Akihiro Sato admits admiration for Iza Calzado

Akihiro Sato admits admiration for Iza Calzado

March 6, 2010, 6:24pm

Japanese-Brazilian model-turned-actor Akihiro Sato admits having a big crush on actress Iza Calzado.

“I like Iza Calzado. I’ve met her sa GMA-7. She’s really nice and friendly, sobrang bait. I hope I can work with Iza,” Akihiro confessed during a pocket interview recently organized by Mercator Model and Artist Management for its three models, namely Akihiro, Fabio Ide, and Daniel Matsunaga.

On his list, Iza tops his most beautiful actresses.

Previously, Akihiro was romantically linked with Rhian Ramos. “We had a show in Iloilo. She was promoting ‘Stairway To Heaven.’ I met her there. We’re just friends,” the hunky model clarified.

A veritable newbie in show business, Akihiro was utterly surprised when he was asked to have a kissing scene with Jolina Magdangal in his first shooting day in “Panday Kids.”

“We had just one day shoot. It was very nice. Sobrang mabait siya. She helped me a lot. Sobrang mabait. She’s very professional. We have a kissing scene. Saglit lang. Okay lang,” he said.

The latest showbiz recruit claimed that the onscreen kiss was all there was to it. “When we have this kind of scene, we don’t think about bad intentions.”

Previously, Akihiro also had a kissing scene with star Rufa Mae Quinto in a one Obra episode. So, who is the better kisser, Jolina or Rufa Mae?

Playing safe, Akihiro retorted, “Dalawa sila.” But he admits, “I feel more comfortable with Rufa. I was a big fan of her. I watch her movies.”

This poster boy nearly chartered a showbiz career in Thailand where he was an in-demand model. But he preferred to work here.

“The first time I went here, I was offered to guest in showbiz in Thailand. And then I ask them for one week or one month to decide what I want. So I went here and I started to work here. So, why not stay here. You guys speak very good English. In Thailand, they just speak their language. So I decided to stay. It’s fun learning Tagalog. I decided to stay here in the Philippines,” he said.

Then, he straightened up rumors that he left a gay photogrpaher lover in the Land of Siam.

“The photographer is my very good friend, close friend. I have a lot of friends there because I was there for more than three years so I know a lot of people there. I was kinda surprise with the rumors,” he explained.

Rumor has it that Akihiro posed almost in the buff together with the gay photographer. The photo, which had made the rounds in cyberspace, had people speculating that they were lovers.

Akihiro did a lot of explaining.

“If you see the picture, it looks like a gay magazine. But in Thailand, it’s different, the marketing is different. It’s about the celebration of the photographer, the best photographer in Thailand. I think he was celebrating 25 years.

"I did the shoot because I was in Thailand. When I am in Thailand, I want to meet my friends. At the same time, he asked me to do the shoot. Of course, why not? Actually, I’m not doing that kind of shoot wearing [just] underwear. I did it because my friend asked me to do it. It’s really special for me.”

In the weeks to come, Akihiro will be launched as one of the latest Belo model. Is he ready to be linked to the famous beauty expert?

“I don’t know. No, no because she is Dra. Vicki Belo, she’s very professional. I talked to Crystalle, her daughter. I’ve met her (Vicki).”

When it comes to matters of the heart, the hunky model says age really doesn’t matter as long as he loves the girl.

“I don’t care about age, heart is more important. When you feel it siyempre, it doesn’t matter if she’s old,” he enthused.

But he does not see himself getting involved with the controversial beauty doctor.

“I think not, we cannot because she’s already taken. I’m not here to be part of her life. I’m here for work. I don’t need money. I’m here for work.”