Lyn May, the dazzling Chinese Mexican showgirl who captivated presidents and starred in nearly 100 films, was at the height of her fame when a stunning twist changed everything.
In the early 1990s, a routine Botox appointment went horribly wrong, and instead of the intended treatment, something else disastrously altered her appearance.
You might not know Lyn May yet, but in Mexico, she’s a legendary figure. Known as “The Goddess of Love,” May has an extraordinary life story that’s as captivating as her career.
This dazzling icon of the Mexican film industry is famed for enchanting audiences and is even rumored to have bewitched presidents. Her remarkable journey is one you won’t want to miss – so let’s get started!
The American sailor
Lyn May was born as Lilia Guadalupe Mendiola Mayares in 1952. She hails from Acapulco, Mexico, and has Chinese heritage.
From a young age, she learned that nothing comes for free and had to contribute financially to her family. As a child, she sold souvenirs to tourists, helping to boost her household’s income. As she grew older, she worked as a waitress, a job that would change her life forever. It was on this job that she met her first great love—a 30-year-older American sailor.
Despite the age difference, the couple was inseparable. Lyn moved to Mexico City with her new husband, and they had two daughters together. However, after five years, Lyn left her husband, alleging that he had both physically abused and sexually exploited their children.
Breakthrough
After divorcing her American husband, Lyn May relocated to Acapulco, where she began working as a dancer. Despite having little formal training, Lyn May stood out when she danced in a miniskirt.
What started as a simple job quickly opened doors to bigger opportunities. Before long, she found herself on Mexican television, appearing on the iconic show Siempre en Domingo. This program was one of the most influential and popular TV shows in Latin America, making Lyn May a familiar face across the region.
Her rising fame caught the attention of businessman Enrique Lombardini, who ran the renowned Teatro Esperanza Iris. He invited Lyn to perform in his burlesque shows, a proposition that initially made her uncomfortable. Her reluctance was evident on stage, where she was met with boos from the audience for not fully undressing.
However, within a week, Lyn decided to embrace the burlesque style, and when she finally shed her clothes on stage, the reaction was electric. According to Wikipedia, it caused a furor among the male audience. Impressed by her impact, Lombardini gave her the title ”Lyn May: The Goddess of Love.” She became a prominent figure in the Ficheras films of the 1970s and 1980s—a genre that centered around the humorous and often provocative tales of working-class Mexicans and their sexual escapades.
However, as the popularity of Ficheras films waned, Lyn May gradually faded from the spotlight.
But the late 1990s saw her make a triumphant return to television screens.
From her bold statements to her striking public behaviors, Lyn May always captivated attention with her fearless personality.
She appeared in music videos, popular TV shows, and documentaries, reminding everyone of the unique charisma that had made her a star.
Dug up her husband
After her tumultuous relationship with her American husband ended, Lyn May found love again with businessman Antonio Chi Su. The couple married in 1989 and together opened a Chinese restaurant in Mexico City. Their partnership was strong, but tragedy struck in 2004 when Chi Su, was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The couple bravely faced the illness together for several years, but Chi Su sadly passed away in 2008.
Overwhelmed by grief, Lyn May struggled to cope, resorting to extreme measures to deal with her sorrow. In a candid interview on the show El Minuto Que Cambió Mi Destino, she addressed shocking rumors that had circulated about her. Lyn bravely confirmed that she had, in fact, exhumed her husband’s body and brought it home, revealing that she even slept beside his remains.
”I lived with him for 25 years; it was a 25-year marriage, and I didn’t want to let him go. I loved him… Yes, I dug him up and slept beside him,” Lyn May confessed.
”My mother fought with me every day, she told me, ‘You are not going to let him rest.’ We fought every day because I would not let go of him.”
In the end, Lyn’s mother convinced her that she had to let go. Lyn May didn’t share how long she lived with her husband’s body or how she eventually managed to move on.
Affair with the president
Speaking of provocative statements, Lyn May once claimed she had an affair with a former President of Mexico, though she never revealed his identity.
Speculation suggests that the President in question might be José López Portillo, who was also rumored to have had a relationship with, and later married, actress Sasha Montenegro.
In 2008, Lyn May married film producer Guillermo Calderón Stell, remaining with him until his death in 2018.
Pregnant at 68
In August 2021, Lyn May made headlines once again with a stunning announcement. The 68-year-old revealed that she was pregnant, with her 29-year-old fiancé, Markos D1, reported to be the father.