Heart Evangelista
Last year, Heart Evangelista announced that “I Left My Heart in Sorsogon” would be her last television series. But now that it’s drawing to a close, and looking back at the experiences she has had, the actress realized that making such a career decision really is tougher than it seems.
“I said it with finality then. But after watching the show, I realized just how much I love acting … It’s hard. And honestly, parang napaisip ako … Parang na-miss ko bigla. I enjoy the craft and collaboration with the directors and actors and I will miss being in my element,” Heart said in a recent virtual conference for the prime-time GMA 7 soap, which airs its finale on Feb. 11.
“Maybe, as of the moment, it will be my last. Should I do one again, it won’t be anytime soon,” Heart added. “I don’t think my schedule will permit; I have a lot of things on my plate. I can’t promise I will have the time,” she added.
But a short project, Heart said, may be more feasible. “I’m open to doing a film, but I really want it to matter. And maybe I can do a trilogy, a three-episode drama special. In terms of time, I think that would be manageable,” she said.
‘Matter of destiny’
As for her rumored participation in the American reality television show “Bling Empire,” Heart made no confirmation, but let on that she did film something for the streaming giant Netflix.
“I can’t say if it’s ‘Bling Empire’ or something else. But I definitely filmed a show for Netflix. But, honestly, I have no idea when that will come out,” she said, adding that the prospect of having an international career isn’t really something she’s banking on right now.
“You can’t expect anything when it comes to anything [related] abroad. For me, I think achieving anything in Hollywood will be a matter of destiny,” Heart said.
Aside from acting, the 36-year-old star is also a visual artist, entrepreneur, philanthropist and a fashion influencer.
With so many interests and endeavors to juggle, how does she choose which ones to prioritize?
“I don’t have anyone who helps me plan out my career. I just take it one day at a time and see where the wind blows. And when my intuition tells me to do something, that’s what I do. I don’t have anything solid about my next steps. I will just enjoy every step of the journey.”
Just recently, Heart flew to France for the Paris Fashion Week, where she attended a number of blue-chip shows, like Fendi and Dior. Asked if she ever feels pressure about maintaining her glamorous, fashionista persona, the Kapuso actress said she doesn’t get tired of it because she finds joy in expressing herself through clothes.
“When you do something, it has to be you. If you’re going to pretend, then it’s never going to last. You have to love what you do … it should be innate, so there’s no pressure. I enjoy what I do,” she said. “And with everything I have been through, I have come to learn to just roll with the punches.”
Final choice
In “Sorsogon,” Heart plays Celeste, a fashion designer who begrudgingly returns to her home province to mend loose ends and deal with her past trauma. Now married to the socialite Tonito (Richard Yap), Celeste finds herself in a romantic entanglement when she stumbles upon her former lover, Mikoy (Paolo Contis).
Celeste makes her choice in the finale.
“Every time I do scenes with them, my heart bleeds. I truly hope that Celeste makes the right decision, because I myself find her situation difficult! At some point, you just have to listen to your heart. Celeste can go back to Mikoy, who knows her well. But, on the other hand, Celeste is no longer that person she once was,” she said. “We just leave it to destiny!”
Heart will celebrate her birthday on Feb. 14. And as she turns a year older, all she could really ask for is to continue loving and empowering herself.
“I just want to embrace my flaws and the things that make me feel empowered. I would like to continue growing and working on myself,” she said. “No expectations, but celebrate the things you achieve.”