Love Marie Payawal Ongpauco, better known for her screen name Heart Evangelista, is a Filipino actress, singer, model, and VJ. She is a Star Magic Batch 9 alumni.

Born on February 14, 1985 to parents Reynaldo and Cecilia Ongpauco, Heart is the youngest in her family, with one brother and four sisters. 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
Evangelista was first discovered by a commercial agent while at a mall with her sister.[citation needed] She signed up with Star Magic (formerly known as Talent Center) and was paired with John Prats on the show G-Mik. Her team-up with John Prats gained tremendous popularity, and they starred in several movies together— , Ang Tanging Ina and My First Romance. They also starred on another teen-oriented show, Berks.

Evangelista was paired with Geoff Eigenmann on the primetime soap opera Hiram which also starred Kris Aquino, Dina Bonnevie, John Estrada and Anne Curtis. She earned her a Star Awards Best Actress nomination on this series.

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

Evangelista also won the best new female personality (Best New Movie Actress and Best New TV Actress) awards from 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. It peaked at number 18 on the charts.[citation needed]

Evangelista worked on and off for three years (2005-2008) and focused mainly on hosting gigs, starring on a few Maalaala Mo Kaya and Your Song episodes, and giving time to her foundation Heart Can. In early 2007, she renewed her ties with her mother station ABS-CBN and was under a per project basis. She finished a sineserye (TV series based on a film) for the station, the remake of the movie Hiram na Mukha, and appeared briefly on Pangarap Na Bituin. She also topbilled the reformatted version of Your Song under the title "Muntik Na Kitang Minahal".

Managed by Manila Genesis Entertainment for two years (2006-2008), she is now being managed by her father and co-managed by Annabelle Rama, Richard Gutierrez's mother. She was considered for the lead role of the upcoming ABS-CBN show, Batingting, but it was shelved along with Anna Liza (Maja Salvador) and The Wedding (Anne Curtis).

She announced her sudden transfer to ABS-CBN's rival network, GMA Network, last April 23, 2008. She signed up a two-year exclusive contract and is now being paired with Richard Gutierrez. Their first teledrama together on GMA's upcoming drama series Codename: Asero

Religious and Charity Work
Since 2006, Evangelista has been very vocal on her conversion from Roman Catholicism to Evangelical Christianity.[citation needed] 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 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 popularity to decline, 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".

Television
2008 Codename: Asero[2] Emily GMA Network
2008 SOP Rules Host/Herself [3] GMA Network
2008 The Singing Bee Guest Player/Herself ABS-CBN
2008 Your Song's Four-Part Miniseries: Muntik Na Kitang Minahal Arah ABS-CBN
2007 Your Song: Sana Ngayong Pasko Melanie ABS-CBN
2007 Pangarap na Bituin Cassandra Salcedo/Cassie ABS-CBN
2007 Sineserye Presents: Hiram na Mukha Carissa / Alicia ABS-CBN
2007 Maalaala Mo Kaya: Singsing Kaye Chua ABS-CBN
2007 Your Song: With You Aschelle ABS-CBN
2006 Your Song: Ngayong Gabi Missy ABS-CBN
2006 Philippine Idol Herself (Host) ABC
2006 Maalaala Mo Kaya: Lampara Maricel ABS-CBN
2006 Close Up To Fame Herself (Host) ABS-CBN
2006 Your Song: Wish Ria ABS-CBN
2005 Maalaala Mo Kaya: Painting Emily Roxas ABS-CBN
2005 Panday Eden / Camia ABS-CBN
2004 ASAP Fanatic Herself (Host) / Performer ABS-CBN
2004 Hiram Margaret Benipayo ABS-CBN
2003 Maalaala Mo Kaya: Ferry Boat Danne ABS-CBN
2003 Ang Tanging Ina Portia / Por ABS-CBN
2003 Okay Fine Whatever! Yoko ABS-CBN
2003 Maalaala Mo Kaya: Flat Tire - ABS-CBN
2003 Wansapanataym: Thumbgelina Thumbgelina / Liit / Laki ABS-CBN
2002 Maalaala Mo Kaya: Sanggol - ABS-CBN
2002 Berks Gwyneth ABS-CBN
2002 MYX Herself (Video Jockey) MYX / Studio 23
2002 Arriba! Arriba! Monina Arriba ABS-CBN
2002 ASAP Herself (Host) / Performer ABS-CBN
2001 Maalaala Mo Kaya: Exchange Gift Irene Acosta ABS-CBN
2001 Maalaala Mo Kaya: Burda Jenny Castaneda ABS-CBN
2001 Da Pilya en da Pilot Heart ABS-CBN
2001 G-mik Missy ABS-CBN

Movies
2008 Tingala sa Pugad Ellyse
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