Esperanza "Zsa Zsa" Perez Padilla (born May 28, 1964) is a Filipino singer, actress, television host, music producer and businesswoman.
Referred to as the "Divine Diva", Padilla is recognized as one of the top female recording artists in the Philippines. Before going solo in 1982, Padilla began her career in the mid 70s with the Filipino band Hotdog. She has won a Gawad Urian Award, 2 FAP Awards, 3 Golden Screen Awards including the prestigious 'Decade Award' and received multiple nominations at the FAMAS Award. Padilla is also among the biggest-selling female music artists in the Philippines. According to Philippine Association of the Record Industry, some of her best-selling albums include: Ikaw Lamang (Gold), Zsa Zsa (4ÃÂ Platinum), Sentiments (Platinum) and Unchanging Love (Gold). As an acclaimed actress, Padilla has played various genres ranging from drama, comedy and fantasy. She's best known for ZsaZsa Zaturnnah Ze Moveeh, Batang PX, Ako Legal Wife: Mano Po 4 and Minsan Lang Kitang Iibigin.
Padilla started in 1982 as the vocalist of the band Hotdog before going solo less than a year later in 1983. In 1987, she had her first TV acting role in the series, Lovingly Yours, Helen. In the same year, she had her first film role in Mga Anak ni Facifica Falayfay, with the Filipino comedian Dolphy, who became her partner of more than 20 years.
Padilla was born as Esperanza Perez Padilla in 1964, the daughter of parents Esperanza "Kating" Felipa Perez and actor-sportsman Carlos "Sonny" Padilla, Jr. In 1980, at the age of 16, she wedded her 35-year-old boyfriend Modesto Tatlonghari, a dentist, with whom she had one daughter, Karylle (born 1981).
Despite her initial marriage, Padilla became a partner to comedian Rodolfo "Dolphy" Quizon in 1988, having two children with him: Nicole (adopted 1991) and Zia Denise Marie (born 1992). In 2001, Padilla filed for the annulment of her marriage to Tatlonghari, with Dolphy, having never married before, expressing his dream of finally entering into marriage with Padilla once her annulment is granted. Her church wedding was annulled in 2004, while her civil wedding was annulled in May 2011; Tatlonghari was reported to have remained "civil" and "cordial" in his relationship with Padilla after the annulment. Padilla's marriage to Dolphy, however, would not push through due to negative public reaction toward her relationship, with Dolphy later dying in July 2012.
In 2014, Padilla began a relationship with architect Conrad Onglao after being introduced to each other by singer Sharon Cuneta. Padilla and Onglao thus became live-in partners, with the two eventually deciding not to pursue marriage after Padilla went through another annulment process with a Japanese man she was unknowingly married to in 1992. The couple reside on a $6.8 million U-shaped mansion upon a 1,386 square-meter lot in Barangay San Lorenzo Village, while also owning a green holiday cottage called the Casa Esperanza in Lucban, Quezon.
Padilla suffers from a birth defect, megaureter since her left ureter caused her chronic urinary tract infection. In 2007, her first surgery was a minimally invasive procedure to remedy the ureter. In 2012, Padilla underwent partial left kidney nephrectomy. In 2024, she had a (pee) reflux which caused her third surgery, a laparoscopy at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital.