Love Marie Payawal Ongpauco is popularly known as Heart Evangelista. She is a Filipina actress, TV host, singer, VJ and a commercial model. She is born on February 14, 1985 and has been active in show business since 1998 to present.
Heart belongs to a Filipino-Chinese clan who owns and manages Barrio Fiesta. Heart is the youngest child, having 4 elder sisters and one brother. She was raised San Francisco California and went to Audubon School. When their family moved back to the Philippines, she transferred to Collegio San Agustin-Makati, however, as she entered showbiz, she transferred to ABS-CBN’s Distance Learning Center. Despite her parents not agreeing to her decision to join showbiz, her mom eventually supported her youngest child by acting as her manager.
Heart was first discovered by a commercial agent. She then was signed up to ABS CBN Talent Center and became part of Star Circle Batch 9. She was teamed up to John Prats at Gmik where their tandem was loved by the general viewing public. As their tandem proved to click to the people, they were together in several other movies such as Trip, Ang Tanging Ina and My First Romance. Soon, they also paired up in a teen-oriented program, Berks. In the primetime series Hiram, she was teamed up with Geoff Eigenmann alongside Kris Aquino, Dina Bonnevie, John Estrada and Anne Curtis. In this series, she was acknowledged through a nomination for Star Awards Best Actress. Among her awards and achievements during her early years in show business are Best New Movie Actress and Best New TV Actress at the Star Awards for Movies and Star Awards for TV, Texter’s and Listener’s Choice Award at the Himig Handog Awards for Love Has Come My Way. Heart was also able to release a single in Australia entitled Tell Me which hit number 18 on the charts of Australia.
Despite the offers given to her by ABS-CBN, Heart has to decline everything to favor her father’s decision for her to move to the rival network, GMA-7. She signed a 2 year exclusive contract under Anabelle Rama’s management. She was first paired with Richard Guttierez as his leading lady in Codename: Asero. She also played Ay Ayeng, a film about the life of the Ifugaos in the Mountain Province. It was first shown in Hawaii. If she is not busy with her career in show business, she spends time with her foundation Heart Can, a cause for children with respiratory diseases. She is also the spokesperson for Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and has been a volunteer for the said organization for 8 years already.
Heart is love struck with her real life romance with the Philippine Senator Chiz Escudero. Their relationship is under storm when her parents expressly announced to the public that they do not like him for their unica ija. She also beams about telling the public regarding her special closeness with Senator Miriam Santiago and how she treats her like her second mother.
