Jessy Mendiola is a Filipina actress born in Dubai. Jessy officially started her career in the show business at 13 years old when she became her family’s breadwinner as a child.
In an interview with Esquire PH, Jessy, on her childhood, hears the bombs in her brain when asked about her early years before she moved to Manila. She replies, “No, I don’t recall my childhood,” to the interviewer. Because of the war, her mother had to be extremely cautious whenever she left the house. They went from hotel to hotel, from Abu Dhabi to Bahrain to Lebanon, depending on where her musician father could find work. When the bombing was at its fiercest, there were occasions when they would hide in the bathtub. There were also moments when they would hole up in her grandparents’ home while the war raged outside their door.
Jessy relocated to the Philippines with her mother, Didith and sister Pamela when she was just a toddler. Their parents got separated before they relocated to the Philippines.
Roger, her father, remained in Bahrain.
Roger and Didith reconciled a few years after their split, giving birth to Megan, their second daughter.
Jessy’s parents finally decided to end their relationship.
Jessy finished her elementary education at Quezon City’s Our Lady of Mercy School. She attended home school while finishing her secondary education and working full-time in the entertainment industry.
Jessy happily revealed on Instagram in March 2017 that she had returned to school at 24 after signing up for a pattern-making course at the Creative School of Entrepreneurship, Fashion, and Design.
Jessy had no desire to work in the entertainment sector.
The actress acknowledged this in a March 2013 exclusive interview with Esquire Philippines.
Jessy described, “I started doing commercials when I was three and entered show business when I was 13 going on 14. At first, I didn’t want to enter showbiz. When they got me, they had to convince me to do it. I even told them to give me three days to think about it.”
“I tried it out and started doing small roles here and there.”
In the past years, she struggled with her weight. She was dissatisfied with her previous way of life and constantly wanted to seem “perfect.” Jessy previously received the moniker “Pata Queen” from the Philippine film industry press because of her large “pata” (legs). She struggled with the weight loss battle.
In an article with Rappler, Jessy said, “I was depressed and heartbroken at that time (2013), and I gained 25 lbs (3rd pic). I still kept pushing myself to work out every day. I suffered from Bulimia and B.E.D (Binge Eating Disorder), desperate to lose weight in a short period – from 135lbs I went down to 103lbs (4th pic).”
She has reduced weight, yet she is still dissatisfied. In addition to her weight problems, she was constantly criticized for her personal life.
Later, she was contacted by a nutritionist and trainer who, along with his then-boyfriend-turned-husband Luis Manzano, assisted her in determining her ideal diet and training regimen. Jessy significantly improved, and the couple is currently expecting their first child.
