A chapter of the romantic saga Zsa Zsa is writing for herself may have to come to a close this week, but that only means she’s another step closer to that fairytale ending. But there is something that will never change about Zsa Zsa, single or otherwise; she will always be a powerhouse of a woman with her talents, capacity to love and ability to see the good in all life brings her.
By VIC SEVILLA
A factoid about the Divine Diva: when she was in college, the young Esperanza Padilla did not have her head in the clouds devising ways to be as well-known as her famous relatives.
Being a member of a clan that produced such showbiz royalty as Carlos Padilla and Jose “Pempe†Padilla Jr. (and later on Lorna Tolentino), it’s easy to assume that she, too, wanted to be in the limelight, to be a leading lady perhaps in her own film. But she wasn’t doing anything of the sort; she was studying, of all things, Accounting.
“It was never in my dreams to be an actress or a singer,†Zsa Zsa confesses. “I was aware that I had famous relatives who were in show business, but it never entered my mind to become like them.â€
She reveals that she was not the real looker in the family. She grew up thinking that her mom was an actress because she looked a lot like Gloria Romero. “My mom is truly beautiful. Whenever she was not around in the house, I thought she was in a movie set somewhere working as an actress. I would ask her, ‘Artista ka ba? (Are you an actress)’ I imagined back then that she was probably leading a double life,†she says.
She also has an older sister who has the height, face and figure of a beauty queen. “She is also beautiful and she was the one who wanted to be in the limelight. She would audition for TV commercials and I was always assigned to accompany her. Eventually, I was coerced to do commercials, as well. They told me I would be paid P250. For a kid who had nothing better to do, getting paid P250 was a big deal.†She adds, “Show business was never on my mind. But looking at it now, it was probably my destiny.â€
Alone, Zsa Zsa wasted no time exploring her talent. Although she became part of the iconic pop group Hotdog in the ‘70s, she truly found her voice as a solo artist. With her signature passion-tinged voice, she recorded such songs as “Kahit Na,†“Hiram,†“Minsan Pa,†“Ikaw Lamang†and “Mambobola,†which all became certified hits and which are now considered modern classics.
Later, fans also warmly received her cover versions of pop classics like “We’re All Alone,†“Skyline Pigeon†and “Through the Years,†which have become important parts of Zsa Zsa’s repertoire.
Acting still beckoned and soon enough, the once reluctant actress found herself starring in a string of TV drama shows and films. Batang PX by acclaimed film director Chito Roño gave her several acting awards, as did Mano Po 4: Ako Legal Wife.
When thinking back to what life was like with husband Dolphy, Zsa Zsa recalls something he left with her, something she keep with her for always: “That was one important thing I learned from him: to value family above all. He would just light up on these occasions and be gregarious so that everyone felt happy and loved,†she shared.
We were shooting on the first day of the APEC summit in Manila when traffic outside had gone haywire and cars honked incessantly because of the standstill. But inside the studio, Zsa Zsa seemed unperturbed — laughing, smiling, beaming — as if she were in another dimension cocooned in the magic that true love wraps one with. In truth, her happiness springs from a more familiar place: a heart that has withstood so many challenges and, having overcome, is capable of giving more love still.
Photography by SARA BLACK / Art direction by Ramon Joseph Ruiz
Styling by GEORGE PALMIANO and MIKE DE GUZMAN of MGP
Hair and Makeup by JEROME CHANG
Editor’s note: The original article featuring these excerpts was first pubished in PeopleAsia’s December 2015 – January 2016 issue. Zsa Zsa Padilla was a PeopleAsia People of the Year awardee in 2015.Â
