BB Gandanghari

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title: "BB Gandanghari" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1967-births", "living-people", "filipino-male-television-actors", "filipino-television-actresses", "filipino-television-variety-show-hosts", "filipino-male-film-actors", "filipino-film-actresses", "transgender-female-models", "transgender-comedians", "filipino-transgender-actresses", "filipino-lgbtq-comedians", "gma-network-(company)-people", "abs-cbn-people", "star-magic-personalities", "radio-philippines-network-personalities", "tv5-network-people", "pinoy-big-brother:-celebrity-edition-contestants", "filipino-lgbtq-film-directors", "filipino-women-comedians", "filipino-film-directors", "ucla-school-of-theater,-film-and-television-alumni", "padilla-family", "saint-louis-university-(philippines)-alumni", "21st-century-filipino-lgbtq-people", "21st-century-american-women", "21st-century-filipino-actresses", "21st-century-american-lgbtq-people", "naturalized-citizens-of-the-united-states", "comedians-from-quezon-city", "converts-to-jehovah's-witnesses", "place-of-birth-missing-(living-people)"] description: "Filipina actress and model (born 1967)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BB_Gandanghari" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Filipina actress and model (born 1967) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

Field	Value
name	BB Gandanghari
birth_date
occupation
years_active	1990–present
spouse
parents
family	Padilla family
citizenship
website	https://web.archive.org/web/20180216204827/http://bbglobal.us/
alias	Rustom Padilla (1990–2009)
alma mater
::

| name = BB Gandanghari | image = | image_size = | birth_date = | birth_place = | occupation = | years_active = 1990–present | spouse = | parents = | relatives = | family = Padilla family | citizenship = | website = https://web.archive.org/web/20180216204827/http://bbglobal.us/ | alias = Rustom Padilla (1990–2009) | height = | alma mater = Binibini "BB" Gandanghari (; formerly Rustom Padilla; born September 4, 1967) is a Filipino-American actress, model, entertainer, comedian, and director.

She is the elder sibling of Robin Padilla and the younger sibling of Royette and Rommel Padilla, all of whom are actors. Gandanghari enjoyed success in Philippine films in the early 1990s (as "Rustom Padilla"), before taking a hiatus in 2001.

She returned to prominence in 2006 when she joined the Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition where she came out as a gay male after 44 days. She would later came out as a transgender woman in 2009 when she adopted her current name and became an American citizen in 2022.

Early life and education

Binibini Gandanghari was born on September 4, 1967 to Casimiro Bustamante Padilla, a film director and Lolita Eva (née Cariño) who was also an actress. She has seven siblings: three brothers and four sisters. Gandanghari is assigned male at birth and went by the given name, Rustom, prior to transitioning in 2009.

Gandanghari holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from Saint Louis University in Baguio, Philippines and studied filmmaking at University of California Los Angeles in 2010. She finished Bachelor of Science in Entertainment Business in 2025.

Career

Gandanghari entered show business as a matinee idol and later as an action star. She was also the presenter of Philippine franchise for Wheel of Fortune on ABC. After her hosting stint, Gandanghari left the Philippines and studied film making in the United States. Gandanghari appeared in the film adaptation of the comic book Zsazsa Zaturnnah (her first film role as a gay man) as the gay salon owner Ada (Adrian), the alter ego of Zsazsa Zaturnnah. She appeared in the television series La Vendetta on GMA and the Happy Hearts, later appearing on the ABS-CBN teleserye, Eva Fonda.

In 2006, Gandanghari became one of the 14 housemates in Pinoy Big Brother: Celebrity Edition. On March 2, 2006, she came out as gay on the show. On day 45 of the competition, Gandanghari opted to voluntarily leave the house.

In 2009, Gandanghari hosted the National Kidlat Awards on the resort island of Boracay in Malay, Aklan. She appeared again in SRO Cinema Serye: Rowena Joy. In September 2017, Gandanghari signed with the Brogan Agency in Venice, California.

On 9 August 2019, she made her American television debut in the Netflix series GLOW, where she played a clairvoyant named Patricia in the eighth episode of the series' third season.

Personal life

She, her mother, Robin, and three siblings were raised as Roman Catholics and later converted to the Jehovah Witness religion in 1985.

Former marriage

Padilla and actress Carmina Villarroel started relationship on June 24, 1992. They married on June 4, 1994, in a civil ceremony in Caloocan. They separated in September 1997 and Villarroel filed for annulment within the same year, which was formally granted by the Court of Pasig in June 2002.

Gender identity

In January 2009, Gandanghari came out as a transgender woman and chose to undergo gender confirmation surgery. Her brother Robin Padilla at first fully accepted the decision, but later recanted his earlier statements and admitted that he was still shocked and not on good terms with her. Their mother, and all of Gandanghari's other siblings continue to address her by her former male deadname, Rustom.

Gandanghari originally used the name Patricia Padilla but later sourced her newfound name from an art student in University of Santo Tomas whose actual name was Ganda—Hari. She later altered this name which is derived from the Filipino words:

• Bb. — (abbreviation of Binibini, an honorific equivalent to "Maiden")
• Gandanghari — a portmanteau combination of the words ganda (beauty) and hari (royalty, kingship)

She also uses the word "Bb." refers to the saying "'Be' all that you can 'be'".

The Superior Court of California in Orange County approved both her legal name and gender in 2016. She previously worked as a bookkeeper for a debt collection agency. In 2017, Gandanghari reportedly obtained employment as a driver for Uber and later as a caregiver for elderly in the United States.

In 2022, she became a citizen of the United States while her current name is also recognized on her U.S. passport.

Filmography

Television

::data[format=table]

Year	Title	Role	Notes	1986–1993	1992–1997	1992–1994	1993	1994	1997	1997–1999	1999–2000	1999–2001	2001	2007–2008	2008–2009	2009	2009–2010	2012–2013	2015	2019	2022
Lunch Date	Herself/host	As Rustom Padilla
Valiente	Doctor Albert Rosales
17 Bernard Club	Herself
GMA Telesine Specials
Spotlight Drama Special
Star Drama Theater Presents: Carmina	Guest Episode title: Magkasuyo
Star Drama Theater Presents: Camille	Guest Episode title: Ang Daya Mo
Wansapanataym	Various roles
Pintados	Doctor Virus
Saan Ka Man Naroroon	Alex
Wheel of Fortune	Herself
La Vendetta	Alfie Camba
Eva Fonda	Patricia "Patty" Rosal	As BB Gandanghari
SRO Cinemaserye: Rowena Joy	Frannie
Cool Center	Herself
Enchanted Garden	Queen Michiko / Helfora
2½ Daddies	Evangelio "Eva" Pastoran / Gelo Pastoran
GLOW	Patricia
Metro Manila Film Festival Gabi ng Parangal	Herself/host
::

Film

• Onyong Majikero (1991)
• Magnong Rehas (1992)
• Narito ang Puso Ko (1992)
• Ngayon at Kailanman (1992)
• Hanggang Saan Hanggang Kailan (1993)
• Kapag Iginuhit ang Hatol ng Puso (1993)
• Gagay: Prinsesa ng Brownout (1993)
• Ikaw (1993)
• Kadenang Bulaklak (1994)
• Brat Pack (1994)
• Hindi Magbabago (1994)
• Mistah (1994)
• Mars Ravelo's Darna! Ang Pagbabalik (1994)
• Marami Ka Pang Kakaining Bigas (1994)
• Sana Dalawa ang Puso Ko (1995)
• The Jessica Alfaro Story (1995)
• Maruja (1996)
• Bilang Na ang Araw Mo (1996)
• Paano Kung Wala Ka Na (1997)
• Abuso: Case #6433 (1997)
• Walang Katapusang Init (1998)
• Ganito Na Akong Magmahal (1998)
• May Isang Pamilya (1999)
• Ako'y Ibigin Mo ... Lalaking Matapang (1999)
• Bilib Ako Sa'yo (1999)
• Ganito Ako Magmahal (1999)
• Yamashita: The Tiger's Treasure (2001)
• Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah, ze Moveeh (2006)
• Happy Hearts (2007)

References

References

1. Serato, Arniel. (5 September 2016). "BB Gandanghari posts sexy photo to celebrate '#almostgolden' birthday". Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc..
2. [http://www.robinpadilla.net/ct_CGthepadillafamily.htm bio] {{Webarchive. link. (July 6, 2017 . Robinpadilla.net. Retrieved on August 17, 2012.)
3. (July 13, 2025). "BB Gandanghari graduates summa cum laude with second degree". [[The Philippine Star]].
4. (March 24, 2019). "BB Gandanghari, nagre-recover pa sa bullying".
5. (July 14, 2025). "BB Gandanghari graduates summa cum laude". [[Manila Standard]].
6. (October 11, 2007). "Rustom finds his way home".
7. (September 14, 2017). "BB Gandanghari signs with U.S.-based talent agency". CNN Philippines.
8. (August 12, 2019). "BB Gandanghari appears in Netflix show 'Glow'". CNN Philippines.
9. (2 April 2000). "Rustom Padilla: Living Alone And Living Well". The Philippine Star.
10. Siazon, Rachelle. (June 23, 2020). "BB Gandanghari recalls how gay rumor tested Rustom Padilla's relationship with Carmina Villarroel".
11. (June 15, 2022). "BB Gandanghari offers condolences to Carmina Villarroel".
12. Siazon, Rachelle. (December 1, 2020). "Showbiz history: The coming-out story of BB Gandanghari".
13. (June 10, 2024). "LIST: Filipino celebrity couples whose marriages were annulled".
14. (21 June 2002). "Carmina and Rustom's marriage annulled". The Philippine Star.
15. (April 21, 2010). "Group backs Bebe Gandanghari's reported sex change plan". [[ABS-CBN]].
16. [https://www.pep.ph/lifestyle/16220/showbiz-transformations-2-of-looking-better-and-gender-benders Showbiz Transformations 2: Of Looking Better and Gender Benders] {{Webarchive. link. (March 22, 2019 . Pep.ph (June 16, 2008). Retrieved on 2012-08-17.)
17. [http://www.pep.ph/news/33477/robin-padilla-and-his-brothers-still-in-state-of-shock-over-bb-gandanghari-still-calls-bb-rustom, Robin Padilla and his brothers still in "state of shock" over BB Gandanghari; still calls BB "Rustom"]. Pep.ph. Retrieved on August 17, 2012.
18. Salanga, Elyas Isabelo L. (January 18, 2009). [http://www.pep.ph/news/20533/Rustom%20Padilla-is-now-known-as-Bebe-Gandanghari Rustom Padilla is now Bebe Gandanghari] [https://web.archive.org/web/20160508101927/http://www.pep.ph/news/20533/Rustom%20Padilla-is-now-known-as-Bebe-Gandanghari (archived)] PEP.Ph
19. Franco, Berni. (January 19, 2009). "Good-bye Rustom Padilla, Hello Bebe Gandanghari". ABS-CBN.com.
20. "BB Gandanghari bids goodbye to Rustom Padilla". ABS-CBN News.
21. Staff Report. (2017-12-07). "BB Gandanghari is now Uber driver in US".
22. (May 5, 2022). "'Officially American': BB Gandanghari gets US citizenship".
23. (24 December 2022). "BB Gandanghari, kaabang-abang ang mga pasabog sa Gabi ng Parangal ng MMFF 2022". Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc..
24. (August 13, 2019). "BB Gandanghari appears in Netflix show 'Glow'". [[ABS-CBN Corporation]].

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