Heart Evangelista. Image: Instagram/@iamhearte
When Heart Evangelista was finding her footing in the entertainment industry, she was told she wouldn’t be cast in a drama due to her Chinita features. This made her insecure about her looks before eventually learning to embrace her beauty.
Evangelista started her showbiz career in 2000 when she took on the role of Missy Sandejas in “G-mik.” She also appeared on “Arriba, Arriba,” “Tara Tena: Share A Home, Share A Heart,” and other sitcoms before transitioning into drama. Years later, she was announced as the new face of a local makeup brand.
“Before, feeling ko isa ako sa unang Chinita n’ung time na ‘yun. In fact, I remember feeling so discriminated because may nagsabi sa’kin na hindi ako pwede mag-telenovela kasi masyadong maliit ang mata ko, hindi ako makakapag-express. I felt so hurt,” she recalled in a media conference moments before the GRWM Ball, where she was accompanied by entrepreneur and beauty maven Mae Layug.
“I felt that I needed to have bigger eyes, and I needed to change my look. I needed to be mestiza. I needed to look a certain way to get roles,” Evangelista continued.
(I felt that I was one of the first Chinitas at the time. In fact, I remember feeling so discriminated against because I was told I couldn’t star in telenovelas because my eyes were so small. I couldn’t express my feelings well. I felt so hurt. I felt that I needed to have bigger eyes, and I need to change my look. I needed to be mestiza. I needed to look a certain way to get roles.)
However, the negative comments turned out to be useless since she eventually took on lead roles in dramas including “Hiram,” “Luna Mystika,” and “Mulawin vs Ravena,” to name a few. She also taught herself to change her mindset and embrace what makes her different.
“Some people are different, which in a way, would make you click. So that’s how I changed my mindset,” she said. “I was able to embrace my features and who I am, and when I became more confident, I saw a huge difference in just being yourself.”
On defining beauty, staying in PH
Evangelista is also a believer that beauty is more than skin deep. And instead of a person’s “face card,” it’s about the aura that makes one stand out.
“It’s about your charm or should I say, your aura. We live in a world where everything is so fast-paced. We’re all evolving. But haven’t you noticed that some women, despite being in their 50s or 60s, they’re still beautiful? Because it’s their aura, charm, and personality,” she said.
“That’s what a true face card is. It’s not about how beautiful or how beautiful they think he is. It’s not about what’s seen but about what’s felt,” she further explained.
Heart Evangelista during an intimate media conference in Parañaque. Image: Hannah Mallorca/INQUIRER.net
Since Evangelista made a name for herself in the fashion industry, she constantly flies in and out of the Philippines, especially when Fashion Week rolls around. But she doesn’t see herself leaving the country anytime soon.
“Of course, I would be nothing without the Philippines. If you look at my percentage on Instagram, my following is [in] the Philippines. I never intended to leave and never come back. I always wanted to come back because this is my home,” she said.
She also pointed out that her home country is where her “dreams came true,” noting that her privileges abroad are just fruits of her hard work.
“This is where my dreams came true. Everything else is just a cherry on top. Dito talaga ang kabuuuan ng career ko (This is where I started my career),” she said. “They support me, I support them.”