'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAHAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABP/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAySGDu//EACAQAAIBBAEFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDAgQFBhIABxEhI0L/2gAIAQEAAT8AyTGaa19N8PukFKDLk2qluB7ZL+dzx1UA2YWvvDY6mR8kc//EABURAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAC/9oACAECAQE/AIf/xAAXEQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQMx/9oACAEDAQE/AKLD/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
While Ryan Gosling is actively working in movies, his partner Eva Mendes has not appeared on the silver screen for almost a decade. In an interview with TODAY published on March 27, the Hitch actress revealed why she stepped away from the limelight.
Speaking to Shop TODAY editorial director Adrianna Brach, Mendes explained that she wanted to spend time with her children:
"I just didn't act because acting takes you on locations, it takes you away."
After a few acting stints in the late 90s, Eva Mendes gained prominence in Hollywood with films like Training Day and 2 Fast 2 Furious. She began dating Ryan Gosling in 2011, and soon Mendes put a pause on her acting career after having their first child in 2014.
What Eva Mendes said in her interview
During her appearance on Shop TODAY, Eva Mendes opened up about her career and motherhood. The actress and her partner Ryan Gosling are notoriously private about their lives, but Mendes provided a rare glimpse in the interview.
When asked about her transition from acting to motherhood, she replied:
"It was like a no-brainer. I'm so lucky, and I was like, if I can have this time with my children — and I've still worked, I just didn't act, because acting takes you on locations, it takes you away."
Mendes revealed how she chose to be a stay-at-home mother while Ryan Gosling would carry on with his acting career. Talking about the decision, she said:
"It was almost a non-verbal agreement that it was like, okay, he's gonna work and I'm gonna work, I'm just gonna work here."
While Eva has been busy being a mother to their daughters Esmeralda (9) and Amada (7), Ryan has been entertaining fans with his roles. Most recently, he was nominated for an Oscar for Barbie and also performed a musical number as Ken during the 2024 Academy Awards ceremony. Throughout the journey, Mendes has been a vocal supporter of her partner.
Speaking about his Oscar performance, she said:
"He went and he did his job. He just happens to be really good at his job. And he did and he came home."
She also talked about her viral Instagram post where she called Gosling home to put their kids to bed after his Oscars moment. She praised his commitment to his craft and revealed how special he was to her. She noted:
"He wants to make everything as best as it can be and that means making his costars as best as they can be. Unfortunately, or fortunately, there's only one Ryan, so I pretty much stopped acting after that."
As to whether Eva Mendes will grace the big screen again, the actress revealed that she was willing to be "back with a vengeance" for one particular project. However, Mendes remained tight-lipped about the film. She had previously revealed in a 2022 interview with The View that she hoped to return to acting, but would refrain from doing "violence" or "sexuality."
While her acting career is on a pause, Mendes juggles a lot alongside being a stay-at-home mother. She is also an entrepreneur, being a co-owner and ambassador for Skura Style, a sponge business. Additionally, she is involved in the fashion and makeup industry.
Eva Mendes last appeared on film in 2014's The Lost River, which was written and directed by Ryan Gosling. In television, she was last seen in the animated series Bluey in 2021. Meanwhile, Ryan Gosling is set to appear in the upcoming film The Fall Guy releasing on May 3, 2024.
