The girls are Yasmien Kurdi and Jennylyn Mercado. The boys are Mark Herras and Rainier Castillo.
Yasmien Kurdi was born on Jan. 25, 1988 in Mandaluyong. Her dad, Mike Kurdi, is French-Lebanese while her mom, Miriam Yuzon, is Filipino-Chinese. An only child, the whole family went to Kuwait when she was still an infant after her dad was assigned there by the company he works for.
"From grade one to six, I studied at the Philippine International School in Kuwait where I had so many Filipino classmates so I grew knowing how to speak Tagalog fluently," she says. "In June 2001, my grandfather here in Manila died and my mom wanted to return home for his funeral but my dad wouldn’t allow her to leave. He locked her up in their room. So my mom and I escaped to Manila and we never returned there. My dad is still there and we have lost communication with him."
She is now a third year high school student at the New Era College. "I really want to join show business and I started as a print ad model. I’m also into singing and I appeared in some school plays. When I found out that GMA 7 was holding auditions for Starstruck, I decided to apply since their building is just walking distance from where my mom and I live in Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City. I thought hindi ako nakuha because it’s been three weeks and they haven’t gotten in touch with me. When they finally did, I really jumped with joy."
Yasmien stands 5’4" and measures 35-25-35. People say she looks like Donita Rose, Tonirose Gayda and Bea Alonzo. But in person, the one she resembles the most for us is Jenny Roa. Yasmien is being managed by Wyngard Tracy.
Jennylyn Mercado was born on May 15, 1987. The youngest of two girls, their family lives in BF Resort, Las Piñas. She finished grade school at the Perpetual Help University in Las Piñas and is now a high school senior at the Agustinian Abbey. She confesses that she has had one boyfriend but she decided to break up with him when she became very busy with her assignments at Starstruck.
She has always loved to sing and, as a matter of fact, has started singing in some bars.
"I visited a friend working at Café de Malate at pinakanta niya ko," she says. "When the owner heard me, he asked me to sing there regularly. I had a three-month stint with them but I had to stop dahil bawal sa school ko. But I still get to sing in other bars every now and then. When GMA 7 got me as a Starstruck finalist, I had no choice but to stop my studies dahil ayaw nila sa school ko na mag-showbiz ako."
Jennylyn is managed by Manny Valera, who immediately took her to a professional photographer for a series of pictorials. "We experimented with different looks and hairstyles," says Manny. "I’ve also asked JC Buendia to do her gowns as a chanteuse. I’ve booked her with Punchline so she can get more used to performing before a live audience. She sings like Toni Braxton. A clothing and jeans store is now also offering to get her as their image model. Director Maryo de los Reyes also agreed to include her in the cast of his new movie, Naglalayag, where she’ll be acting with Nora Aunor and Yul Servo. Likewise, I told her to improve on her PR abilities because she lacks warmth when she deals with people."
Mark Herras feels very fortunate that Lolit Solis was assigned to be his manager. "I can feel we’ll get along fine because she’s very caring," he says. "When she asked me to do hosting work for her in Startalk, hindi talaga siya tumigil hangga’t hindi nabibigay ang talent fee kong P1,000."
The younger one of two sons, Mark was born on Dec. 14, 1986 to Claudio and Jasmin Herras. He finished grade and high school at Regina Coeli School in Sta. Rosa, Laguna and was a business management freshman at La Salle Cavite when his dad, a retired banker, was conned by a pyramid scam artist.
"He lost all the money he got from his retirement at naghirap talaga kami so I was forced to drop out," he sighs. "We now earn a living through the small grocery store my mom owns. It’s my dad who encouraged me to join Starstruck. At first, ayoko dahil wala akong hilig sa showbiz. But after I auditioned and was lucky enough to be a finalist, I started liking it. Masaya kasi. You get to meet a lot of new people."
Mark stands 5’7", sings, dances and acts, but says it’s dancing he does best. "I did a lot of dancing in school presentations," he says. "I also want to try comedy because I’m kalog in person."
He admits he has had 14 girlfriends so far. "But only three of those are serious relationships. The others, fling lang. I broke up with the last one when I joined Starstruck. Kasi, instead of being supportive, she even complained that I don’t have time to visit her anymore so buti pang wala na lang girlfriend muna."
Lolit already got him a contract to be a model for notebook covers and she’s also sending him to train in personality development with Patty Betita.
"He needs to improve his speech because he talks too fast," says Lolit. "I’ve also booked him to guest in All Together Now, Nuts Entertainment and Idol Ko Si Kap. He reminds me of Rudy Fernandez na masayahin at makulit."
Rainier Castillo is honest enough to admit that he didn’t expect to be one of the final four survivors because he did not fare very well in some of the tests given them before. He now wants to thank fans who troop to the Broadway Centrum studio every Friday to cheer and pray for him.
One scribe commented that his avid fans sound like they are going to run amuck if Rainier would not win in the show. Standing 5’5", Rainier is a chinito who sports a layered hairdo similar to F4’s Jerry Yan to whom his fans now compare him.
Born Oct. 21, 1985, Rainier reveals his parents separated when he was only three months old. He is the second of two children and he has a sister who’s older than him by one year. "It’s difficult to grow up without a father," he says. "I have never seen my dad except in the pictures he left behind. We don’t even have an idea as to where he is now."
Did he ask his mother why they broke up? "I did, but she would not tell me anything. Ayaw niyang magkuwento at all. She’s the one who earns a living for all of us by working at Sogo Hotel."
Rainier was raised in Project 8, where he finished high school at the Colegio de San Lorenzo. He was a college freshman at AMA in Project 8 when he joined the audition for Starstruck.
He is now managed by Douglas Quijano who immediately took him to a professional photographer so he can have his own transparencies that Douglas distributed to editors during the Starstruck press conference. "He will soon be joining the Bench stable of models," says Douglas. "I’ve also booked him and the other finalists to guest in Lagot Ka, Isusumbong Kita. I like him because he’s determined to succeed. Some say malamya siya kumilos, but I tell you right now, hindi siya bading."
Asked what his best asset is, Rainer replies: "I think it’s my killer smile."
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who will emerge as the final two survivors among these four hopefuls? Find out when Starstruck stages its finals on Jan. 30, Friday.