Love Marie Payawal Ongpauco-Escudero (born February 14, 1985), known professionally as Heart Evangelista, is a Filipino actress and model. She is currently an exclusive artist of the GMA Network[1] and is represented by the Alice Talents Agency in Paris, France, and Directions Groups INC. She is the second wife of the incumbent Senate PresidentFrancis Escudero following his annulment in 2011.
Heart Evangelista was born as Love Marie Payawal Ongpauco on February 14, 1985, in Manila, Philippines.[2] She is the youngest child of businessman Reynaldo Evangelista Ongpauco and Maria Cecilia del Gallego Payawal.[3] Evangelista hails from a prominent Chinese-Filipino family that founded the Barrio Fiesta chain of Filipino restaurants,[4] while her mother's family owns a sugar plantation in Camarines Sur.[5] She is a second cousin of actress Jodi Sta. Maria.[6] She spent part of her childhood in the United States – her family moved to San Francisco during her early years – before returning to the Philippines in her early teens.[2]
Evangelista completed elementary school in the U.S. and initially attended Colegio de San Agustin (CSA) in Makati upon returning to the Philippines.[2] As a teenager entering show business, she enrolled in ABS-CBN's Distance Learning Center to accommodate her career, after experiencing bullying in CSA.[7] Her nickname "Heart" originated from her birth date (Valentine's Day), and she adopted Heart Evangelista as her screen name when she began her entertainment career with ABS-CBN's talent training program Star Magic in the late 1990s.[2][5]
Career
1998–2008: Star Magic
Evangelista was discovered by a talent scout at age 13 and joined Star Magic's Star Circle Batch 9 in 1999.[2] She made her television debut in 2000 as part of the youth-oriented ABS-CBN series G-mik!, where she played the role of Missy and quickly became popular among teen audiences.[5] Her G-mik! role earned her early accolades, including a PMPC Star Award for Best New Female TV Personality in 2001.[8] Throughout the early 2000s, Evangelista and her love team partner John Prats starred in teen-focused programs like G-mik! and Berks,[9] and co-hosted the variety show ASAP.[10]
In film, Evangelista appeared in various romantic comedies and dramas aimed at young audiences. She made her film debut in Trip (2001) and gained notice in My First Romance (2003), a two-part film where she was paired with John Prats.[11] Evangelista also had supporting roles in major films such as the comedy Ang Tanging Ina (2003) and the romance Bcuz of U (2004).[2] By 2004, Evangelista and Prats's love-team pairing had ended and the management had decided to pair her with Geoff Eigenmann; the two starred in Bcuz of U.[12]
In 2005, Evangelista took on the lead role of Eden in ABS-CBN's fantasy-action series Panday, starring opposite Jericho Rosales.[13] In 2006, Evangelista left Star Magic and signed a contract with Manila Genesis Entertainment under Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano, the wife of singer Gary Valenciano and the sister of Senator Kiko Pangilinan. While Evangelista still starred in ABS-CBN films and programs, she was no longer under an exclusive contract with the network. Nonetheless, Evangelista refused to work with other networks.[14] In 2007, she ended her stint as a VJ on Myx.[11] She starred in a television adaptation of the 1992 drama film Hiram na Mukha, opposite Geoff Eigenmann. She also appeared briefly on Pangarap na Bituin, and in the reformatted version of Your Song under the title "Muntik Na Kitang Minahal".[15] In 2008, Evangelista chose not to renew her contract with Genesis and left ABS-CBN.[16]
In early 2008, Evangelista signed a two-year exclusive contract with the GMA Network through the GMA Artist Center. Under the management of her father, Rey Ongpauco, and Annabelle Rama, Evangelista was formally introduced to the network on April 27, 2008.[17] Under the GMA Network, Evangelista continued to headline television dramas and fantaserye (fantasy series). She started her first show Codename: Asero as the leading lady of Richard Gutierrez.
She played a role as one of the twins in the fantaserye Luna Mystika. Evangelista also appeared on her first afternoon TV soap Sine Novela: Ngayon at Kailanman which aired its final episode in September 2009. In late 2009 – early 2010, she starred in a primetime Koreanovela TV series, Full House. Evangelista was a regular host of the now-defunct musical variety show on GMA, Party Pilipinas.
In 2012, she starred alongside actresses Alessandra De Rossi and Lovi Poe in the TV series Legacy. She also was included in the afternoon drama Forever opposite co-star Geoff Eigennmann. She then started her next project on Luna Blanca Book 3 onwards till its finale. The show is a sequel of her last soap Luna Mystika in 2008 of the same genre. In 2013, she was reunited with De Rossi in the Afternoon soap Magkano Ba ang Pag-ibig? under the direction of Maryo J. de los Reyes. In 2015, she and Legacy co-star Lovi Poe were reunited in the soap Beautiful Strangers, a melodrama. This was Evangelista's second time working with veteran actress Dina Bonnevie in a series with a huge ensemble cast. In 2016, she was reunited with Dwarfina co-star Dennis Trillo in the primetime rom-com Juan Happy Love Story.[18] In September 2016, Evangelista experienced a series of depression after the passing of her mentor and 'close friend', former senator Miriam Defensor Santiago.[19]
In 2019, she served as a judge on the seventh season of the reality talent television show StarStruck.[21] Evangelista then portrayed a Sorsogon fashion designer and socialite Celeste in the television drama romance series I Left My Heart in Sorsogon (2021–2022).[22] She also appeared in the series Bling Empire.
In August 2023, Evangelista renewed her exclusive contract with GMA Network.[1]
In 2024, Evangelista will star as Mei in upcoming film Infamous 6 directed by Anthony Hickox.[23]
Visual artist
Evangelista has a passion for painting and previously held solo exhibitions showcasing her artworks, where she uses her real name, Love Marie as her artist name.[24] Her first solo exhibition was held at the Ayala Museum in 2014, entitled I am Love Marie: The Art and Works of Love Marie Ongpauco. In the same year, she participated in the Visual Arts Festival through the Focus on the Arts: Art in Transit exhibitions. She also held her second solo exhibition in the same year at Galerie Joaquin through her Love Marie gallery. Her third solo exhibition, Love Marie: A Solo Exhibition of a World-Class Filipina, was held at the Raffles Hotel's Chan Hampe Galleries in Singapore in 2015.[25] She also collaborated with Rocio Olbes's children's book, Daughter of the Sun and the Moon, and participated in the Art Fair Philippines 2015: maARTe and PortrAYAL (LAYA): Portraits for Freedom Big & Small Art Co.
In 2016, she collaborated with designer Mark Bumgarner through the LMxMB: when art meets fashion, as well as with A.A. Patawaran for his book HaiNAku and other poems. In the same year, Evangelista launched her fourth solo exhibition titled Oceans Apart held at the Ayala Museum. Her hand-painted bags were also introduced in the same year at BMW BGC through her exhibition, Carry your heART. In 2017, she collaborated again with A.A. Patawaran for the HaiNAku 1st Anniversary Exhibit at the S Maison Conrad Hotel in Manila. She also held HEART & Style, a public exhibition of her works of art at the Fashion Hall of SM Megamall. In April 2018, she launched another art exhibit at ArtistSpace Gallery of Ayala Museum.[26] In the same year, she partnered with A.A. Patawaran for his book, Manila Was A Long Time Ago, which featured her pet dog named Panda.[27][28] Her Follow Your Heart artwork was featured in the February 2019 US edition of Harper's Bazaar.[29]
In 2021, Evangelista collaborated with Incubus lead vocalist Brandon Boyd for Moonlight Arts Collective, an organization founded by Boyd himself showcasing art by various cultural icons that moonlight as visual artists.[30] Called Neon People, their first collaboration was released in July 2022.[31] In 2023, Evangelista dropped her solo print debut of her artwork, Love's First Bloom, on Moonlight Arts Collective.[32]
In 2021, Evangelista was announced as the newest face of the French luxury bag brand Lancaster, alongside Barbara Palvin.[37] Evangelista was also one of the 25 worldwide personalities selected for Salvatore Ferragamo's Silk Your Style campaign.[38]
Heart Evangelista has been featured on the covers of various East Asian magazines, including Harper's Bazaar Singapore,[39]Harper's Bazaar Indonesia,[40]Vogue Philippines,[41]L'Officiel Philippines, Tatler Philippines, and ICON Singapore.[42] She has dedicated features in Vogue Singapore,[43]Vogue Thailand,[44]Harper's Bazaar Taiwan,[45] and Harper's Bazaar Singapore.[46]
Other ventures
Book
Evangelista has authored two books: This is Me, Love Marie, a beauty book published in 2015,[47] and Styled with Heart, a fashion book published in 2019.[48]
Business
Evangelista is the co-founder and co-CEO of Pure Living, a beauty and wellness company.[49] She is also a co-owner of Harlan Beach Resort in Boracay.[50]
Charities and advocacies
Charities
Her foundation, Heart Can aims to help children with respiratory diseases. Her foundation has been active since its inception and has helped thousands of children with special needs.
Evangelista also supports the Balikatan Thalassemia for children with rare diseases,[51] Corridor of Hope for children with cancer,[52] and the Cerebral Palsy Association of Sorsogon.[53]
In 2024, as her husband, senator Francis Escudero, was elected as the new Senate President, Evangelista assumes the position as the head of Senate Spouses Foundation. The group is known for pursuing civic work alongside the legislative work of Senators.[54][55]
Advocacies
Evangelista is also an LGBTally[56] and a recipient of Lagablab Network's Equality Champion Award[57] in the Philippines. During the 2018 State of the Nation Address in the Philippine Congress, Evangelista wore the iconic rainbow badge in support of equality in the Philippines and the passage of the pro-LGBT SOGIE Equality Bill.[58]
Evangelista is also a spokesperson for PAWS or (Philippine Animal Welfare Society), launching various campaigns for the organization such as the See Beauty Beyond Breed[59][60] and Have a Heart for Aspins campaign.[61]
Evangelista also advocates for mental health. In an article featured in Vogue Singapore, she talks about battling against depression and anxiety, and how raising awareness can remove the he negative stigma and discrimination faced by those living with mental disorders and issues.[62]
Escudero and Evangelista renewed their vows, celebrating their 9th wedding anniversary on February 15, 2024 at Balesin Royal Villa. At the time, her father, Rey Ongpauco, was undergoing medical treatment in the United States.[66][67][68]
During a guesting on Fast Talk with Boy Abunda on March 15, 2024, Evangelista revealed losing another baby after the 2018 miscarriage of her twins, adding that she had named her unborn daughter "Sophia Heart".[69] On 12 May 2024, Evangelista disclosed that she had suffered a fourth miscarriage.[70][71]
↑ Lim, Candice (February 15, 2007). "Heart Evangelista back in ABS-CBN". Philippine Entertainment Portal. Archived from the original on November 8, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
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