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.
The news sent shockwaves around the world, leading many to question the authenticity of this bombshell revelation.
“I am very happy to announce that I am 3 months pregnant and Markos D1 is very happy that he will be dad,” May Lin wrote on her Instagram.
Just weeks later, Lyn May delighted her followers with a revealing glimpse into her pregnancy journey. She posted a brief video of her baby scan, proudly showcasing a due date of January 12, 2022.
It’s no wonder the news garnered international attention. According to the Guinness World Records, the oldest confirmed mother is María del Carmen Bousada Lara from Spain. In 2006, she gave birth to twin boys via cesarean section at the age of 66 years, at Sant Pau Hospital in Barcelona. If Lyn May’s pregnancy proceeded successfully, she would surpass this record. For context, in the United States, between 1997 and 1999, there were 539 births reported among mothers over the age of 50.
However, it soon became apparent that things might not have been as they seemed. Lyn May initially announced her intention to marry her fiancé, Markos D1 (whose real name is Marcos Hernandez), but began deleting posts about both the engagement and the pregnancy shortly thereafter.
It emerged that the relationship with Marcos might not have been as serious as Lyn May had suggested. Markos, a California-based musician, told Newsweek that he and Lyn May could only have conceived during a drunken one-night stand.
”We never had an actual relationship,” he said. ”It was kind of curious to me, because I did go to Mexico to the Pepsi Center, to an event that we were invited to. We drank. I drank so much that I don’t even know what happened that night. It was just crazy.”
”And then… she never told me anything. I was just getting [messages] on my Instagram, like, ‘Happy that you’re gonna be a dad,’ and it just went crazy.”
In a later interview with Newsweek, Marcos Hernandez revealed that he had discussed the situation with Lyn May. According to Marcos, the Mexican actress and dancer confessed that she had fabricated the pregnancy news as a publicity stunt for her upcoming farewell tour.
Truth about her face
As an exotic dancer and actress, Lyn May has always been meticulous about her appearance. Early photos showcase her striking features and her ability to captivate men.
However, the pursuit of beauty has not been without its challenges. Initially, Lyn sought to enhance her facial features, such as her cheekbones and jawline, through cosmetic procedures. But one of her attempts went horribly wrong and continues to haunt her.
According to OkChicas, Lyn was approached by a con artist who promised to rejuvenate her appearance. Young and somewhat naive, she fell for the scammer’s pitch. Instead of receiving the collagen injections she was promised—a common and temporary treatment for smoother skin and reduced wrinkles—Lyn was injected with cooking oil, baby oil, or water.
The result was the unsightly lumps that remain on her face today. In her 30s, Lyn turned to plastic surgery in hopes of correcting the damage. Unfortunately, the situation worsened before it got better. Although the surgeon managed to remove a small portion of the oil that had marred Lyn’s face, the ordeal left its mark, a poignant reminder of her quest for beauty.
Despite the setbacks, including the unfortunate cosmetic mishap and the public scrutiny surrounding her, Lyn May remains a figure of intrigue and strength.
Her story is not just about fame and beauty, but also about the complexities of personal struggle and the pursuit of one’s own path.