Heart Evangelista: I’ll walk that aisle by myself, but I’m fine

MANILA, Philippines - We saw her as a little girl growing up on screen, with her shares of love and heartbreak. Now we are all rooting for Heart Evangelista’s happily ever after.

She fills every dull moment with her passions. Whether it’s with the excitement of her first Preview magazine cover garbed in Cary Santiago couture (now she’s about to wear three wedding dresses, each by Monique Lhuillier, Ezra Santos, and Mark Bumgarner), or her quirky habit of drawing portraits with her make-up set (a craft she recently exhibited solo in Singapore), Heart is one to make you believe that true love indeed exists. 

Of course, her rose-colored view of the world comes with many thorns to which we were all witnesses. Like a rare gem amid life’s pressures, Heart has managed to become the multi-faceted, fine-carated woman that she is.

So, perhaps, it was only proper that one of the country’s leading jewelers paid homage to her. My Diamond threw Heart, its endorser and long-time friend, a bachelorette party, dubbed as “The Last Fling Before the Ring,” by having her friends and family over for an intimate affair of bubbly (Moët, of course), sweets (which Heart excruciatingly begged off from), and a lot of sparkle (courtesy of My Diamond’s latest collections) to send off one of showbiz’s most radiant leading women.

Of course, as many good bridal showers go, there were a lot of gifts — both naughty and nice — and a lot of secrets shared, and the Philippine STAR was not spared — we caught up with Heart just before she becomes Mrs. Chiz Escudero.

PHILIPPINE STAR: When it comes to love, how much has changed now that you are getting married?

HEART EVANGELISTA:  A lot. I think before, I was just caught up with the drama of it all, the ‘you-and-me-against-the-world.’ Although, it repeated itself, but I think, now it’s more of a mature love. Not all the time that it’s happy, not all the time that it’s like a fairy tale, or a movie. But now, I feel like it’s a choice, it’s a commitment, and that’s why I decided to get married. I’m not caught up in the moment anymore. It’s now a commitment to stay loyal to each other. It’s very different.

And what has remained the same?

I was never jaded about love. That’s the same. Very hopeful. I’m still very malambing. The childlike faith when it comes to love is still there.

And what type of engagement ring made you finally say yes to marriage?

It’s a heart-shaped diamond. Whenever I think about somebody proposing, I’ve always pictured a heart-shaped ring, sayang kasi, with my name, perfect na. It was from his mom which he just had re-set. It’s an heirloom, and it’s very special.

What is the type of wedding ring that would make you say I do?

Something simple, something that I could wear every day. I don’t think I’d want to take it out of my finger. Something that I can layer with other rings, so I don’t want anything so chunky.

For you, what does a wedding ring symbolize?

It’s the commitment. Yeah, it’s beautiful, but it’s not every time you’re comfortable wearing that ring, but it has to stay on no matter what. Even if you’re watching the dishes, taking care of the kids, it has to stay on. That has a lot to do with love, right? Ups and downs, you’re still there, one hundred percent.

You have gone from a teenybopper poster girl and primetime princess to prolific artist, and, very soon, public servant’s wife. How do you maintain your multi-faceted life, and what part of you makes this all possible?

I have a really good guy beside me. It’s a lot of pressure, admittedly. Take away everything that I’ve done with my life, just being a politician’s wife, I could feel all the pressure. But this guy I am marrying feels that it’s old-fashioned that you have to be a certain way, dress a certain way, you have to have a certain past. That everything has to be perfect. He never really told me to act a certain way, so I feel really comfortable being myself. So it helps me.

How has your past prepared you for starting a future with your husband-to-be?

It made me appreciate the person I’m with. I’ve lost a lot of great people in my life because I gave up my own happiness for other people’s happiness. So, even if it was a bit painful for me to disregard other people’s happiness, people whom I love so much, like my family, I really had to take the leap. I really had to stand up for what was right for me, and what I believe in, for what I felt I need to fight for, which was Chiz. That I was running out of options, and that not all the time your stars will align and you will find true love, so I really had to stand up and fight for it. That’s why on my wedding day, my parents may not be going, but I’m fine. I’ll walk that aisle by myself because I’m going to make this panindigan. It’s so symbolic for me to walk, and, a thousand times over, I’ll do it for him.

You are to be wed to a high-profile politician. Which part of Sen. Chiz Escudero are you most attracted to?

The way he speaks, how spontaneous he is. I’ve been to different events with him, and all of a sudden, they would ask him to speak. And I’d ask him, “did you prepare a speech?” and he’d admit he didn’t, and be so humble about it. But then, when he’s on-stage, I’d be like, “Where did that come from?”So, that’s why he was my crush back in 2007, I heard him speak and saw him in La Union. I was blown-away by his brilliance. Yet, at the same time, I saw him a couple of months after wearing shorts and tsinelas on some restaurant and I realized, he’s such a normal guy.

What is it that you most look forward to after getting married?

Just the everyday life of normality. With mom as my manager, I would work 24/7, and only have 10 days a year for vacation for 16 years. So, now, I still work, but then I have a home to come to. I have to learn how to cook, I have to start waking up early in the morning because I have to make sure there’s breakfast on the table, not just for us, but also for my twins, the kids. It’s going to be a bit hard, I’m sure it’s tough, but I can’t wait to be the woman I’m supposed to be after all those experiences.

Being married comes with sacrifices. Which part of you as a person are you ready to give up to make way for being a good wife?

No-brainer, my career! Of course, if I compare my work to his, for me, it’s more significant. He takes care of the whole country, I just keep them entertained. I’d give up my career, because I want to make sure that he has normality in his life, a home he can go to at the end of the day. I think it’s so important, that core of being a family.

In a matter of days, we will say goodbye to Heart Evangelista and will welcome Heart Escudero. How are you feeling about this?

I’m a bit scared, you know. My friends, they joke and say, ‘Oh, misis.’ It’s scary. Right now I’m starting to feel the changes and the responsibilities. Even Chiz would pass on some responsibilities to me already, and expects me, like, you have to do this now.” So, it’s a lot of pressure, but of course, it’s a new chapter. It’s something new. Something I’ve never experienced, so it’s exciting. Change is always good.

What advice can you give young people in turning their dream weddings into reality?

That it’s no fairytale, you know. Love is tough, but it’s fulfilling. Maybe you can make it into a modern kind of fairytale, but love isn’t perfect. We meet people for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Don’t be so tough on yourself if you break up with someone, or you lose someone, or got your heart broken, because every break-up leads you to the person you’re really supposed to end up with.

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Heart Evangelista will be wed to Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Feb. 15, 2015 at the private resort island of Balesin, Quezon Province, while a Manila reception will follow on Feb. 18, 2015.