Actor Juan Alfonso Baptista tearfully told how facial paralysis marked his life and asked for empathy towards public figures.
The entertainment industry has reacted with surprise and empathy after the emotional confession of the Venezuelan actor and model. Juan Alfonso Baptistarecognized for his participation in soap operas such as Nurses and other successful productions in Colombia.
In a recent interview, the artist broke down in tears as he shared never-before-revealed details about the facial paralysis that he suffered when he was barely 19 yearsan episode that profoundly marked his personal and professional life.
The facial paralysisAccording to experts, it can appear suddenly due to inflammation or irritation of the nerve that controls the muscles on one side of the face. It causes facial drooping, difficulty smiling, and complications in closing the affected eye. Although it is usually temporary, its consequences can last for years, as in the case of the actor.
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What was the cause of the facial paralysis that Juan Baptista suffered?
During his conversation with the actor Juan Pablo Raba on the podcast Los Hombres Si Cry, Baptista related that his paralysis was triggered by a drastic temperature change.
He was sweaty after filming a scene in the intense heat, which he describes as being “like calaca“, a term used when the heat is extreme, and entered directly into an air-conditioned studio. Furthermore, he remembered that the night before he had even gone to bed to enjoy the cold air:
“I remember saying: ‘Ah, how delicious it is, ta, ta, ta’. The next day my eyes go out, my mouth goes out,” he said.
When he woke up, the right side of his face had lost mobility. He could not close his eye, his mouth became weak, and he lost control over basic functions such as eating or speaking clearly.
“I had to speak again, learn to speak when I already knew how to speak… my mouth fell off”, the actor narrated.
In his interview The ‘cat’ Baptista talks about social judgment
Baptista explained that, although he managed to recover functions thanks to intensive therapies, The after-effects and discomfort persist to this day.more than two decades later.
“You’re sitting here talking and it bothers me. That’s right. So it’s nasty,” he confessed.
However, the physical part was not the most difficult. The actor assured that the most painful thing about his process was facing social judgment, prejudice and lack of empathyeven when he tried to make his way in Mexico to continue growing professionally.
“People said: ‘He’s already on drugs’: the weight of the signaling
The Venezuelan revealed that, for years, comments about his face and way of speaking affected him deeply:
“I went out into the street and people said: ‘You don’t understand him,’ ‘Why did his eye go out?’, ‘He’s already drugged.’”
Even in social gatherings, he stated that any gesture or facial movement triggered criticism:
“Sometimes I have a drink and people without knowing come back and point. Society goes by what it heard or believes. But no one knows the other’s process.”
Baptista highlighted that these trials, far from being innocent, became a emotional burden heavier than the paralysis itself.
“Shut up, brother… “You can’t imagine what happened to me and what it cost me to get here.” – Baptista expressed.
Through tears, the actor took advantage of the space to reflect on the way in which society judges without knowing the history of people, especially those who are public figures.
“More love and more empathy between everyone. It’s good to throw dirt at each other. We already know how bad we are capable of doing. Let’s try to be harmonious.”
His message aimed to recognize that anyone can be going through silent battles, and that compassion should be a priority.
“We don’t have to wait for someone to break down to screw them. Why are we so sadistic? Why do we hurt ourselves?” he questioned.
Baptista insisted that his intention is not to generate pity, but to show the resilience he has had to build:
“It’s not that men cry or don’t cry. It’s about stopping and giving it a try. With everything in life.”
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A testimony that moves and resonates on social networks
The fragment of the interview quickly went viral, generating thousands of reactions and messages of support. Fans, colleagues and users highlighted the actor’s bravery in sharing such a personal processand its ability to transform a painful experience into a call to humanity.
His story shows that behind fame and the screens there are silent strugglesprolonged processes and wounds that still hurt. And, as the actor recalled, empathy should never be the exception, but the rule.
