Filipinos in Dubai recall last moments with Isabel Granada

DUBAI – As Isabel Granada is laid to her final resting place on Sunday (November 12) Filipinos in Dubai shared their last encounter with the singer and actress, who was in the emirates in October for gigs in Dubai and Fujairah before collapsing from aneurysm in Qatar on October 24. She died less than two weeks later. Freelance photographer Judas Mariachi, 41, was the concept designer and director for a photo shoot with Granada in Dubai on October 6. Little did he knew that the pictorial called “It’s a Wrap”—a play on the satin sheets that the models wore—would take a foreboding meaning in the weeks to come. “It was my first and only encounter with her," Mariachi recalled, telling Expatmedia.net that the actress was “smiling and laughing” even though the mid-morning pictorial lasted until 4pm. Mariachi said he roped in some friends to model with Granada. They were just as excited as he was to work with the actress, who broke into the Philippine entertainment scene as a young talent in variety show That’s Entertainment in 1986. “While prepping up for the day of the shoot, I played Spanish songs. Why? Because Ms. Isabel is half Spanish and I’m a fan,” he said. Mariachi, who admitted having a crush on Granada when he was in high school, said that the star was very friendly with everyone when she finally showed up for the pictorials along with her husband. The first thing that Mariachi noticed were her eyes. “They seemed to light up the room,” he said. Actress Isabel Granada with photographer Judas Mariachi in Dubai.
Princess Lozano, 24, a logistics assistant in Dubai, said that she was star struck by Granada. “I’m just new in freelance modeling here and it was pure luck that I got to work with a celebrity,” Lozano told Expatmedia.net “We were already at the venue at around 9am. Ms. Isabel arrived at around 10am. She looked so pretty in person and the first thing she gave us was that beautiful smile,” she said. granada4
The actress didn’t have any prima donna air, she said. “We needed a tube top and a pair of heels for the shoot and Ms. Isabel didn’t bring any so one of the models let her borrow the top and I let her borrow my shoes. I was so happy that she wore my shoes, It was such an honor,” she said. “She was the perfect model and I got quite a lot of tips form her. After the shoot, she even stayed back for photos with the team,” she said. Actress Isabel Granada with photographer Judas Mariachi in Dubai.
“One of the photographers said that we look alike, so that started a conversation with her. She asked he how old I was. I replied that I am 24. She said, ‘You’re half my age and you’re still young and pretty’. That really made me smile,” she said. “She was so kind and genuine with all of us that I will never forget her,” she said. Roda May, one of the models who worked with Granada during her pictorials in Dubai, said she got the part after joking with one of the photographers about being the actress’ lookalike. “It’s a joy to get to know Ms. Isabel and a great privilege for me to be with her. They chose me because I had a funny conversation with the photographer whom I joked to include me since I look like Isabel Granada. I am very thankful that I had the opportunity to meet her in person,” May said in a Facebook post.
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