Bela Padilla

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Hidalgo and the surname or paternal family name is Sullivan.

Krista Elyse Hidalgo Sullivan (born May 3, 1991), better known by her stage name Bela Padilla (Tagalog pronunciation: [paˈdɪlja]), is a Filipino actress, host, singer, writer, and director.

Bela Padilla
Padilla performing at MMDA Anniversary in 2016
Born	Krista Elyse Hidalgo Sullivan[1] (1991-05-03) May 3, 1991 (age 33) Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Other names	Krista Valle Krista Sullivan
Occupations	Actress television host singer director writer
Years active	2007–present
Agents	Star Magic (2007–2010) GMA Artist Center (2010–2015) Viva Artists Agency (2015–present)
Height	1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Family	Padilla family

She is best known for her roles in television dramas on GMA-7 and ABS-CBN, as well as critically acclaimed films such as 100 Tula Para Kay Stella (with JC Santos) and Meet Me in St. Gallen (with Carlo Aquino). She is also recognized for her performances in The Day After Valentine's and On Vodka, Beers, and Regrets. In 2022, she made her directorial debut with the film 366 (opposite Zanjoe Marudo and JC Santos), produced by Viva Films. Additionally, she wrote the screenplay for Joyce Bernal's film Last Night, starring Toni Gonzaga and Piolo Pascual. Aside from her acting career, she has continued to develop her skills in writing and directing for future projects.

Early life and education

Krista Elyse Hidalgo Sullivan was born to British father Cornelius Gary Sullivan and mother Margarette Cariño Hidalgo ("Meg"). Her father was divorced from his first wife. She has three elder half-siblings in England from her father's first marriage, as well as an elder brother from both of her parents. She first attended a Montessori-style international school in Forbes Park, Makati, before attending the foreigners' class at Colegio San Agustin – Makati.^[2] Padilla took up journalism as an elective in senior high school.^[3] Padilla was a classmate of Lovi Poe.^[4]

Padilla's maternal grandmother (mother of Meg) is the sister of Eva Cariño-Padilla, wife of actor-director and former Camarines Norte governor Roy Padilla Sr.^[5] She is the niece, by second-degree consanguinity, of actors Rommel Padilla, Robin Padilla, and BB Gandanghari,^[6] and second cousin to RJ and Daniel Padilla (sons of Rommel), as well as Queenie and Kylie Padilla (daughters of Robin).^[7] She is a practicing Jehovah's Witness.^[8]

Career

Padilla was discovered by ABS-CBN talent scout Jet Valle during one of his field trips. Valle introduced her to ABS-CBN, where she joined Star Magic Batch 15 and adopted the stage name "Krista Valle." Her debut television role came in 2004 in the teen drama series Star Magic Presents: Abt Ur Luv Ur Lyf 2. She later changed her stage name to "Krista Sullivan" when she transitioned to a freelance acting career. In 2009, she appeared in a minor role in the TV series Totoy Bato, and shortly after, she became a regular cast member of Lokomoko High on TV5.

In 2010, Padilla left Star Magic, signed with manager Claire dela Fuente, and moved to GMA. With this move, she also adopted the name "Bela Padilla." She starred in the 2011 fantasy series Machete alongside Aljur Abrenica. That same year, she won the Miss Friendship and Media's Darling awards at the 2011 Asian Super Model Contest, held in Guilin and Nanning in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China.^[9]

Padilla made headlines in 2012 when her FHM Philippines magazine cover for the March issue was pulled due to accusations of racism.^[10][11] Later that year, she starred in the titular role in the afternoon drama series Magdalena: Anghel sa Putikan. In 2013, she starred opposite Richard Gutierrez in the primetime series Love & Lies.

After a return to ABS-CBN in 2015, Padilla joined the action-packed series FPJ's Ang Probinsyano alongside Coco Martin. Two years later, in 2017, she headlined the drama series My Dear Heart and starred in the romantic film 100 Tula Para Kay Stella, which became the highest-grossing film at the first Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino.

Padilla took the lead role in the 2019 crime drama series Sino ang Maysala?: Mea Culpa. She also starred in the Philippine adaptation of the Korean film Miracle in Cell No. 7, which was an official entry to the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival. The film went on to earn ₱543 million at the box office, making it one of the highest-grossing Filipino films of all time.^[12]

In 2024, Padilla made her return to television as a guest host on the noontime variety show It's Showtime.^[13][14]

Personal life

On November 24, 2021, Padilla revealed that she had relocated to the UK.^[15] She is currently in a relationship with her Swiss boyfriend, Norman Bay. She first introduced him to the public in October 2020 through an Instagram post, in which she captioned, "the one I met in St. Gallen," in reference to her previous movie Meet Me in St. Gallen.^[16]

Filmography

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Source
2008	Star Magic Presents: Abt Ur Luv Ur Lyf 2	Jo	Credited as "Krista Valle"	[17]
2009	Tayong Dalawa	Bar Girl
	Carlo J. Caparas' Totoy Bato	Rain		[18]
	Midnight DJ		Guest, Episode: "Higanti ng Kamatayan"
	New Pangarap Kong Jackpot		Episode: "Sa Mundo ng Kahapon" Credited as "Krista Sullivan"
	Lokomoko High	Herself / Various roles / Betty La Panget		[18]
	Maalaala Mo Kaya	Pinky (teenage years)	Episode: "Kalapati"	[19]
	Maalaala Mo Kaya	Pinky (teenage)	Episode: "Makinilya"	[19]
	Maynila	Isa	Episode: "Makinig Ka, Puso"
2010	Endless Love	Mayumi 'Yumi' Ramirez		[2]
2011	Pablo S. Gomez's Machete	Aginaya / Rosella
	Maynila	Lea	Episode: "Love's Priority"
	Sisid	Monique
2012	Hiram na Puso	Vanessa Saavedra / Kara Banaag		[20]
	Bubble Gang	Herself - Various roles
	Makapiling Kang Muli	Amber
2012–2013	Magdalena: Anghel sa Putikan	Magdalena "Lena" Fuentebella / Angela Natividad		[21]
2013	Love and Lies	Denise Salvador-Galvez		[22][23]
2014	Point of Entry	Analyn Ocampo		[24]
	Magpakailanman	Andrea	Episode: "Nakakulong Ang Puso"
	Sa Puso ni Dok	Dr. Gabrielle "Gab" Estrella		[25]
	Magpakailanman	Mae	Episode: "Asawa Mo, Hiniram Ko"
	Magpakailanman	Jessa	Episode: "Ang Nurse Na May Ikatlong Mata"
2015–2016	FPJ's Ang Probinsyano	Carmen Guzman-de Leon
2016	Ipaglaban Mo	Flora	Episode: "Sanggol"
	Home Sweetie Home	Criselda	Guest
2017	My Dear Heart	Clara Estanislao-de Jesus		[26]
	Maalaala Mo Kaya	Melanie	Episode: "Ice Candy"
2018	Maalaala Mo Kaya	Karla	Episode: "Fireworks"
2019	Sino ang Maysala?: Mea Culpa	Julie Iris Miranda / Atty. Juris Agoncillo-Montelibano
2023; 2024-present	It's Showtime	Herself / Host		[27]
2024	Pamilya Sagrado	Cristine Malonzo	Special Participation
2025	What Lies Beneath

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Source
2007	Bahay Kubo: A Pinoy Mano Po!	Janet
2009	BFF (Best Friends Forever)	Mean girl
2010	You to Me Are Everything	Monique	Main Antagonist
2012	My Kontrabida Girl	Evelyn
2013	10,000 Hours	Maya Limchauco	Co-Writer
2014	Sa Ngalan ng Ama, Ina at mga Anak	Damian
2015	Felix Manalo	Honorata de Guzman-Manalo		[28]
2016	Tomodachi	Rosalinda		[29][30][31][32]
	Camp Sawi	Bridgette "Brij"	Film producer	[33]
	I America	Erica Berry		[34]
	The Super Parental Guardians	Emmy Cameo
	Working Beks	Joy
2017	Luck at First Sight	Diane	Screenwriter
	100 Tula Para Kay Stella	Stella Puno
	Last Night		Writer
2018	Meet Me in St. Gallen	Celeste / Katy Perry
	The Day After Valentine's	Lanie
	Fantastica	Fairy Godmother	Nonspeaking role, lines delivered through Gus Abelgas' voiceover
2019	Apple of My Eye		Writer
	Miracle in Cell No. 7	Yesha Gopez (Adult)		[35]
	Mañanita
2020	On Vodka, Beers and Regrets	Jane Pineda
2022	366	June	Actress, Director, Writer	[36]
	The Ultimate Oppa	Yana
2023	Yung Libro sa Napanood Ko	Lisa	Actress, Director, Writer
	Wish You Were The One	Astrud		[37]
TBA	100 Awit Para Kay Stella	Stella Puno

Music video appearances

Year	Title	Performer	Director	Ref.
2021	Magpahinga	Ben&Ben	Jorel Lising	[38]

Awards and nominations

Year	Work	Award	Category	Result	Source
2013	10,000 Hours	Metro Manila Film Festival	Best Actress	Nominated
2014		12th Gawad Tanglaw	Best Supporting Actress	Won
		30th PMPC Star Awards for Movies	Movie Supporting Actress of the Year	Nominated	[39]
		FAMAS Award	Best Supporting Actress	Won	[40]
2016	Felix Manalo	32nd PMPC Star Awards for Movies	Movie Supporting Actress of the Year	Nominated
			Female Face of the Night	Won
		FAMAS Award	Best Actress	Nominated
	FPJ's Ang Probinsyano	6th EdukCircle Awards	Best Drama Actress of the Year (tied with Kim Chiu)	Won
2018	100 Tula Para Kay Stella	5th Paragala: Central Luzon Media Awards	Best Actress in Film	Won
		34th PMPC Star Awards for Movies	Movie Actress of the Year	Nominated
		41st Gawad Urian	Best Actress	Nominated	[41]
2019	Meet Me in St. Gallen	42nd Gawad Urian	Best Actress	Nominated	[42]
	Sino ang Maysala?: Mea Culpa	33rd PMPC Star Awards for TV	Best Drama Actress	Nominated
2020		Seoul International Drama Awards (SDA) 2020	Best Actress	Nominated	[43]
	Mañanita	43rd Gawad Urian	Best Actress	Nominated
	Miracle in Cell No. 7	Box Office Entertainment Awards	Movie Supporting Actress of the Year	Won
2021	On Vodka, Beers and Regrets	44th Gawad Urian	Best Actress	Nominated