Piolo Pascual (born Piolo Jose Nonato Pascual on 12 January 1977) is a Filipino actor, recording artist, producer, television personality, and businessman. Pascual began a career in 1993 after landing a bit role in the film The Vizconde Massacre Story (God Help Us!) and made his first television appearance in the youth-oriented talent and variety show, That's Entertainment. He rose to fame after he was chosen as the leading man of Judy Ann Santos in the 1997 classic soap opera, Esperanza. They went on to star in several other television series and films, including Sa Puso Ko, Iingatan Ka (2001-2003), Sa Piling Mo (2006), Bakit 'Di Totoohanin (2001), Till There Was You (2003), and Don't Give Up on Us (2006). In 2002, Pascual starred in the period film Dekada '70 alongside Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon, which earned him a Best Supporting Actor win at the 2003 PMPC Star Awards for Movies, FAMAS Awards, and Gawad Urian Awards. He won another FAMAS Award for Best Actor for the 2023 horror film Mallari. In 2018, Pascual co-founded independent film company Spring Films with film and television director Joyce Bernal and Erikson Raymundo. Spring Films produced Eugene Domingo's Kimmy Dora movie series and the 2017 sleeper hit Kita Kita, the highest-grossing Philippine independent film.