Heart Evangelista brings mom into spotlight in ‘Heart World 2’

February 13 ------ Actress and fashion icon Heart Evangelista returns to television with a more intimate and reflective second season of “Heart World,” this time with her mother Cecilia Payawal-Ongpauco by her side.

Directed by Rico Gutierrez, the new season expands beyond red carpets and runway appearances, focusing instead on healing, family, and the realities behind Evangelista’s carefully curated public image.

The first season, which aired in 2024, chronicled her life across global fashion capitals and offered viewers a look at the discipline required behind the glamour. Season 2, she said, begins with something deeper. “The beginning is all about healing and how you need to sometimes be plucked out of your usual environment by important people, to kind of reset and heal what you need to heal,” she shared.

A central storyline this season is Evangelista’s reunion with her mother who joined her for Paris Fashion Week — their first extended trip together in years. “It was so much fun for me, it’s the first time I saw her in her element in Paris. I appreciated all the hard work, the passion. I mean, she was never-ending in motion. She wakes up at 3 or 4 a.m. and goes all day long just fixing her outfits, accessories, content, always creative. It made me so proud to watch her in action,” Ongpauco said.

Ongpauco admitted she initially underestimated the demands of fashion week. “I thought it was all being cute and doing the poses. No. It was way different. That’s why I got teary-eyed. I saw her, and she was so tired but still going. And for me, that was so beautiful.”

Evangelista, meanwhile, described her mother as the unexpected standout of the season. “It’s going to give main character vibes because she was a character that I didn’t expect at all. I think at the end of the day, there are moments in life that simply call for your mom.”

The season will feature candid, sometimes tense conversations between mother and daughter, including a sit-down discussion about past relationships. She also addressed common perceptions about her public persona. “There’s this misconception: ‘Why does she dress up so much? For what?’ Dressing up — expressing myself through art and fashion — is how I protect myself. It’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.”

The upcoming season will also touch on a traumatic incident involving Evangelista and her family, though she declined to disclose details. “I’m not sure I’m ready to speak about it yet, but it’s in the works. Something really bad happened to my mom and me, and it’s so traumatizing I still can’t talk about it. We’re still going through it. We’ve had to seek therapy because of the intense stress during that time.” Despite the challenges, Eva­ngelista said she remains committed to revealing more of herself onscreen. “Sometimes you’re afraid to put yourself out there — to be raw and authentic, even the messy parts. But you just have to.”

Source: manilatimes.net