It turns out that this is the reason why he suddenly disappeared from television! His current life is surprising after several years of absence
He was once a familiar and beloved face on television, but he suddenly disappeared from the spotlight without much explanation. For many years, fans have continued to question his mysterious disappearance. Now, new information about his current life is surprising and intriguing to many. What really happened behind his decision to leave showbiz a few years ago?
If you grew up watching GMA Network in 2005, you will surely never forget Amihan, the queen of Lireo, the guardian of the diamond of the wind. The character became a national cultural phenomenon in the history of Philippine [music] Television. Isaac Calzado, the woman who gave life to that character, is one of the most recognizable faces of Philippine [music] Entertainment.
And now if you look for her in prime time, she’s almost gone. But this is not the story of a career that stopped. [music] This is not the story of an artist who took a break. This is the story of a woman who almost died of COVID-19 who went through toxoplasmosis while [music] pregnant at 40 who lost her father in the middle of her most difficult time.
And now at 43, he is more alive, happier and more whole than ever. [music] This is the true story of Isaac Alzado and it is more dramatic than any role he has ever played in front of the camera. To understand Isaac Calzado’s story, we first need to talk about who he really is. His full name is Maria Isadora Asher Calzado.
Born on August 1982 in Quezon City. Her name Maria Isadora is inspired by the famous American dancer Isadora Duncan. A hint that art has been written in her destiny since her birth. Her father, the late Feliciano Lito Calado, was a great choreographer and television director.
Her mother, Marianne Antonia Asher, is a Filipina of Spanish descent. Coming from a family with deep connections in the arts industry, Iza grew up in the world of performance. And her first big break [in music] came not through an audition but through a shampoo commercial.
But even before Encantadya came along, even before she became an amihan, there was one thing that was always there behind all her success. Insecurity. In her own words, at the age of 15, her jeans size was 40. She weighed over 100 pounds. She lost weight, gained weight, lost weight again.
She entered the entertainment industry [music] and the pressure to be thinner, thinner, more perfect became part of her daily life. I was always pressured to [music] work out and be thinner and thinner. I in her own words and for many years her relationship with her body was one of the most difficult battles she had ever faced.
So [music] when Encantadia came in 2000 and when she became the amihan, she didn’t just get a role. She got a chance to prove herself [music] that she could do it and her performance as the sangreamihan. Guardian of the diamond of the wind and later [music] became the queen of the lireo became one of the most recognizable characters in the history of Philippine Television.
Encantadia became a national cultural phenomenon and Isa became a star. At the same time, in 2004, she won her first award as best supporting actress at the Gawad Urian for the horror suspense film Sigh. That film was later made into a Hollywood remake titled The Echo.
But in March 2020, at the very beginning of the implementation of a nationwide quarantine, Isaac Alzado’s life faced its greatest test. He was rushed to the Asian Hospital and Medical Center, suffering from a severe case of pneumonia. In March, he posted on his Instagram [music] account to confirm his condition.
Three days later, his manager, Noel Ferrari, officially announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19. On his second day in the hospital, his pneumonia worsened. [music] He was taken to the intensive care unit. He was nearly intubated [music] and put on a breathing machine because his oxygen levels and white blood cell count were rapidly dropping.
So in the midst of [music] all of that, doctors discovered another dangerous thing, a persistent type of bacteria in his lungs. Acinetobacter baume, [music] an organism that is commonly found in hospital facilities [music] and is notoriously difficult to treat because of its resistance to common antibiotics.
Two threats in one body, COVID-19 and a bacteria that are almost invulnerable to medicine. But despite the extreme danger, his doctors developed an aggressive treatment plan. The nurses at Asian Hospital provided him with unwavering care. And on April 4, 2020, it was announced that his retest for the virus was negative.
She survived. But Isa’s trials were not over because in [music] 2022 while making the series Mars Rabelos Darna where she was the first Darna and mother of the character Jane de Leon, she became pregnant with her first child with husband Ben Windle. [music] Pregnancy at the age of 4 brought another challenge to her body.
And in the midst of that pregnancy, [music] she went through a silent but intense battle with the disease toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis, an [music] infection caused by a parasite, is extremely dangerous for a pregnant woman. It can cause brain damage to the baby, blindness or miscarriage.
With the help of the right guidance from medical experts, they successfully overcame that ordeal. And on January 1st [music] 2023, she safely gave birth to her daughter. [music] They named her Deya Amihan, a clear tribute to the character who changed [music] her life.
So when people heard everything Iza had been through, everyone began to understand why there were gaps in her television appearances. It wasn’t because of a lack of projects. It wasn’t because of a changing public. But because of serious health issues and the most important thing [music] that came into her life, motherhood.
I never knew my heart was capable of loving this much. It was all about me [music] before. This is the right kind of love. I his own words and in those words, [clears throat] he described everything. But we can’t talk about Isa’s life without mentioning something he’s had for a long time.
His mother had a mental health condition from being labeled neurotic [music] to manic depressive to bipolar the last diagnosis and the way his mother lost him was one of the most painful parts of his life. His mother died by suicide in 2001 this happened in 2019 by shit asia.
He shared it with the public. He carried that pain alone for a long time. I just wanted people to have these conversations so that people who are going through it will not feel alone. I said it out loud. Not for himself, but for those who are alone in their pain. That’s why now at the age of 43, Isaac Alzado’s life is a new chapter.
In November 2024, she returned to the theater stage after a nine-year hiatus. She starred in the play Tiny Beautiful Things. And in January 2026, [music] she officially returned to ASAP natin to. After almost 10 years of not performing there as a dancer, her return became the talk of social media.
Because of her strength and grace in dancing. She said that the performance was her dedication to the memory of her father and to serve as an inspiration to her daughter Deya. In March 2020, Sisc, she was featured on the cover of the prestigious Tatler Philippines. And in May 2026, she was invited as the commencement speaker at Miriam College High School, where she graduated from.
This is the story of Isaac Alzado. It’s not just the story of an actor who disappeared from prime time. It’s the story of a woman who almost died from toxoplasmosis while pregnant [music] who lost her mother in the most painful way. And now at the age of 43 [music] is more alive than ever. You who are watching now might be one of those who grew up watching Isa as Amihan.
Maybe you are one of those [music] who are wondering where he is now. Or maybe you are one of those who have gone through similar trials and are wondering if there is still a chance for a new beginning. [music] Isa’s story is for you. For everyone who believes that trials are the end. His story is proof that they are not.
Trials [music] can be the beginning of the best resilience of your life. What other news doesn’t tell you is that this isn’t just a story of an artist with health issues. [music] This is a story of a midlife awakening of a woman who went through every possible trial and emerged more whole, clearer and more purposeful than before.
The most important thing in Isac Alzado’s story is not his illnesses. What is most important is his decision to use everything he went through [music] as the foundation for a better version of himself and that is a lesson for everyone. M.
