Celestine Cruz Gonzaga-Soriano (; born January 20, 1984), better known as Toni Gonzaga, is a Filipino singer, host, actress, producer, vlogger and entrepreneur. Referred as the country's "Ultimate Multimedia Superstar" by various media outlets, she is the former lead host of long-running reality show, Pinoy Big Brother. She also owns a YouTube channel which is Toni Gonzaga Studio that has over 6 million subscribers and currently hosts Toni on All TV.
Personal life
Toni Gonzaga was born Celestine Cruz Gonzaga on January 20, 1984, in Taytay, She is the eldest daughter of former punong barangay, councilor and vice mayor Carlito "Bonoy" and Crisanta "Pinty" (née Cruz) Gonzaga, who also acts as her talent manager. Her sister, Catherine "Cathy" Gonzaga, professionally known as Alex Gonzaga, is also an actress, comedian, television host and vlogger. In Taytay, she was an elected Barangay Kagawad for one term and a Sunday school teacher in Taytay United Methodist Church. She studied mass communication at the Dominican College in San Juan for two years. Later, she transferred to the Asian Institute for Distance Education (AIDE) and shifted her major to AB English, which she wasn't able to finish due to her busy showbiz schedule. She is currently enrolled at the University of the Philippines Open University taking up her bachelor's degree in multimedia studies. Gonzaga is an active member of the United Methodist Church.
On February 1, 2015, during her guesting in the Sunday talk show The Buzz, Gonzaga announced her engagement to director Paul Soriano, her boyfriend of eight years. They were married on June 12, 2015, at 3 p.m. in the United Methodist Church in Taytay, Rizal. In February 2016, a source announced that the couple was expecting their first child, due in late 2016 or early 2017. Gonzaga herself confirmed the announcement on ASAP on April 17, 2016. Gonzaga gave birth to their first child, a son named Severiano Elliott, on September 30, 2016. Her second child, a daughter named Paulina Celestine, was born on August 11, 2023.
On February 8, 2022, Gonzaga hosted the UniTeam Alliance's proclamation rally in the Philippine Arena and declared her support for former senator Bongbong Marcos in the 2022 presidential elections. Her endorsement attracted widespread media attention, as well as mixed responses from colleagues in the entertainment industry.
Career
1997–2004: Career beginnings
Gonzaga started in local entertainment at the age of 13. It was in 1997 where she joined a singing competition called "Metropop Star Search", which was then aired on GMA. Two other Filipina singers, Kyla and Faith Cuneta, started their career on the singing competition television show. Gonzaga won the competition.
Gonzaga's biggest break in the entertainment industry was her Sprite TV ad with Piolo Pascual in 2001. In 2002, she released her eponymous debut album under Prime Music and a cover of Gary Valenciano's "Paano" was released as its carrier single. Later that year, she became one of the main hosts in the long-time afternoon variety show Eat Bulaga. In 2002, she was cast in the primetime television series Habang Kapiling Ka starring Angelika dela Cruz. In March 2004, she joined Studio 23's Wazzup Wazzup with Archie Alemania and Vhong Navarro. She also sang "Doon", the theme song of TAPE, Inc.'s afternoon TV drama on GMA, Ikaw Sa Puso Ko, which starred StarStruck finalist Nadine Samonte with Oyo Boy Sotto as the leading man.
2005–2008: Breakthrough with ABS-CBN
In January 2005, Gonzaga transferred to ABS-CBN, and became a host of the Pinoy Big Brother series and the Sunday musical variety program ASAP. In the same year, she starred as a lead in her first comedy-horror film, D' Anothers in which Vhong Navarro was her love interest. In 2006, she released her second album and her first under Star Records entitled Toni: You Complete Me and starred in her first prime time drama series Crazy for You opposite Luis Manzano. Her film You Are the One with Sam Milby was released the same year upon which she was awarded by the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Foundation, Inc. (GMMSF) the following year for the said film. In 2007, Gonzaga released her third studio album Falling in Love and film You Got Me!. In 2008, she had her first solo major concert at the Aliw Theater titled "Catch Me, Toni Gonzaga: First Major Concert" which had a repeat the same year. After the success of her first major concert, she released her fourth studio album, Love Is.... Later, she launched her fourth film, My Big Love, her third with Sam Milby. After the blockbuster team up of Gonzaga and Milby, she once again starred opposite Vhong Navarro in the film My Only Ü.