# Bela Padilla

Krista Elyse Hidalgo Sullivan (born May 3, 1991), better known by her stage name Bela Padilla (Tagalog pronunciation:), is a Filipino actress, host, singer, writer, and director.
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. Padilla took up journalism as an elective in senior high school. Padilla was a classmate of Lovi Poe.
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. She is the niece, by second-degree consanguinity, of actors Rommel Padilla, Robin Padilla, and BB Gandanghari, and second cousin to RJ and Daniel Padilla (sons of Rommel), as well as Queenie and Kylie Padilla (daughters of Robin). She is a practicing Jehovah's Witness.

## 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.
Padilla made headlines in 2012 when her FHM Philippines magazine cover for the March issue was pulled due to accusations of racism. 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.
In 2024, Padilla made her return to television as a guest host on the noontime variety show It's Showtime.

## Personal life

On November 24, 2021, Padilla revealed that she had relocated to the UK. 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.

## Filmography
### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2008 | Star Magic Presents: Abt Ur Luv Ur Lyf 2 | Jo | Credited as "Krista Valle" |
| 2009 | Tayong Dalawa | Bar Girl | |
| 2009 | Carlo J. Caparas' Totoy Bato | Rain | |
| 2009 | Midnight DJ | | Guest, Episode: "Higanti ng Kamatayan" |
| 2009 | New Pangarap Kong Jackpot | | Episode: "Sa Mundo ng Kahapon" Credited as "Krista Sullivan" |
| 2009 | Lokomoko High | Herself / Various roles / Betty La Panget | |
| 2009 | Maalaala Mo Kaya | Pinky (teenage years) | Episode: "Kalapati" |
| 2009 | Maalaala Mo Kaya | Pinky (teenage) | Episode: "Makinilya" |
| 2009 | Maynila | Isa | Episode: "Makinig Ka, Puso" |
| 2010 | Endless Love | Mayumi 'Yumi' Ramirez | |
| 2011 | Pablo S. Gomez's Machete | Aginaya / Rosella | |
| 2011 | Maynila | Lea | Episode: "Love's Priority" |
| 2011 | Sisid | Monique | |
| 2012 | Hiram na Puso | Vanessa Saavedra / Kara Banaag | |
| 2012 | Bubble Gang | Herself - Various roles | |
| 2012 | Makapiling Kang Muli | Amber | |
| 2012–2013 | Magdalena: Anghel sa Putikan | Magdalena "Lena" Fuentebella / Angela Natividad | |
| 2013 | Love and Lies | Denise Salvador-Galvez | |
| 2014 | Point of Entry | Analyn Ocampo | |
| 2014 | Magpakailanman | Andrea | Episode: "Nakakulong Ang Puso" |
| 2014 | Sa Puso ni Dok | Dr. Gabrielle "Gab" Estrella | |
| 2014 | Magpakailanman | Mae | Episode: "Asawa Mo, Hiniram Ko" |
| 2014 | 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" |
| 2016 | Home Sweetie Home | Criselda | Guest |
| 2017 | My Dear Heart | Clara Estanislao-de Jesus | |
| 2017 | 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 | |
| 2024 | Pamilya Sagrado | Cristine Malonzo | Special Participation |
| 2025 | What Lies Beneath | | |

### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2007 | Bahay Kubo: A Pinoy Mano Po! | Janet | |
| 2009 | BFF (Best Friends Forever) | Mean girl | |
| 2010 | You to Me Are Everything | Monique | |
| 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 | |
| 2016 | Tomodachi | Rosalinda | |
| 2016 | Camp Sawi | Bridgette "Brij" | Film producer |
| 2016 | I America | Erica Berry | |
| 2016 | The Super Parental Guardians | Emmy Cameo | |
| 2016 | Working Beks | Joy | |
| 2017 | Luck at First Sight | Diane | Screenwriter |
| 2017 | 100 Tula Para Kay Stella | Stella Puno | |
| 2017 | Last Night | | Writer |
| 2018 | Meet Me in St. Gallen | Celeste / Katy Perry | |
| 2018 | The Day After Valentine's | Lanie | |
| 2018 | Fantastica | Fairy Godmother | Nonspeaking role, lines delivered through Gus Abelgas' voiceover |
| 2019 | Apple of My Eye | | Writer |
| 2019 | Miracle in Cell No. 7 | Yesha Gopez (Adult) | |
| 2019 | Mañanita | | |
| 2020 | On Vodka, Beers and Regrets | Jane Pineda | |
| 2022 | 366 | June | Actress, Director, Writer |
| 2022 | The Ultimate Oppa | Yana | |
| 2023 | Yung Libro sa Napanood Ko | Lisa | Actress, Director, Writer |
| 2023 | Wish You Were The One | Astrud | |
| TBA | 100 Awit Para Kay Stella | Stella Puno | |

### Music video appearances

| Year | Title | Performer | Director | Ref. |
| 2021 | Magpahinga | Ben&Ben | Jorel Lising | |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Work | Award | Category | Result |
| 2013 | 10,000 Hours | Metro Manila Film Festival | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2014 | 10,000 Hours | 12th Gawad Tanglaw | Best Supporting Actress | Won |
| 2014 | 10,000 Hours | 30th PMPC Star Awards for Movies | Movie Supporting Actress of the Year | Nominated |
| 2014 | 10,000 Hours | FAMAS Award | Best Supporting Actress | Won |
| 2016 | Felix Manalo | 32nd PMPC Star Awards for Movies | Movie Supporting Actress of the Year | Nominated |
| 2016 | Felix Manalo | 32nd PMPC Star Awards for Movies | Female Face of the Night | Won |
| 2016 | Felix Manalo | FAMAS Award | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2016 | 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 |
| 2018 | 100 Tula Para Kay Stella | 34th PMPC Star Awards for Movies | Movie Actress of the Year | Nominated |
| 2018 | 100 Tula Para Kay Stella | 41st Gawad Urian | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2019 | Meet Me in St. Gallen | 42nd Gawad Urian | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2019 | Sino ang Maysala?: Mea Culpa | 33rd PMPC Star Awards for TV | Best Drama Actress | Nominated |
| 2020 | Sino ang Maysala?: Mea Culpa | Seoul International Drama Awards (SDA) 2020 | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2020 | Mañanita | 43rd Gawad Urian | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2020 | 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 |