Heart Evangelista

Heart Evangelista

Love Marie Payawal Ongpauco, better known for her screen name Heart Evangelista, is a Filipino actress, singer, model, and VJ.

Biography

Childhood

Born on February 14, 1985 to parents Reynaldo (a restaurant magnate) and Cecilia Ongpauco, Heart is the youngest in her family, with one brother (Miguel) and four sisters (Lissa, Marjorie, Michelle and Camille).

She comes from the wealthy Ongpauco clan of Barrio Fiesta fame. Her uncle (Rod Ongpauco) is the founder of the Barrio Fiesta restaurant chain while her father founded several Barrio Fiesta branches in San Francisco, California. She grew up and studied in the United States. Her family moved back to the Philippines in her late teen years. She spent her high school years at the Colegio San Agustin, Makati.

Career

She was first discovered by a commercial agent while shopping at a mall with sister Camille. She signed up with Star Magic (formerly known as Talent Center) and was paired with John Prats on the show G-Mik. Her relationship with John Prats gained tremendous popularity, and they starred in several movies together—Trip, Ang Tanging Ina and My First Romance. They also starred on another teen-oriented show Berks. After which their real and reel life romance fizzled.

Since then, she was paired with Geoff Eigenmann on the primetime soap opera Hiram which also starred Kris Aquino, Dina Bonnevie, John Estrada and Anne Curtis. This TV show earned her a Star Awards Best Actress nomination at the age of 20.

She later starred on the fantasy-action TV show called Panday.

Another experience achievement is winning the best new female personality (Best New Movie Actress and Best New TV Actress) awards for both Star Awards for Movies and Star Awards for TV. She also won Texter's and Listener's Choice at the Himig Handog Awards for her single "Love Has Come My Way". Heart also released the single "Tell Me" in Australia. This one made it to the charts, peaking at number 18.

Her decision not to renew her contract with Star Magic (formerly Talent Center of ABS-CBN) met a lot of negative feedbacks from some members of the press. She is now being managed by Manila Genesis Entertainment.

Taking almost a year off work and focusing mainly on hosting gigs and on her charitable foundation Heart Can, she has recently renewed her ties with mother station ABS-CBN and is now under a per project basis. She finished a sineserye for the station, the remake of the movie Hiram na Mukha, and appeared briefly on Pangarap Na Bituin as the amazing and well-loved character, Cassie Salcedo. She also has a new album coming out soon.

Romance and controversy

She had an offscreen romance with onscreen partner John Prats. After this, she was linked to a non-showbiz wealthy, political scion. She has since then confirmed these to be true. She was also linked to actor John Lloyd Cruz but she denied having him as a boyfriend and only admitted to going out with him on several dates. She was also rumored to have dated Geoff Eigenmann, probably because they both worked together on two TV shows (Hiram and MYX) but these rumors proved to be false.

She is currently in a serious relationship with Jericho Rosales who is six years her senior. They have been together since 2005. Rumors of marriage keep cropping up, and both say it most likely will happen but not right now because Heart is too young.

Religion / charity work

Since early 2006, she has been very vocal about her conversion from Catholic to Born Again Christian. She now attends New Life Christian Fellowship after initially attending at Victory Christian Fellowship. She has always stated that her conversion is the reason she moved from Star Magic (backed by mega-media corporation, ABS-CBN) to the small and independent religious/secular Genesis.

Since September 2006, she has started taking on a humanitarian role starting with the creation of Heart Can, a foundation that aims to help children with respiratory diseases. Heart Can has been taking her through a series of mall shows. So far, it has already distributed many cans for donations, raising money for the young children benefiting from the charity.

Even though her transfer from Star Magic to Genesis has caused her to lose projects and her popularity has declined from what it was before, Heart says she has no regrets because she needed the spiritual counsel that Genesis could provide her. She has also stated that she is very happy with her life, "not just working but having...living a life."

Filmography

Television

Year	Title	Character/Role
2008	Your Song's Four-Part Miniseries: Muntik Na Kitang Minahal	Arah
2008	Gagambino	TBA
2007	Your Song: Sana Ngayong Pasko	Melanie
2007	Pangarap na Bituin	Cassandra Salcedo/Cassie
2007	Hiram na Mukha	Carissa / Alicia
2007	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Singsing	Kaye Chua
2007	Your Song: With You	Aschelle
2006	Your Song: Ngayong Gabi	Missy
2006	Philippine Idol	Herself (Host)
2006	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Lampara	Maricel
2006	Close Up To Fame	Herself (Host)
2006	Your Song: Wish	Ria
2005	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Painting	Emily Roxas
2005	Panday	Eden / Camia
2004	ASAP Fanatic	Herself (Host) / Performer
2004	Hiram	Margaret Benipayo
2003	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Ferry Boat	Danne
2003	Ang Tanging Ina	Portia / Por
2003	Okay Fine Whatever!	Yoko
2003	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Flat Tire	?
2003	Wansapanataym: Thumbgelina	Thumbgelina / Liit / Laki
2002	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Sanggol	?
2002	Berks	Gwyneth
2002	MYX	Herself (Video Jockey)
2002	Arriba! Arriba!	Monina Arriba
2002	ASAP	Herself (Host) / Performer
2001	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Exchange Gift	Irene Acosta
2001	Maalaala Mo Kaya: Burda	Jenny Castaneda
2001	Da Pilya en da Pilot	Heart
2001	G-mik	Missy

Movies

Year	Title	Character/Role
2008	Ang Tanging Ina Ninyong Lahat	TBA
2008	Ay Ayeng	Ayeng
2004	Bcuz of U	Cara
2003	My First Romance	Jackie ("One Love" Episode)
2003	Ang Tanging Ina	Portia/Por
2002	Jologs	Coffee Shop Passerby (cameo role)
2001	Trip	Faye

Music videos

Year	Song	Album
2003	One	Heart
2002	Love Has Come My Way	Himig Handog Love Songs

Guest appearances

Year	Song	Album	Artist
2007	Tuwing Nakikita Ka	Loose Fit	Jeans (featuring Jericho Rosales)

Discography

Year	Album
TBA	(her second album)
2003	My First Romance OST
2003	Heart
2002	Himig Handog Love Songs

Awards and citations

Year	Organization	Award/Nomination
2007	YES! Magazine 100 Most Beautiful Stars	Rank #7
2007	FHM Philippines 100 Sexiest Women	Rank #15
2007	Maxim Philippines Hot 100	Rank #15
2006	FHM Philippines 100 Sexiest Women	Rank #15
2005	FHM Philippines 100 Sexiest Women	Rank #6
2005	Star Awards for TV	Best Actress Nomination for HIRAM
2004	FAMAS Awards	German Moreno Youth Achievement Award
2004	Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation	Princess of RP Movies
2004	FHM Philippines 100 Sexiest Women	Rank #6
2003	Awit Awards	Best Performance by a New Female Artist (Love Has Come My Way)
2003	Asia Pacific Excellence & Handog Kay Ina Awards	Youth Achiever for Arts & Entertainment
2003	Ivan Entertainment Productions: Circle of 10 Modeling Agency	Celebrity Endorser of the Year
2003	Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation	Most Popular Love Team of RP Movies (with John Prats)
2003	Candy Rap Awards	Best Dressed Personality
2003	Album	Platinum Award (Himig Handog Love Songs Album)
2002	Himig Handog Lovesongs 2002	Listener's Choice Award (Love Has Come My Way)
2002	Himig Handog Lovesongs 2002	Texter's Choice Award (Love Has Come My Way)
2001	Star Awards for Movies	Best New Movie Actress Award for TRIP
2001	Star Awards for TV	Best New TV Personality Award for G-Mik

See also

• Ang Tanging Ina
• My First Romance
• Bcuz of U
• Hiram
• Panday
• Hiram na Mukha
• Pangarap Na Bituin
• Myx
• Philippine Idol

External links

• Heart Evangelista at IMDb
• Heart Evangelista Official Website (under construction)
• Heart Evangelista Fan Central