Sincerely, Jessy

MANILA, Philippines – Artistas and writers are natural enemies. The former don’t want nosy journalists up in their business, while it’s the latter’s business to ask stars the questions they don’t want to hear, for the sake of the curious, showbiz-obsessed public. The truly savvy ones know it isn’t wise to flat-out refuse to answer an interviewer’s question. For this tricky job, a middleman must be employed. Enter the strict handler and/or road manager: high stewards and keepers of the gate. Before interviews even begin, they usually demand to see the questions, so they can weed out the thorny ones before allowing you to go anywhere near their ward. For Jessy Mendiola’s first Supreme cover shoot, I was preparing myself for the inevitable talk with her Star Magic companion. (Not all writers back down without putting up a fight.) I was ready to defend why all of the questions had to be asked — but from Danilyn (Jessy’s road manager), no off-limits warning came.

It’s strange, considering the 22-year-old I’m interviewing today is one of local show business’ most controversial young stars. While other celebrities her age meticulously uphold a squeaky-clean image, Jessy is on the frontline, firing shots at the many nasty bashers lurking in the comments section of her Instagram page. While other pretty young things have a lot of restrictions regarding necklines and hemlines, this one is casually uploading a beach photo in which she’s wearing little else but a smokin’ red bikini. (Many people assumed it was a subtle hint at the possibility of her being Angel Locsin’s Darna successor. But Jessy denies this, saying, “Hindi ba pwedeng red lang rin yung bikini ko nun? Lipad agad? Di ba pwedeng nag swimming lang?) Just recently, she was a hot topic because of that infamous airplane incident involving actor Enrique Gil, plus her alleged breakup with JM de Guzman, after a sweet reconciliation many people supported. That said, why didn’t I get the standard warning?

I take a good look at Jessy, seated on the makeup chair, wearing a floor-length black cotton dress and a cropped army jacket. She’s slimmer than when I last worked with her some two years ago. The long, wavy locks gone, replaced by a no nonsense bob. Her cheekbones are sharper, her brown eyes harder. The answer is right in front of me: Not all stars can be tamed.

Locked and loaded

Her handler asks her if she’s ready to be grilled. “Gooo.” I begin asking her my intact questions beginning with easy (“What have you been up to since your  last TV project?”) building up to hard (“Break na ba kayo ni JM? Yung totoo.”)

Because she’s been relatively quiet since Maria Mercedes ended in early 2014, her haters — who fester in gossip blogs — enjoy calling her “frozen delight.” (Very original.) She’s aware that the general impression is she’s been “tengga” for a while, but Jessy is too self-aware to sweat it. “After I did the movie The Trial with John Lloyd Cruz, I started working on You’re My Home in October 2014 (starts airing on Monday, Nov. 8 on ABS CBN),” she explains. “Tapos, I worked on a special presentation film for the CinemaOne Film Festival (Runs from November 8 to 17 at Trinoma, Glorietta, Resorts World, and SM Megamall.) It’s called Salvage, directed by Sherad Anthony Sanchez.” She also worked on the StarFlix mobile movie series Must Date the Playboy alongside Kim Chiu and Xian Lim. In between there were endorsement shoots, magazine cover shoots, TV guestings, and all the other artista things a girl like her has to do. “Frozen delight” is “maliit na bagay” compared to the other bizarre things said about her online. “Kaya daw kami nag break ni JM kasi nabuntis daw ako ni sir Gabby [Lopez, ABS CBN’s big boss], pinalaglag ko daw,” she says flatly. “Galing,” her voice dripping with sarcasm, as she slow claps for the person who came up with that teleserye-worthy rumor. The old Jessy believed in the merits of keeping quiet amidt ruthless online bashing, but that meek girl is dead.

 “Damned if you do and damned if you don’t,” she says, clearly exasperated. “If you don’t answer, people will think you’re weak. Or totoo yung issue kaya hindi ka nagsasalita. Kung pumatol ka naman, sasabihin patola ka. So might as well just say what you want to say.” (Trivia: Jessy thinks watching the TV series Scandal brought out her latent feistiness. “Si Olivia Pope kasi. ‘It’s handled.’ Pak!”)

Fire away

In September, Jessy’s haters were more active than usual, following that infamous airplane incident involving her and Enrique Gil.

Jessy never told the press what exactly happened, but she says it was nothing short of “traumatic.” So traumatic she’s now seeing a psychiatrist on the regular to help her cope. (This admission is also filed under not-your-typical-artista behavior. Other celebs would rather die than admit to seeing a shrink.) “I chose not to talk about it because I don’t want to ruin anyone’s name,” she says evenly. “Kung magsasalita pa ako ng magsasalita, alam mo naman ang bashers, ang mga fantards. Kahit pa mali ang ginawa ng idol nila, titirahin at titirahin pa rin nila yung naargabyado ng idol nila.”

A self-confessed introvert, Jessy admits she has considered quitting showbiz many times, especially when things like this happen. But her bosses believe in her — everyone’s beloved tita Charo Santos Concio has talked sense into Jessy several times, reminding her how lucky she is to be in that spot. “That’s what’s really nice about them. Whenever you doubt yourself, they remind you that they believe in you.”

Reloaded

Aside from her supportive management team, Jessy draws strength from her family and friends. You’ll hardly see anyone from showbiz in her core group. “It’s hard to find true friends in showbiz,” she says, reiterating every artista’s sentiment. “Mas gusto kong people behind the cameras or nonshowbiz yung friends ko. They pull me back to where I came from. I think that’s important.”

The topic is strength and inspiration, but oddly, she hasn’t mentioned JM de Guzman at all. “Break na ba kayo?” An enigmatic smile. “The are all kinds of love in this world, but never the same love twice,” she says, going Fitzgerald on me. Her road manager is now hovering, a sure sign that I am definitely pushing my luck.

The photo shoot starts. As she takes pose directions from the team, it’s easy to see why people assume she’s a “bitch.”(Jessy’s words, not ours) That icy beauty coupled with her defiant refusal to put on a ma-chika front makes her an anomaly in this industry. “I’ve always been an introvert and I’m not afraid to say that kasi iba-iba naman tayong mga tao eh,” she ruminates. “I’m sure kapag nabasa nila ‘to, a lot of people would relate kasi hindi naman lahat ng tao loud. Hindi naman lahat ng tao friendly. Hindi naman lahat ng tao, lahat ng madaanan nila eh ngingitian.”

It’s dangerous what she’s doing: speaking her mind online and off, refusing to fit the mould, walking this path alone instead of teaming up with a hot male actor — basically all the don’ts in the how-to-be-a-supahstar handbook. “Diyos ko, ngayon pa lang hirap na ko, ano kaya kung sobrang sikat ko,” she says unironically. (FYI, someone called her “starlet” on an IG post. Her reply? “Sinabi ko bang sikat ako?”) “I mean I have dream roles, I have dream projects, but I never really wanted to be that super, super superstar.”

Two layouts later, we’re done. She gives a beso to the people she’s close to, a polite wave to those she just met. The goodbye is short, but sincere and professional. Very Jessy.

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Tweet the author @IrishDDizon

Photo by Patrick Diokno

Produced by David Milan

Makeup by Kusie Ho for PREMENA SALON

using MAC Cosmetics

Hair by Aries Manal