The life of Love Marie Payawal Ongpauco-Escudero — better known as Heart Evangelista — has always unfolded like a captivating telenovela, mirroring the complexity and allure of the characters she has so competently embodied on screen. From the time her story began playing out, Filipinos have watched her blossom from a beautiful teen star on television to one of the brightest A-list celebrities on GMA Network today. And while many of her peers eventually settled into established rhythms within the local industry, she has continued to fascinate the public, debuting as a bona fide visual artist and finally, in recent years, as a world-renowned fashion icon who triumphantly and gracefully represents the sense and style of the Philippines on the international stage.

Indeed, for more than two decades and counting, Evangelista has distinguished herself within the entertainment industry, achieving recognition as a multi-faceted artist on a global scale. Yet, beyond her accomplishments, she has gracefully navigated the complexities of her personal life, balancing the demands of her marriage to a prominent public official and striving to be the supportive partner her husband needs. And happily — albeit not always easily — she has found a deeper sense of peace with herself through it all, embracing both the highs and challenges of her journey, which she is always so generous to share with her adoring public.

In today's cover story, join The Sunday Times Magazine in stepping into Heart Evangelista's world and take a closer look at a real-life telenovela where passion, resilience and authenticity reign, revealing the woman behind the glamour and acclaim.

Unveiling the fashion icon

Over the years, Evangelista has captured headlines with her influence at Paris Fashion Week, including the recent Womenswear Spring/Summer 2025 events. Evangelista reportedly generated the highest celebrity-driven media impact value (MIV) at Paris Fashion Week. Vogue Business further noted that she is the top-performing celebrity in the Asia-Pacific region, creating $10.6 million worth of media mileage according to an end-of-season report by tech and social media analytics firm Launchmetrics. The Philippines' heart is only followed closely by Thai actor Nattawin Wattanagitiphat and fellow Filipino icon Pia Wurtzbach.

Filipino stars, in fact, dominated Paris Fashion Week's impact metrics, posting twice as much content as South Korean celebrities. Evangelista drew much attention by attending the highly coveted shows of the lot, including those by Louis Vuitton, Loewe, and Dior.

But while the 39-year-old is flattered by her "fashion icon" status, she admits feeling strained to live up to it at some level.

"I'm very flattered, but I also feel a lot of pressure. I've been really stressed about ratings and all that. Having to think about rankings or numbers feels a bit bittersweet because, you know, when you're an actor who usually plays the best friend, you get to be in every movie. But if you're the lead, sometimes there's a timeframe. I don't want to have a timeframe. So I try not to think about the numbers; I just want to keep going and enjoy it all," Evangelista said of her glamorous sojourns.

Unveiling the senate spouse

In addition to being a fashion icon, Evangelista has taken on another challenging role these past few months. She is now the Senate Spouses Foundation, Inc. (SSFI) president following the votation of her husband, Francis "Chiz" Escudero, to Senate President.

Established in 1987, SSFI is a nonprofit volunteer organization of senators' spouses aimed at uplifting Filipino lives through charity and goodwill.

Despite Evangelista's initial hesitations to lead the group, she was pleasantly surprised by the support she received from her fellow senate spouses. Moreover, the months-old inducted president reveals that the SSFI has given her a fresh perspective on public service.

"I was happy for my husband [when he became Senate President], but as you know, I'm not so politically involved. I didn't realize that being a Senate President costs this and that [and that his or her spouse would have to step up].

"So, I tried. I was very pressured, and I was totally lost at first. But it was so nice because many of the Senate spouses were there to help me," recalled Evangelista.

"Basically, I felt like a kindergarten student asking so many questions. But I feel like because we all have good intentions to help, then everything else became easy for me. The moment that I got the structure, the moment that I learned what to do and how the whole foundation worked, then I was on fire.

"So, I guess at the end of the day, the story's lesson would be to surround yourself with good people. I have great Senate spouses beside me who have great ideas, and anything is possible as long as you really work hard and come together. So, I'm so happy with how everything is going at SSFI today, and we're truly getting to help a lot of people," she added.

Meanwhile, it is no surprise to hear from Evangelista that balancing her foray into high fashion with public service hasn't come without challenges. As a global fashion icon and the wife of a Filipino senator, pursuing both roles is tough, to say the least.

"I guess it's putting the two together — being in fashion and being a wife of a politician — is very tricky. But I think people also forget that it's [the high fashion side] still a job at the end of the day. It's very me, but it's a job," Evangelista stated.

"So really, [the key is to] balance how I do things in terms of living it and working for it. The only thing I love about Fashion Week is the liberation of just being yourself," she added. Besides that, helping other people is the best look for Evangelista, no matter the season.

Unveiling 'Heart World'

This cover story is but a sample of just how much Evangelista is opening doors to her personal life at this crossroads as she invites the public to journey with her in her newest reality show, "Heart World." Soon to air on GMA Network, the program is a raw, vlog-style series that documents her present life as it unfolds — from her fashion escapades across the globe to quieter moments with family in Manila.

In "Heart World," Evangelista promises to reveal a side of herself even her fans rarely see.

"I try to be as open as possible, but this is as close as we'll get. There are many things you'll see, even about my personal life, me and my husband, and everything that 'Heart World' will show," she elaborated.

"It's exciting and good because, if this goes the right way, then we, as artists, can be liberated from living such a perfect life. If I can be the first to break free, then let's do it," Evangelista expressed.

"You're used to seeing us as characters in the telenovelas you love so much, but people tend to forge that we're also human, with both good and bad sides. So if you truly love us, you'll accept us for who we are — and that's what this show is about," she continued.

Each "Heart World" episode will offer viewers Evangelista's personal storytelling, exhilarating fashion week coverages, behind-the-scenes access to her glamorous lifestyle, and snippets of her private life in Manila. The series will likewise showcase her artistic endeavors and heartfelt interactions with family and friends, peeling back the layers of her public persona.

"People will see my failures in this show and certain personal moments with my family. I think that's something I want to highlight because that's what makes a reality show real — it's the real deal. I'm not going to name names, but you'll get the complete gist of gossip you've heard before and see what has really happened in my life," she teased.

"I didn't want to present myself perfectly. You'll see me vape, I think. You'll see stuff like this because I want it to be as authentic as possible. If I could swear on national TV, I would, because in real life, we do. So that's what I want to emphasize. I'm a real person," Evangelista enthused.

Agreeing to do "Heart World" was not a decision she took lightly, though.

"Life convinced me to do this. With social media, especially Instagram, people only see the beautiful side of a person. And even when we talk about authenticity, what is authenticity? It's showing even the parts you don't like about yourself, admitting certain mistakes, and being who you truly are.

"If I could speak freely [without giving spoilers], I wouldn't go into every detail about the show. But just to say, I even considered showing my home's CCTV footage because I really want to be as open as possible," she laughed.

"Of course, some things should remain private for family — certain personal experiences I've been through (with them). There will be some we will show, and I will still call it authentic," Evangelista added.

"I think the days are gone when we looked up to artists we thought were one way because the moment a bit of controversy comes out, people say, 'Oh, I don't like them anymore.' Why is that? If you truly care about someone, you'll always see their heart."

As for getting those closest to her to agree to "Heart World," Evangelista revealed, "I feel like Chiz also encouraged me to share our lives because it's not just about me; it's about all of us — this is real life. This is how it should be today: no more pretending — just be yourself. So, for now, I won't be playing a character; I'll be playing me."

Unveiling 'you'

With "Heart's World" soon to premiere, Evangelista revealed that she had turned down many reality show offers in the past.

"My life was too good at that time, and I felt like my story wasn't fully formed yet.

I like to get a little dirty for it to matter so that I can share the blessings of the lessons I've learned," she explained.

It is only now, after experiencing the actual highs and lows of life, that she feels her story is ready to be told.

"The clips we'll show in 'Heart World' span a year with some of the toughest times of my life. I had complete trust in the people around me who kept the cameras rolling," she said.

Evangelista can only hope to further inspire other Filipinas to embrace their individuality as she has learned to do in her life. Ultimately, she hopes "Heart World" will remind viewers of the importance of being genuine.

"It's okay to be yourself. Perfection is not of this world. People would probably look at my Instagram and say, 'Oh, she has a perfect life,' but no, I get mad, and I make mistakes. Mistakes that are so damaging even I can't forgive myself for them," Evangelista confessed.

"I've done many things in my life, yet I'm still alive, standing. I didn't hurt myself in the process, I didn't hurt anyone, and life can go on, and you do deserve a good life," she said.

"That's what I want people to feel when they watch the show. By being an example of someone who has gone through a lot and has struggled to heal, I hope viewers will understand they can struggle with bad times but still deserve a good life because it is possible," she ended.

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Heart Evangelista tops Asian celebrities in Paris Fashion Week

According to Launchmetrics, a marketing and analytics platform, Asian celebrities have generated the highest celebrity-driven media impact value (MIV) at the Spring Summer 2025 Paris Fashion Week.

As expected, the media rose at the top of the list, with 58 percent MIV, led by traditional titles "Gala," "Vogue US" and "Vogue France."

Following on the list are celebrities and influencers, who contributed 18 and 15 percent to take second and third place, respectively.

In this category, the Philippines' very own Heart Evangelista topped the list.

Evangelista tallied $10.6 million in MIV, nearly the same amount as Vogue France, which generated $10.64 million.

The model-actress was spotted at the top shows of high-fashion brands Louis Vuitton, Loewe and Dior.

Thailand's Apo Nattawin followed the list with $10.2 million MIV. Third in line was fellow Filipino Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach who made $7 million in MIV.

Completing the top five were Thai actor Freen Sarocha (at $5.9 million in MIV) and Nam Joo-hyuk (at $5.7 million in MIV).