Six things you didn't know about Yasmien Kurdi

Yasmien Kurdi started out in showbiz in 2003 as a young and fresh-faced finalist on GMA-7’s reality-based talent show "Starstruck." She finished first runner-up and went on to do numerous film and television projects, and even released her very own music album!

She surprised many when in 2011, at the height of her career, she suddenly left showbiz. The usual speculations went around: Was she pregnant? Was she on her way to becoming a “fallen star” like many young actresses that came before her? Yasmien at the time was no longer around to answer the questions.

But she came back. In 2013, she returned to GMA to do projects like “Indio”, “Anna Karenina” and “Genesis.” Now, her career continues to flourish as she stars in the primetime teleserye, “Rhodora X.”

On “Tunay na Buhay,” the soft-spoken actress and singer finally speaks up. Why did she leave all of a sudden? And now that she’s back, is she the same Yasmien her fans have grown to love?

She spent most of her early years traveling
Yasmien was born in the Philippines to a Lebanese father and Filipino mother.

She spent most of her early years in Kuwait during the Gulf War. Because of this, her family had to move from country to country — she spent years in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Her family even moved back to the Philippines for three years before heading back to Kuwait when the conflict settled.

Yasmien said her father was strict with her growing up. “Muslim kasi ‘yung dad ko so medyo conservative,” she said.

She moved back to the Philippines at the age of 12, but she hasn’t forgotten her Lebanese roots. In fact, she is fluent in Arabic!

Her childhood dream? To become famous!
Yasmien has always dreamt of being in the limelight. She started singing at a young age of three and joined singing competitions when she was in kindergarten.

She also did print ads and endorsement deals before finally auditioning for “Starstruck” at the age of 14.

Her audition almost didn’t push through because she wasn’t prepared. Showbiz reporter Nelson Canlas, who was then working with the show, encouraged her to join anyway. “Sa simula pa lang, nakikitain mo na talaga siya na gusto niya maging artista,” he said.

Yasmien remains grateful for the opportunities the reality talent search had given her. “Binigyan niya ako ng magandang buhay na hindi ko ine-expect,” she said. “Sobrang daming blessings.”

She’s a vegetarian and an animal rights activist
After her big break in the fantasy teleserye “Encantadia”, Yasmien was hit with criticisms on her sudden weight gain. “Nakikita lang nila ‘yung physical, hindi ‘yung talento mo,” she said.

Yasmien resolved to adopt a healthier eating lifestyle by going vegetarian.

She is also a member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals or PETA. She recalled how her advocacy started when she was a teenager, saying, “Naaawa ako sa mga hayop na inaabuso. Dapat talaga maayos ang pagtrato natin [sa kanila.]”

She left showbiz to pursue her studies
At the height of Yasmien’s career, she made the decision to leave the industry in 2011.

She said she wanted to be far from the spotlight, and the intrigue and attention that came with it. “Napagod po ako,” she admitted.

“Gusto ko mag-aral,” explained Yasmien, who graduated with a Nursing degree from New Era University. “Gusto ko iwanan ang lahat at gusto ko maging normal na tao.”

She met her husband on an airplane
Yasmien’s husband, Rey Soldevilla, worked as a flight attendant. Yasmien took a plane that he was flying on.

Their conversation icebreaker? A trunk!

“May dala akong baul na malaki tapos pinipilit ko siyang ipasok sa compartment,” recalled Yasmien. “Sabi niya, i-check in ko raw tapos sabi ko, hindi pwede.”

They exchanged flirty glances throughout the flight, mostly from Rey’s end. “Siguro ang ganda-ganda ko talaga na gusto niya ako,” she jokingly said.

They were married in 2012 and now have a daughter named Ayesha Zara – a name that means “bright flower” in Hindi.

For her, everything happens for a reason
In April this year, Yasmien was told that she had a cyst on her vocal cords that had to be removed. She is scheduled for surgery in July.

“Sabi nila sa akin, wala raw kasiguraduhan na babalik pa ‘yung quality ng voice ko,” she said tearfully. “Naaalala ko lang kasi for a time, ‘yung voice ko ang naging puhunan ko, nag-open sa akin ng maraming opportunities.”

Despite this setback, Yasmien remains hopeful and continues to believe that everything in life has a purpose. “Huwag kang susuko agad sa mga gusto mong i-achieve, kasi may mga reasons din naman ang lahat kung bakit hindi nangyayari ito o hindi napaaga,” she said. —Aimee Dacanay/CM, GMA News