At this stage of her life, nothing can topple Heart Evangelista. The fashion maven and global socialite has years' worth of invaluable experience in her, rooted in her days as a rookie actress.
However, Heart attests that nothing was ever handed to her on a silver platter. As a newcomer to show business, she had to deal with her fair share of undesirable comments from those who doubted her talents. In an interview during her launch as the newest ambassador of GRWM Cosmetics, she shared that she was looked down upon for the shape of her "chinita" eyes.
Heart Evangelista On Being Discriminated for Having Chinita Eyes
"Feeling ko, isa ako sa mga unang chinita noong time na ‘yun," she tells ABS-CBN News. Heart started her acting career in youth-oriented series such as G-Mik, My First Romance, and Ang Tanging Ina. Despite eventually finding success, especially with her love-team pairing with John Prats, she still wasn't spared from negative criticisms. Something she was pinned down for were her eyes.
"I remember [when] I felt so discriminated kasi may nagsabi sa akin na hindi ako puwedeng mag-telenovela kasi masyado raw maliit ‘yung mata ko. Hindi raw makakapag-express," she recalls.
Only in her adolescent years at the time, Heart admits how hurt she was by such comments. "I felt that [since] I didn’t have bigger eyes, I needed to change my look. I had to be mestiza. I had to look a certain way to get the roles," she adds.
Despite such pushback, the actress persisted and found herself bagging roles in hit telenovelas such as Hiram, Full House, and My Korean Jagiya. She was awarded for such work by prestigious bodies such as the PMPC Star Awards and the Film Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS). Her most recent starring role was for I Left My Heart in Sorsogon, which aired in 2021.
In retrospect, Heart acknowledges that her eyes have played a vital role in the success of her career. What distinguished her from her peers was what actually became her ace. "[I'm] different for a reason," she puts it.
"I believe the only thing that has changed is my mindset. Everything else remained the same. I was able to embrace my features, who I am, and who I was when I was more confident," Heart expresses. "I witnessed how it made such a significant impact."
No one compares to you, Heart!
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