10 Things To Know About Heart Evangelista, Fashion Darling And Multi-hyphenate

She's beauty, she's grace, and she does not need a reintroduction... Or does she? While many in the international community would most likely recognise Heart Evangelista from her appearances at Fashion Week, her fans in the Philippines would know that she made her debut as a child star and actress. Read on below to uncover some facts about the fashion darling and multi-hyphenate.

Related article: “Would You Rather?” Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2025 Edition with Kenneth Goh And Heart Evangelista

1. Background

Heart Evangelista’s real name is Love Marie Payawal Ongpauco-Escudero. As for the inspiration behind her name, it could be attributed to the fact that the Filipina multi-hyphenate does share her birthday—14 February 1985—with Valentine’s Day.

Born to Maria Cecilia del Gallego Payawal and Filipino businessman Reynaldo Evangelista Ongpauco, Heart is the youngest child in her family. She is also the niece of the owner of the Filipino restaurant Barrio Fiesta, and her aunt Liberty Ilagan was a celebrity in the 1960s.

2. She Turns 40 In 2025

Heart turns 40 this year, and she celebrated in style with a party themed “Chapter 40”. Filipino actor-singer Gary Valenciano surprised guests—and Heart—with a touching performance. For the party, she donned a Dior couture gown with embellished crystals, accessorised with a pair of diamond earrings and layered bracelets.

3. She Started Her Career As An Actress

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Evangelista made her acting debut on a teen drama television series titled G-mik at 13 years old.

4. She Was a First Lady

Evangelista was the former first lady of Sorsogon, following her marriage to Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who served as the governor of Sorsogon from 2019 to 2022.

Related article: Heart Evangelista’s Guide To Sorsogon

5. She Is Also A Hospitality Queen

Evangelista is a co-owner of the Harlan Beach Villa Boracay in Boracay, Philippines—which she has described as her “little paradise”.

6. She Loves Children

Evangelista is a loving stepmother to her husband’s two children, and has spoken openly about her own miscarriage to the news network ABS-CBN. 

“When I got pregnant, I really felt differently towards them. I really felt the maternal feeling. I felt that and I loved them even more. I think they also loved me even more. It was a whole experience for the family when I got pregnant and when I lost the babies. I feel like we also got really closer. I really love them so, so much,” Evangelista stated in her interview. 

7. She Is An Animal Lover And Advocate

A pet owner since young, Heart is an avid animal lover—among her furbabies, the aspin Panda is a fan favourite. In 2024, she visited the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) to provide food and supplies for the animals rendered homeless after Typhoon Gaemi.

8. She Is A Top Fashion Week Influencer

Evangelista is a Fashion Week regular, and often tops the charts when it comes to Media Impact Value (MIV). According to brand performance analysts Launchmetrics, she was the number one celebrity from the Asia-Pacific region at Paris Fashion Week in October 2024.

Related article: Heart Evangelista On Her Fashion Firsts

9. She Paints

Evangelista is an avid painter who has hosted sold-out exhibitions ever since she started in 2014. Beyond using canvas as her medium, Heart has also painted on her own Hermès Birkin bags. As she told us in a 2024 interview, it all started because she accidentally spilt and left a mark on a lizard skin Birkin bag. “It was right then that I decided to use art as a way to cover it up, and from there, my whole exploration of painting on bags began.”

Related article: When A Handbag Becomes A Piece Of Sculpture

10. Heart Is More Than Just A Name

Heart is a passionate philanthropist and volunteer. She is president of the Senate Spouses Foundation Inc. (SSFI), an organisation that is involved in humanitarian projects She has also served as a spokesperson for the Balikatan Thalassemia for children with rare diseases, Corridor of Hope for children with cancer, and the Cerebral Palsy Association of Sorsogon. In 2005, Evangelista started a foundation called Heart Can, a charity organisation that aims to help children with respiratory diseases.