Eva Mendes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eva Mendes
Mendes in 2009
Born	Eva de la Caridad Méndez (1974-03-05) March 5, 1974 (age 51) Miami, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1996–2014, 2021
Partner(s)	Ryan Gosling (2011–present)
Children	2

Eva Mendes (born March 5, 1974) is an American actress who retired from acting to focus on her family and other projects. She became famous for her roles in popular movies during the late 1990s and 2000s.

Her career took off after her role in the movie Training Day (2001). This led to parts in successful films like 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) and Hitch (2005). She also starred in movies based on comic books, such as Ghost Rider (2007) and The Spirit (2008).

Besides acting, Mendes has been a model and ambassador for famous brands like Calvin Klein, Reebok, and Pantene. She also designed a clothing line for New York & Company and was the creative director for a makeup brand called CIRCA Beauty.

Early Life and Family

Eva Mendes was born in Miami, Florida, to parents who were from Cuba. After her parents divorced, she was raised by her mother in Los Angeles. Her mother worked at the famous Mann's Chinese Theatre and later for an aerospace company. Her father ran a meat business.

Mendes attended Hoover High School in Glendale, California. She later studied marketing at California State University, Northridge. However, she decided to leave college to study acting with a coach named Ivana Chubbuck.

Acting Career

Getting Started in Movies (1998–2001)

Mendes began her acting career after a talent manager saw her photo. Her first movie role was in a horror film called Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror. She was not happy with her performance and decided to hire an acting coach to improve her skills.

After that, she appeared in small roles in movies like the comedy A Night at the Roxbury (1998) and the slasher film Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000). Her big break came in 2001 with the crime movie Training Day. She starred alongside famous actors Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke. Mendes said this role was very important for her career and made her want to continue acting. Training Day was a big success at the box office.

Becoming a Hollywood Star (2002–2009)

Mendes at the 66th Venice Film Festival in 2009

After Training Day, Mendes started getting bigger roles in major movies. In 2003, she starred in four different films. She played an undercover agent in 2 Fast 2 Furious with Paul Walker and Tyrese Gibson. The movie was a huge hit worldwide.

She also appeared in Once Upon a Time in Mexico with Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek. That same year, she reunited with Denzel Washington for the thriller Out of Time.

In 2005, she starred with Will Smith in the romantic comedy Hitch. Critics praised her performance, and the movie was a massive success, making over $368 million globally.

Mendes played the love interest of Nicolas Cage in the comic book movie Ghost Rider (2007). The film was very popular with audiences. She also acted in the crime drama We Own the Night (2007) with Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Wahlberg.

In 2008, she was part of an all-female cast in the comedy The Women. She also played a mysterious character in The Spirit, another movie based on a comic.

Later Roles and Retirement (2010–2014)

Mendes at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival

In 2010, Mendes starred in the action-comedy The Other Guys with Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. The movie was another box office hit. She also appeared in the romantic drama Last Night.

In 2011, she made a brief appearance in Fast Five, returning as her character Monica Fuentes from 2 Fast 2 Furious. The next year, she starred in the drama The Place Beyond the Pines. It was on the set of this film that she worked with her future partner, Ryan Gosling.

Her last film role was in Lost River (2014), which was directed by Ryan Gosling. After this movie, Mendes decided to retire from acting. She explained in 2022 that she wanted to create her own opportunities but felt it was better to focus on her home life and her children.

Other Work and Projects

Modeling and Music Videos

Mendes appeared in several music videos early in her career. She was in videos for artists like the Pet Shop Boys, Aerosmith, and Will Smith.

She was also a spokesperson for many famous brands. In 2005, she began working with Revlon to help raise money for breast cancer research. She was also a model for Calvin Klein, Magnum ice cream, and Reebok.

Fashion and Beauty Lines

Mendes has also worked in design. She created a line of bed linens and dinnerware for the department store Macy's. In 2013, she launched her own fashion line called Eva by Eva Mendes with New York & Co..

In 2015, she became the creative director for a makeup brand called CIRCA Beauty. The brand was sold at Walgreens stores.

Personal Life

In September 2011, Mendes began dating actor Ryan Gosling. They met while filming The Place Beyond the Pines. The couple has two daughters, born in 2014 and 2016. Mendes prefers to keep her family life private.

For health and ethical reasons, Mendes is a pescetarian, which means she eats fish but not other meat. She also practices Transcendental Meditation.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Eva Mendes para niños