Gabby Padilla

Gabby Padilla is a Filipino film and theater actress. She is known for her performances in acclaimed films such as Billie and Emma, Gitling (2023), and Kono Basho (2024).

Padilla was the recipient of the Best Actress award at the 2024 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival. She has since been noted for her continued work in the Philippine independent film scene.

Early life Padilla was raised in Iloilo City. She had limited exposure to musicals growing up, but developed a strong interest in the performing arts after her father introduced her to Broadway productions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she relocated to Manila to pursue higher education. She enrolled at Assumption College San Lorenzo, where she majored in Theater Arts and Media Education. Padilla, who identifies as straight, said she was initially concerned about portraying Emma, aware that someone queer could have been cast. She noted that the director was flexible about orientation because the character's story focuses on her personal growth and challenges as a young woman in the early 1990s, with romance being only part of the narrative. Padilla was nominated Best Actress at the 67th FAMAS Awards for her performance. BLNC Magazine identified the film as a standout in her career for showcasing a different aspect of her acting abilities. For the role, Padilla studied Japanese for seven months. She stated that the film “hit close to home” because she lost her own father years earlier. Padilla has described navigating emotionally intense roles as requiring both vulnerability and support. She stated that the lines between her personal experience and her character [in Kono Basho] often “get blurred—especially in the process,” and emphasized the importance of working with a trusted team to sustain her performance while protecting herself. In discussing her craft, Padilla has expressed appreciation for creating characters inspired by different people, which she says helps humanize the roles.

Filmography Film +Key Denotes films or TV productions that have not yet been released

Music videos Year Title Artist 2022 "Tayuman" Kean Cipriano

Theater Year Production Role Location 2016 A Little Princess Lavinia Repertory Philippines 2019 Beautiful: The Carole King Musical 2024 Tiny Beautiful Things Letter writer Power Mac Center Spotlight I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change Various roles Repertory Philippines 2026 Sole Survivor Nina Rep Theater People, Places, and Things (upcoming) Emma The Blackbox at the Proscenium Theater

Accolades Awards and Nominations Award Year Category Nominated work Result Aliw Awards 2024 Best Lead Actress in a Musical I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival 2024 Best Actress Kono Basho CinePanalo Film Festival 2025 Panalong Pangalawang Aktres (Best Supporting Actress) Tigkiliwi FAMAS Award 2019 Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Billie and Emma Gawad Buhay Awards 2025 Female Featured Performance in a Play Tiny Beautiful Things Female Lead Performance in a Musical I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change Gawad Urian Awards 2024 Best Actress (Pinakamahusay na Pangunahing Aktres) Gitling 2025 Kono Basho Metro Manila Film Festival 2024 Best Supporting Actress Uninvited Philippine Arts, Film and Television Awards 2026 Best Supporting Actress PMPC Star Awards for Movies 2019 New Movie Actress of the Year Billie and Emma