The Boazanian Zandra in Voltes V Legacy - Leizel Lopez

I would admit it. When I was young, I had a crush on the Zandra, who was the personal aide of Prince Zardoz, commander-in-chief of the Boazanian Invasion Forces, and robotics adviser of the beast fighters sent to Earth to destroy Voltes V. 

In the Japanese anime saga (SPOILER ALERT), she is in love with the Boazanian prince although it was unrequited. Until she sacrificed her life for the one she loved, and it was only then that Zardoz realized that he also cared for her. Such Shakespearean or Greek tragedy for a young mind! Not to mention the tragedy for the Armstrongs (but that is another story!). 

Anyway, in the adaptation by GMA-7 dubbed Voltes V Legacy, the young actress who would play Zandra would be Leizel Lopez. Here is her photo from Instagram (credit: GMA-7 digital).  Try to compare her with the graphic from Toei Art (she looks the part, right?).

Who is this young actress portraying the feisty Boazanian commander? 

She was born Liezel Marie Arintoc Lopez in Olongapo, Zambales, where she was a theater actress and model who joined the reality contest Starstruck6 not ease her family's financial woes and also to pursue her dreams in becoming an actress. Her acting prowess made her land in the Final 14. She was signed up by the GMA artist center after being eliminated in the said contest. 

Since 2016, she has be starring in different television series and shows. 

I hope she does justice to her role as Zandra in Voltes V: Legacy. Her are more photos of Leizel Lopez. 

sources: wikipedia, GMA-7, instagram

Young actress Ysabel Ortega as Jamie Robinson in Voltes-V Legacy | Photos

The press is out! Young actress Ysabel Ortega would be playing the coveted role of Jamie Robinson in the real-life adaptation of the Japanese anime television series  Chōdenji Machine Voltes V. 

The series has drawn much attention from the public since Voltes V enjoyed a cult-following in the Philippines in the 1970s, only to be banned by the Marcos dictatorship in 1979 due to alleged "excessive violence". 

This blogger is part of the generation that followed the series in my younger years so I am quite critical of how GMA-7 will do its adaptation though it was also reported that the script has been approved by Toei Animation and Nippon Sunrise (good thing!). I hate teledramas.

And so (back to our topic), Ysabel Ortega would be playing the role of Jamie Robinson in the GMA-7's Voltes V Legacy series. It was reported that she got the part in an audition where the scene had her plead to Steve Armstrong to leave a mission due to her father's (Doctor Robinson) ailing condition.

Here she is in her costume (see photo below, in contrast to the anime character (fan art) that she is portraying). 

Who is this actress who will play Jamie? She was born Maria Ysabel Ortega Lapid on January 25, 1999, to parents Senator Lito Lapid (I am not a fan!) and Michelle Ortega. 

Her first major role was as a villain in Born For You, where her acting made viewers hate her (which is quite an achievement for playing a villain role, especially at her young age). She has been in show business since 2014. 

Here are more photos of Ysabel Ortega. 

By the way, Jinri Park made a cosplay of Jamie Robinson in this previous blog post.

On our next post would be.... (drum roll)... Leizel Lopez, who would be playing the role of the Boazanian Zandra.