Before landing the role of Jamie Robinson in GMA’s adaptation of Voltes V: Legacy, Ysabel Ortega starred in a number of shows on ABS-CBN and GMA shows, the most recent being The Gift and Pepito Manaloto.

As she and the rest of the Voltes V team prepare to shoot the series, which is scheduled to air sometime this year, let’s get to know more about Ysabel.

Family connection

Isabel comes from the Ortega clam of La Union. Her mother is former actress-singer Michelle Ortega and her father is Senator Lito Lapid. Her uncle is actor and politician Robert Ortega.

In an interview with GMA News in 2019, Ysabel said that while she rarely sees her dad, he was very supportive of her decision to move to GMA.

“He’s happy naman po for me,” she said.

“And sobrang happy ako na nakausap ko siya about it kasi that was the first time I spoke to him about me in showbiz. It’s so nice kasi he said that he’s proud of me and I’m very grateful and he’s very supportive.”

(And I’m very happy that I was able to talk to him about it because it was the first time I spoke to him about me in showbiz. It’s so nice because he said that he’s proud of me. I’m very grateful and he’s very supportive.)

Ysabel has a stepfather, retired police general Gregorio “Greg” Pimentel, who she’s also close to.

From Star Magic to GMA Artist Center

Ysabel starter her career in Star Magic, ABS-CBN’s talent management arm. Some of the shows she’s appeared in include On The Wings of Love, Born for You, and Pusong Ligaw, where she became known for her role as Charlie Quiñones.

In 2019, Ysabel moved to GMA and signed with Artist Center. In a Pep interview, she said she wanted to “widen her horizons.”

“I’m very young. And yung career ko is very young. I want to explore and I also want to work with other great actors in the industry lalo lang po na ang liit nung industriya natin (especially the industry we move is small). So I really wanna widen my horizons and experience how it feels to work with GMA.”

Dog lover

Ysabel is a proud pawrent. According to a GMA News report, she and her family own 8 dogs.

Keeping busy during quarantine

Ysabel is also a vlogger. In one of her videos, she gave followers a tour of the family’s poultry and lemon plantation. Ysabel said that they started planting the lemon trees in La Union at the beginning of the lockdown.

Watch the two-part video below:

Avid traveler

Prior to the pandemic, Ysabel loved to travel and has shared some of her photos abroad with her stepdad and mom. She’s been to Japan, Paris, and Australia, to name a few.

Landing the role of Jamie Robinson

After it was confirmed that she got the role of Voltes V’s only female pilot in the show, GMA uploaded a short clip of Ysabel’s audition and how she reacted upon hearing the news. In the video, Voltes V: Legacy director Mark Reyes even said that action was in Ysabel’s blood.

To prepare for the role, Isabel trained in martial arts, including kickboxing.

In an interview on 24 Oras on February 10, Ysabel said of the show: “Voltes V has a lot of meaning to its story. it’s not just about family, it’s also about fighting for what you believe in. It’s about serving your country, it’s about being a hero in your own way. And I would love to be someone who is in that position to inspire a lot of people.”

GMA has yet to announce the airing date for the show. – Rappler.com