HEART EVANGELISTA

Birth name
Love Marie Payawal Ongpauco
Nickname
Kikay
Height
5' 1" (1.55 m)
Family:
Father is a restaurant magnate of Barrio Fiesta fame. She grew up in Daly City, California.

She was born on February 14, 1985 to parents Reynaldo and Cecilia Ongpauco. She is the youngest in the brood of six with one brother and four sisters.

Her uncle (Rod Ongpauco) is the founder of the Barrio Fiesta restaurant chain while her father founded several Barrio Fiesta branches in San Francisco. She grew up and studied in the United States. In the Philippines, she enrolled in the Colegio San Agustin (Makati).

She was first discovered by a commercial agent while shopping at the mall with sister Camille. She signed with Star Magic (formerly known as Talent Center) and was paired with John Prats in 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 in popular teen-oriented show Berks. After which their real and reel life romance fizzled.

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

She has also starred in an action-based show called Panday with her current Boyfriend, Jericho Rosales.

Other notable achievements of Heart is winning best new female personality for both Star TV and Star Movie awards. She also won texter's and listener's choice at Himig Handog Awards for her single "Love Has Come My Way". Heart also released a single "Tell Me" in Australia which made it into the charts, peaking at number 18.

She is now managed by Manila Genesis Entertainment after her decision to not renew her contract with Star Magic (formerly Talent Center of ABSCBN).

Currently, she is dating actor Jericho Rosales, her co-star in Panday. A controversy that hounded Heart is the rumor of her being pregnant. She has denied this and dismissed her being in and out of the hospital as severe asthma.