OG "PBB" fans probably remember that tiny version of Lella Ford who once entered Bahay Ni Kuya back in 2022 to visit her mom, Karla Estrada, who was a house guest at the time. Fast-forward to now, and that same little girl is back—all grown up and blooming as one of the Star Magic housemates in "Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab Edition 2.0"!
In the October 28 episode, Lella got real about wanting to join "PBB" as her first move toward stepping out of her comfort zone, proving she can carve her own path, and getting to know herself better as she admittedly feels a little lost sometimes.
From her first TV commercial at just 10 years old to her big Star Magic signing last July, Lella’s showbiz story has always been a mix of legacy and self-discovery. We mean, when your mom is Karla and your 'kuya' happens to be 'the' Daniel Padilla, it’s hard not to be drawn to the spotlight. But now, she’s doing it differently, making sure her light shines on her own terms.
So, who is Lella, the "Blooming Bunso ng Tacloban"? Allow us to spill a few fun facts!
Since she's originally from Tacloban, she grew up hearing bits of the Waray dialect, though she's really not fluent since she spent most of her childhood in Quezon City due to her mom's work as an actress. Did you know that her first-ever commercial at age 10 was for a vitamin brand with her mom?
When her 'Kuya' DJ rose to fame as his generation's biggest heartthrob and leading man, Lella, the ever-curious ‘bunso,’ would often go with him to tapings, which sparked her interest in trying showbiz, too. Now that it’s her turn to follow her dreams, she’s lucky to have her mom guiding her and her protective brother making sure she’s doing it right.
Lella grew up in a big, close-knit family. She has three siblings on her mother’s side, making her the youngest of four. Among them, she’s closest to her sister Magui, her ultimate 'chika' partner and confidante, though she also shares a BFF-like relationship with her mom, whom she swears is her total look-alike. Agree?
Before joining "PBB Collab 2.0," Lella was homeschooled, though she also used to attend regular school. You can totally tell how much she values education. During the "Kalo-Clown Halloween Task" that aired last week, she even shared that one of her “multos” in life is wanting to study abroad like her sister.
Despite growing up around the glitz and glam of entertainment world, Lella’s circle mostly includes non-showbiz friends— just her school buddies, hangout crew, and volleyball pals. Yup, she's a certified ‘volleybelle’ and she’s been playing the sport since she was eight, influenced by her sister Magui, and cousin Analain Salvador, the four-peat MVP of the Star Magic All-Star Games, where Lella has already played as well and even made it to the Mythical 6 back in 2022.
Maybe it’s the athlete in her, but Lella’s got that competitive spirit. She’s also the loud and funny friend in the group, the one who plans all the bonding activities and insists on face-to-face hangouts instead of DMs, but TBH, she admits she gets a little shy around new people.
Watch Lella bloom inside Bahay Ni Kuya!
Catch “PBB Collab 2.0,” online via livestreams on the PBB YouTube Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), and iWant.