This is an excerpt from the June 2026 Special Issue. Subscribe to MEGA Digital All-Access to read the full story.
What makes a screen star? Is it box office hits? Critically acclaimed performances? Culture-defining roles? Looking at Kathryn Bernardo, it is a mix of all those and then some in how she’s one of the Philippine entertainment’s biggest stars and most well-known faces on the screen.
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Bernardo began her career on the small screen as a child star, often playing the younger version of characters in dramas and teleseryes. Even at an early age, Bernardo showed a knack for commanding viewers’ attention with her charisma, regardless of the length of her screentime. It’s that potential that expanded into full view when she was in her teen years in the 2010s. Whether as part of a celebrated love team or on her own, the award-winning actress became one of the defining stars of the decade and turned into an undeniable superstar the likes of which the modern Philippine entertainment scene had yet to see.
Bernardo’s filmography helped define modern romantic comedies and drama. From She’s Dating the Gangster, Barcelona: A Love Untold, The Hows of Us, and more, Bernardo has led what many consider the decade’s classics. Whether in action, horror, comedy, drama, or romance, she shone on screen regardless of genre.
Along with cultural relevance is also her numerous commercial triumphs, in how many of her movies have broken box office records. Films such as The Hows of Us and Hello, Love, Goodbye are near the top of the box office charts. It’s a testament to Bernardo’s star power and influence across generations that she’s the lead actress of three of the highest-grossing Filipino movies of all time, with Hello, Love, Again currently sitting at the top of the list with a global gross of 1.6 billion pesos, making it the only local film in history to surpass the one billion peso mark.
Her performances, meanwhile, have brought to life many iconic characters that have made their mark not just in local cinema but in Philippine pop culture in general. From Joy Fabregas, Athena Dizon, George Reyes, and more, Bernardo embodied these memorable women with performances grounded in love, strength, and passion that went beyond stereotypes and tropes. Not only are these roles beloved by audiences, but they have also inspired a generation to love and live life wholeheartedly.
In every era come stars who capture the nation’s attention, and Kathryn Bernardo is undoubtedly the star of her generation whose record-breaking legacy, while already established, is still being written.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kathryn Bernardo is one of the Philippines’ biggest screen stars, having built her career from child actress to box office powerhouse across more than a decade. She is the lead actress of three of the highest-grossing Filipino films of all time, has defined modern Filipino romantic comedies and dramas, and has become a generational icon whose influence extends across both cinema and popular culture.
Hello, Love, Again, starring Kathryn Bernardo, is the highest-grossing Filipino film of all time with a global gross of 1.6 billion pesos — making it the only local film in history to surpass the one billion peso mark. It is the third film in Bernardo’s collaboration with co-star Alden Richards and director Cathy Garcia-Sampana, following The Hows of Us and Hello, Love, Goodbye.
Among Kathryn Bernardo’s most beloved roles are Joy Fabregas in She’s Dating the Gangster, Athena Dizon in the She’s Dating the Gangster series, George Reyes in The Hows of Us, and her roles across Barcelona: A Love Untold and Hello, Love, Goodbye. Each character is regarded as a defining figure in modern Filipino romantic cinema and has left a lasting mark on Philippine pop culture.
Kathryn Bernardo began her career on Philippine television as a child star, frequently playing younger versions of characters in dramas and teleseryes. Even in brief roles, she demonstrated an early ability to command viewer attention with her natural charisma. That potential expanded fully in her teenage years during the 2010s, when she became one of the decade’s defining stars both as part of a celebrated love team and as a solo performer.
Kathryn Bernardo is the lead actress of three of the highest-grossing Filipino films of all time. Hello, Love, Again sits at the top of the all-time chart with a global gross of 1.6 billion pesos. Hello, Love, Goodbye and The Hows of Us also rank among the highest-earning local films in Philippine cinema history, cementing Bernardo’s status as the country’s most commercially powerful actress.
MEGA Archives November 2024. Photographed by CENON AT MAV. Makeup by JUSTINE CLAUDIA DEL ROSARIO. Hair by JOHN VALLE. Styled by RYUJI SHIOMITSU
