Kathryn Bernardo

Kathryn Chandria Manuel Bernardo (born March 26, 1996) is a Filipino actress. She began her career as a child actress, portraying young versions of lead characters in series such as '' It Might Be You'' (2003) and '' Endless Love'' (2010). She gained prominence in the 2010 remake of '' Mara Clara'' and has since established herself as one of the most popular and successful actors of the 21st century in the Philippines.

Bernardo was the highest-grossing Filipino movie actress of the 2010s, with her movies earning over at the box office. She has been recognized by '' People Asia'' as the "Box Office Queen of her generation," being the only Filipino actress with two films that grossed over ₱800 million each. ''Forbes Asia'' named her as one of the most influential celebrities in the Asia-Pacific region on social media.

She is best known for her roles in popular television series including '' Mara Clara'' (2010–2011), '' Princess and I'' (2012–2013), '' Got to Believe'' (2013–2014), '' Pangako Sa 'Yo'' (2015–2016), '' La Luna Sangre'' (2017–2018), and ''2 Good 2 Be True'' (2022). Her notable films include ''She's Dating the Gangster'' (2014), '' Crazy Beautiful You'' (2015), '' Barcelona: A Love Untold'' (2016), ''Can't Help Falling in Love'' (2017), '' The Hows of Us'' (2018), '' Hello, Love, Goodbye'' (2019) and its sequel '' Hello, Love, Again'' (2024), the latter three being among the highest-grossing Filipino films of all time.

Early life

Bernardo was born on March 26, 1996 in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines. She is the youngest of four siblings and was raised by her parents, Luzviminda and Teodore Bernardo.

Initially, Bernardo was raised as a member of Iglesia ni Cristo. However, it is believed that she converted to born again around 2016.

Education

Before her acting debut in 2003, Bernardo attended Flowerlane Montessori Children's House in Cabanatuan and later OB Montessori Center in Quezon City. Due to her busy schedule, she joined UST Angelicum College's homeschooling program in 2011. While pursuing a marketing degree at Enderun Colleges, she had to pause her studies because of scheduling conflicts with her television series '' Got to Believe''. As of 2021, she expressed her desire to earn a college degree in marketing or communication arts.

Career

2003–2011: Early career and breakthrough

Bernardo began acting in 2003, she appeared as the young Cielo in ABS-CBN's '' It Might Be You''. In 2006, she had her first main role in the TV series '' Super Inggo'', playing Maya, the love interest of the main character. Afterwards, she appeared in various ABS-CBN shows, including '' Krystala'' and '' Vietnam Rose'', before joining the children sketch comedy show '' Goin' Bulilit''.

As a child actress, Bernardo played the roles of young Victoria in ABS-CBN's '' Magkaribal'' and young Jenny in GMA's '' Endless Love'', and both shows premiered on June 28, 2010.

Her breakthrough role came when she bagged the leading role of Mara David in the remake of 1992 drama series '' Mara Clara''. The series was a smashing hit and solidified her reputation as a rising actress. Following the success of ''Mara Clara'' series, Bernardo starred in the teen-oriented show '' Growing Up'', where she played Ella, a 15-year-old girl living with her single mother.

Bernardo's film career started in 2003 appearing in a cameo role as young lupe in the movie ''Lupe: A Seaman's Wife''. The following year, she was cast in the superhero comedy film ''Gagamboy'' and played the role of Tsoknat, directed by Erik Matti. However, she gained wider prominence in the family drama movie '' Way Back Home'' directed by Jerry Lopez Sineneng which she starred alongside Mara Clara co-star Julia Montes in 2011. In the same year, she joined the cast in the horror film ''Shake, Rattle & Roll 13'', her performance in the movie was received with positive reviews from critics.

2012–2022: Partnership with Daniel Padilla

After the success of '' Mara Clara'', Bernardo further rose to prominence in the top-rating primetime drama series '' Princess and I'', co-starred alongside Daniel Padilla and Enrique Gil. In the series, she played the titular role of Mikay/Princess Areeyah. The show was notable for being the first Philippine series filmed in Bhutan, earning acclaimed for its grand production. Later that year, Bernardo and Padilla joined the ensemble cast of the romantic-comedy film '' 24/7 in Love'' and the comedy-parody film '' Sisterakas'' alongside Vice Ganda which was an official entry to 2012 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Dubbed as '' KathNiel'', their first starring film as a tandem was in the coming-of-age romantic comedy film '' Must Be... Love'', which was released in March 2013. In August of that year, they paired up in the television series '' Got to Believe'', which sustained high ratings in its entire run. In December 2013, they starred in the horror film '' Pagpag'' which was an entry to the 39th Metro Manila Film Festival. Their collaboration continued with the successful film adaptation of ''She's Dating the Gangster'' in July 2014, which was one of the highest-grossing films of the year. Bernardo and Padilla received stars on the Eastwood Walk of Fame in Quezon City, a recognition of their contributions to Philippine entertainment industry in December 2014.

Over the years, Bernardo and Padilla collaborated on several successful films and television series. They teamed up in the 2015 film '' Crazy Beautiful You'', followed by the 2016 film '' Barcelona: A Love Untold'', which became the second highest-grossing film of that year. For the first time, Bernardo received her Box Office Queen title in '' Barcelona: A Love Untold'' at the 48th Box Office Entertainment Awards in 2017. Their partnership continued in ''Can't Help Falling in Love'' in 2017. All of these films achieved significant box office success.

On television, they starred together in the 2015 remake of '' Pangako Sa 'Yo''. They continued their partnership on the small screen in the fantasy series '' La Luna Sangre'' in 2017.

In 2018, Bernardo made history as the first Filipino actress to reach the local box office of pesos mark in '' The Hows of Us'' alongside Padilla. For her performance, she won her first Best Actress award at the 35th PMPC Star Awards for Movies and at the 2019 EDDYS Award. The next year, she achieved this box office milestone again in '' Hello, Love, Goodbye'', with GMA actor Alden Richards. The film was commercially successful as it grossed worldwide; breaking box office records in the Philippines and overseas. The movie held the record of being the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time for more than four years (2019-2024). In these two successful movies, Bernardo received the Phenomenal Box Office Star awards twice at the Box Office Entertainment Awards for two consecutive years (2019-2020) and she also won Film Actress of the Year award in 2020.

In 2022, Bernardo reunited with Padilla in the television series ''2 Good 2 Be True'', marking their final project together before their eventual break-up in 2023. She was hailed as the Outstanding Asian Star at the 18th Seoul International Drama Awards.

2023–present: Critical acclaim and continued success

In 2023, Bernardo starred in '' A Very Good Girl'', her first solo film in several years, alongside Dolly de Leon. For her performance, she earned her first Best Actress Award at the 72nd FAMAS Awards in 2024. Internationally, she also won the ''National Winner Award'' for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Asian Academy Creative Awards. In that same year, she regained the Box Office Queen title for the second time in the 52nd GMMSF Box-Office Entertainment Awards.

After five years, Bernardo reunited with Alden Richards in '' Hello, Love, Again'', the sequel of their 2019 film '' Hello, Love, Goodbye''. The film was commercially successful worldwide becoming the first Filipino film to gross over . She was honored with the Star Rising Leopard Award at the 10th Asian World Film Festival in November 2024.

In 2025, she returned to television as one of the judges for the seventh season of ''Pilipinas Got Talent''.

Personal life

In 2018, Bernardo confirmed her long-term relationship with actor Daniel Padilla, which began on May 25, 2012. On November 30, 2023, the pair announced the end of their relationship.

Since April 2024, she has owned a house in Antipolo.

Business ventures

In 2017, Bernardo launched her nail salon business, ''KathNails by KCMB,'' which has eight branches across the Philippines. In 2022, she opened another nail salon, ''The Glow Up Lounge,'' which has five branches nationwide.

She co-founded a boutique hotel, ''Isla Amara,'' in El Nido, Palawan, alongside actor Piolo Pascual and other partners.

Filmography

Film

Television

Online series

Discography

Album

Singles

Music video appearances

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bernardo, Kathryn
1996 births
Living people
21st-century Filipino actresses
ABS-CBN people
Actresses from Nueva Ecija
Filipino film actresses
Filipino television actresses
Filipino Christians
Goin' Bulilit cast members
Former members of Iglesia ni Cristo
People from Cabanatuan
Star Music artists
21st-century Filipino women singers