At first glance, Krystal Mejes looks like a princess who came straight out of a fairytale—glowing skin, soft-spoken voice, and that 'tisay' beauty that gives off main-character-royalty energy. But Krystal isn’t from some city palace. She actually comes from humble roots as a proud Waray, the ethnolinguistic group part of the Visayan community in the islands of Leyte, Biliran, and Samar, which her family proudly calls home.
Krystal is bringing her roots with her as she enters “Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab 2.0,” the all-new edition where next generation of Kapamilya (Star Magic) and Kapuso (Sparkle) artists, a.k.a. Kabataang Pinoy, will form new friendships and share one journey as they live in one house.
So, where are her fellow Warays at? Keep your eyes on Krystal, the “Wishful Waray ng Samar,” as your homegrown girl is about to slay inside Bahay Ni Kuya!
This Waray dreams big
The Kapamilya star’s journey literally started with a dream, sparked by watching the fantasy-drama series "Mutya," which made her realize she wanted to be an actress, too. That dream took her from Samar all the way to Manila, and it didn’t take long before she booked her first big break playing Becca, Julia Montes’s daughter, in "Doble Kara" (2015).
She later joined Star Magic and showed a totally different side, portraying the 'bad girl' Amber in "Nang Ngumiti ang Langit" where one of her co-stars was Miguel Vergara, who will also be her housemate in "PBB Collab 2.0."
Like many of her batchmates, Krystal took a short break during the pandemic when labor restrictions affected child actors. Still, her passion never dimmed. If anything, she came back stronger as one of the Star Magic Freshies and went on to headline the short film "Matapang," which earned her the Best Actress trophy at the 2023 Paris Film Awards. Now that's pretty major!
Her momentum continued as she joined the powerhouse cast of "Lavender Fields" (2024) alongside Jodi Sta. Maria, Albert Martinez, Edu Manzano, and Maricel Soriano. Currently, she's part of the gripping mystery series "What Lies Beneath."
This Waray loves with loyalty
Seventeen-year-old Krystal is such a 'family' girl. Here in Manila, she lives with her older brother and cousin, while her mom and little brother stay in Catbalogan. At home, she describes herself as a “princess” who doesn’t do much chores. We’ll see how that changes when she steps inside Bahay ni Kuya!
Her mom’s super strict about dating, so love life’s on pause for now (career first, boys later!) and she's never been courted yet. Still, Krystal knows her type. Read: tall, God-fearing, family-oriented, and insightful. And if we’re talking celebrity crushes, she’s got great taste—Hollywood actor Theo James and our very own Primetime King Coco Martin.
When it comes to friendships, Krystal’s circle is small but solid. She’ll admit she used to be the introverted type who found it hard to fit in. But showbiz kind of changed that! Being around different people helped her break out of her shell and learn how to vibe with anyone. Now she’s got a close crew that includes fellow young stars Mutya Orquia, Lance Lucido, Ashley Sarmiento, and Marco Masa.
This Waray makes smart look pretty
Brains and beauty? Check. She may be a rising star, but Krystal’s still that diligent student we all want to root for. She’s an incoming Grade 12 girlie who actually attended face-to-face classes despite her busy schedule as an actress. Her fave subject is English, though it took some adjusting since Waray is her mother tongue. She plans to take up Psychology or Law in college.
When she's off-duty as an actress or a student, she finds joy in the little things— playing the guitar, reading self-help and fiction books, and writing in her three trusted notebooks for devotionals, journaling, and ideas. A calm, home-loving soul, she prefers quiet nature escapes over crowds and hopes to travel around Europe someday. Oh, and she’s that girl who always looks effortlessly put-together—obsessed with makeup, fashion, and skincare, of course.
Catch Krystal in “PBB Collab 2.0,” starting this October 25. Kapamilyas Bianca Gonzales, Robi Domingo, Kim Chiu, Melai Cantiveros-Francisco, Enchong Dee, and Alexa Ilacad, as well as Kapuso Gabbi Garcia and Mavy Legaspi, return as hosts for the season.
Viewers can watch “PBB Collab 2.0” online via live streams on Pinoy Big Brother's YouTube Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), and iWant.