Bling Empire Season 3 episode 9: Who is Kim Lane's "celebrity friend" Heart Evangelista?

Fashion icon Heart Evangelista appeared in the ninth episode of Netflix's popular reality series Bling Empire. The platform released ten binge-worthy episodes of the series on Wednesday, October 5, 2022. The season saw several wealthy Asian and Asian-American socialites navigate their personal relationships and professional commitments, indulging in some drama throughout the season.

In Episode 9 of Bling Empire, cast member Kane Lim threw a Filipino-inspired special dinner for his "celebrity friend," which turned out to be Heart Evangelista.

Heart Evangelista is an actor, philanthropist, social media star, and visual artist. She has appeared on numerous magazine covers around the globe and has been a popular actor in the Filipino space since she was young. In a confessional on the episode, Kane said:

“Heart Evangelista is one of the most famous and beloved [actresses] in the Philippines. I wanna throw something epic for her. I want her to feel welcome, and maybe she misses Filipino food."

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More details on Heart Evangelista explored as she makes an appearance on Bling Empire Season 3

The icon's real name is Love Marie Payawal Ongpauco-Escudero. She was born on February 14, 1985, i.e., on Valentine's Day, which is why her name is "Love" and her nickname is "Heart." She is a Filipino actress, artist, businesswoman, and socialite who began acting at the age of 13. The star is married to politician Francis Escudero.

Heart was born in the Philippines and moved to the United States before returning to her homeland in her early teens. In one of her first roles, she amazed the audience with her performance of the "chic, ultra-feminine" Missy Sandejas in ABS-CBN’s teen-oriented series G-mik.

According to Celebrity Net Worth, the actress's net worth is $3 million. Based on a report by Reality Titbit, Heart has been signed by several agencies, including Royal Era Entertainment, Viva Artist Agency, Manila Genesis, and GMA Artist Center. She also released her album Heart in 2003.

She is also an accomplished painter and has her own Instagram page dedicated to her art. She regularly paints and draws on canvas, including a food mark on one of her Hermes Birkin bags that inspired her to paint over them. The star has also hosted several sold-out exhibitions.

Heart is a big dog-lover and an animal rights advocate. She has been a spokesperson for the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) for 13 years. She is also the CEO of beauty, cosmetics, and personal care brand Pure Living.

The artist is a stepmother to her husband's two children. In an interview with ABC CBN, she publicly spoke about her miscarriage that brought her closer to the family. She said:

“When I got pregnant, I really felt differently towards them. I really felt the maternal feeling. I felt that and I loved them even more. I think they also loved me even more. It was a whole experience for the family when I got pregnant and when I lost the babies. I feel like we also got really closer. I really love them so, so much."

Heart has been part of several film projects, including Nobody, Nobody But… Juan, Trip, My First Romance, Trophy Wife, and Temptation Island, among many others. She is also the author of the book This is Me, Love Marie!

The artist promotes and protects the local artisans of Sorsogon, Philippines, through her project Moison Love Marie. Her most recent appearance was at Paris Fashion Week 2022.

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In the Bling Empire episode, Heart gifted her friend Kane Lim with a cubic zirconia necklace. She also expressed her gratitude to the show's cast in an Instagram post with 10.9 million followers.

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All ten episodes of Bling Empire are available to stream on Netflix.