director Jason Laxamana; and for all those who directly and indirectly contributed to the success she is now enjoying. She has a lot to thank but at the end of the day, all glory is due to our Lord God. She mused, “I love to worship God. In everything I do, He is first and foremost the one I dedicate all to. From the smallest every day happenings to the biggest events in my life, I offer praise and thanks to the Lord.”
Iszee it seems has a ton to thank the Lord for. Just recently, she made a VTR for a veteran film outfit and it looks like it’s on its right track. If all goes well, this would jumpstart her career and who knows, in a year or two she may be gracing mainstream tv and movie theaters. She shared that it is a dream to bring honor to her native land, may it be in the field of beauty pageants like Melanie Marquez did, or in any other field she is good in. When asked would she still accept invitations to grace any local projects if and when she’d already be a big star, she abruptly answered, “In a heartbeat!”
This one angel may be a fast-rising star but she definitely has both her feet planted firmly on solid Kapampangan grounds, deserving a special spot amongst the many things we aptly label ‘Pride of Pampanga’. - Jhack Magno
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