Misplaced Pages

Yasmien Kurdi
Kurdi in 2011
Born	Yasmien Yuson Kurdi (1989-01-25) January 25, 1989 (age 35) San Juan, Philippines
Alma mater	Arellano University (BA)
Occupations	Singer actress model
Years active	2003–present
Agent	Sparkle (2003–present)
Label	GMA Music
Spouse	Rey Soldevilla Jr. ​(m. 2012)​
Children	2

Yasmien Yuson Kurdi-Soldevilla (Tagalog: [ˈjasmin ˈkəɹdi]; born January 25, 1989) is a Filipino singer, actress and model. She was one of the Final Four in the first season of StarStruck, a reality-based talent search show by GMA Network in the Philippines, where she finished as first runner-up. Kurdi graduated magna cum laude from Arellano University with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in political science. She is currently an exclusive artist of GMA Network.

She is known for the roles of Mira in the hit fantasy series Encantadia, Salve Dizon de Leon in the remake of Babangon Ako't Dudurugin Kita and Shayne Rodrigo in the hit remake Saan Darating ang Umaga?, a role originally played by Maricel Soriano. She was also known in Rhodora X as Angela, Dolores in the hit afternoon drama series Yagit and Ysabel in the hit Sa Piling ni Nanay which extended many times due to high ratings.

As a singer, Kurdi released two studio albums. Her first album, In the Name of Love was released in 2006 and attained platinum status while in 2007, her second album, Love Is All I Need, reached gold status.

Early life

Yasmien Yuson Kurdi was born to a Muslim father, Mohammad Kurdi, and Miriam Ong-Yuson, who is a member of Iglesia ni Cristo. She is of Lebanese and Chinese Filipino (maternal) descent. She spent most of her early life in Kuwait because of her father’s work there, and was there with her family during the Gulf War. She was a member of the junior choir in her church before joining StarStruck. She studied elementary in Jabriya Indian School, high school in Angelicum College and graduated magna cum laude with a degree of political science in Arellano University.

Career

2003–2006: Starstruck, career beginnings, and In The Name of Love

Her early career included modeling for Candy, Seventeen, and MOD magazine. She was one of the finalists in ABS-CBN's ASAP Pond's Soft Skin Search, but lost to the Jaboom twins.

2007–2011: Breakthrough and Love Is All I Need

In May 2007, after her success in the Bakekang series as "Charming", Kurdi starred in Pati Ba Pintig ng Puso with JC de Vera. She played Jenna, a maid who has an eye on her employer's grandson. In its press conference, GMA Network crowned her as its GMA Drama Princess. On September 10, 2007, Kurdi starred again with JC de Vera in Pasan Ko ang Daigdig, which originally starred Sharon Cuneta in 1987. After their huge success as a loveteam in Pati Ba Pintig ng Puso, GMA cast them both in Sine Novela.

The network gave them an adaptation of another Sharon Cuneta movie, Babangon Ako't Dudurugin Kita. The series crushed its rival My Girl. In the last quarter of 2008, Kurdi led the remake of Saan Darating ang Umaga? which garnered prime time ratings, though it aired in the afternoon. The Sine Novela is a top rater and the all-time highest in national TV ratings, never beaten by Dapat Ka Bang Mahalin? which held the Mega Manila only.

Kurdi then appeared on Dear Friend: Madrasta, which topped the weekend daytime ratings. She then starred in SRO Cinemaserye's suspense drama Suspetsa.

In 2010, Kurdi was cast in her first role as a villain, on the GMA Network fairy tale television series Grazilda.

2011–2017: Rising popularity

In 2011, Kurdi joined the epic series Amaya for a multi-episode guest arc playing Apila, she then quit show business to concentrate on her college education and raising a family, coming back in 2013 after a two-year hiatus. Recently, she starred in the hit afternoon drama series Sa Piling ni Nanay where she played a surrogate mother.

2018: Critical acclaim

In 2018, after 1 year on hiatus, she made her TV comeback in Hindi Ko Kayang Iwan Ka. Through the show, Kurdi bagged the Best Drama Actress award at the 32nd PMPC Star Awards for TV.

Personal life

In 2013, Kurdi revealed to Philippine Entertainment Portal that she married pilot Rey Soldevilla on January 25, 2012, on her 23rd birthday. On November 22, 2012, she gave birth to their first daughter, Ayesha Zara. On April 28, 2024, Kurdi welcomed their second daughter, Raya Layla, via caesarean section since her umbilical scar from her first birth was still thin and the infant had a cord coil.

Alleged bullying of her eldest daughter at Colegio San Agustin – Makati came to light on December 10, 2024, when Kurdi claimed on Instagram that seven of Ayesha’s classmates ganged her up on by blocking her exit from a room. They even refused her food, while other students harassed her through videography, causing her paranoia and anxiety sufferings. The incident was met with widespread comment on Philippine social media, denouncing the gaslighting and online hate group against the Kurdi-Soldevilla family for years. Kurdi also posted Ayesha's cut-up Polaroid photo on her desk. On December 17, lawyers representing the Colegio released a statement denying Kurdi's accusations.

Health

In early 2014, Kurdi was diagnosed with a cyst on her vocal folds, which explained hoarseness in her voice. She was scheduled for surgery in July 2014 to remove the cyst. According to her doctor, there was no guarantee that her voice would fully recover after the operation.

Filmography

Film

Television

Discography

In 2005, Kurdi released her first album, In the Name of Love, under GMA Records. She released her first single, "I Know" (which was used as a Filipino soundtrack of the Korean teledrama Sweet 18 aired by GMA), followed by "In the Name of Love" and "Umaambisyon" in the same year. In 2007 she released her second album, Love Is All I Need, which included the singles "Candlelight Romance", "Goodbye", "Kisapmata", "One Day", "Take It or Leave It", "Even If" and "Love Is All I Need".

Albums

Singles

Compilation and soundtrack appearances

Music videos

Awards and nominations

References

1. "Yasmien Kurdi celebrates birthday with women from Kaisahang Buhay Foundation". Official Website of GMA Network. GMA Network Inc. January 29, 2014. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
2. "Yasmien Kurdi celebrates 27th birthday at Cribs Foundation". Official Website of GMA Network. GMA Network Inc. January 24, 2016. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
3. Solis, Lolit (December 28, 2014). "Mother Lily nagpasalamat sa 'power' ni Gov. Vi". Pilipino Star Ngayon (in Tagalog). Retrieved February 4, 2016.
4. Solis, Lolit (January 25, 2013). "Yasmien Kurdi, naayos na ang gusot sa kanyang ina". Pinoy Parazzi (in Tagalog). Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
5. "Yasmien Kurdi music, videos, stats, and photos". Last.fm. November 20, 2023.
6. "LOOK: Yasmien Kurdi graduates magna cum laude from Arellano University". Rappler. Archived from the original on July 18, 2022. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
7. ^ "PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal): Showbiz and Beyond". PEP.ph.
8. "Yasmien Kurdi and Rey Soldevilla Jr.'s Baby Ayesha turns 1". PEP.ph.
9. Severo, Jan (May 1, 2024). "Yasmien Kurdi gives birth to 2nd child via C-section". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
10. Mallorca, Hannah (December 18, 2024). "CSA tells Yasmien Kurdi to 'cooperate' amid 'bullying' involving daughter". inquirer.net. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
11. "Yasmien Kurdi shares heartbreak of finding a photo of daughter cut up into pieces". gmanetwork.com. December 13, 2024. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
12. "CSA Makati denies bullying incident involving Yasmien Kurdi's daughter". Bilyonaryo News Channel. December 19, 2024. Retrieved December 19, 2024.
13. Blanco, Eunice (April 15, 2014). "Yasmien Kurdi has cyst on her vocal chords". The Philippine Star. Philippines: STAR Group of Publications. Archived from the original on May 5, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
14. Tunay na Buhay (Yasmien Kurdi) – April 23, 2014 on YouTube (in Tagalog)
15. Francisco, Butch (February 23, 2006). "The Box-Office Entertainment Awards". Philstar.com. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
16. Allan Castalone. "MYX Music Awards 2006 Winners". Mukamo. Archived from the original on August 14, 2007. Retrieved September 12, 2020.
17. "32nd Star Awards for TV winners revealed; ASAP joins MMK, Eat Bulaga, Bubble Gang in Hall of Fame". PEP.ph.

External links

• Media related to Yasmien Kurdi at Wikimedia Commons
• Yasmien Kurdi at IMDb
• Yasmien Kurdi at iGMA.tv

• 1989 births
• Living people
• Actresses from Metro Manila
• Converts to Roman Catholicism from Unitarianism
• Kurdish Christians
• Filipino child actresses
• Filipino women pop singers
• Filipino people of Chinese descent
• Filipino people of Kurdish descent
• Filipino people of Lebanese descent
• Filipino Roman Catholics
• Filipino television actresses
• Filipino voice actresses
• Former members of Iglesia ni Cristo
• GMA Music artists
• GMA Network (company) people
• New Era University alumni
• Actresses from Quezon City
• Actors from San Juan, Metro Manila
• StarStruck (Philippine TV series) participants
• Tagalog people
• 21st-century Filipino singers
• 21st-century Filipino women singers