Why You Haven't Seen Eva Mendes In A Movie In 10 Years
Eva Mendes began her career appearing in music videos from artists like Aerosmith, Pet Shop Boys, and Will Smith in the 1990s. By the end of the decade, she had made her first movie (the direct-to-video horror "Children of The Corn V: Fields of Terror") and appeared in her first TV show (guest starring as Donna in a Season 4 episode of "ER"). After the new millennium, she became one of the most in-demand stars in Tinseltown. Some of her early hits include the likes of the critically acclaimed crime thriller "Training Day," "2 Fast 2 Furious," and "Hitch."
However, just as suddenly as she burst onto the scene, Mendes disappeared. And we don't say that hyperbolically — since 2014's "Lost River," she hasn't appeared in a movie at all. Her only professional screen credit in the last decade is a voice role: She played a yoga instructor in an episode of the animated preschool TV show "Bluey." So, what happened? What prompted the star to leave acting behind? And, if she hasn't been on screen, what has Mendes been up to all these years? She certainly hasn't been idle, that's for sure, but you may not realize just how busy she's been.
Eva Mendes is obsessed with raising her kids
Eva Mendes met future husband Ryan Gosling on the set of 2012's "The Place Beyond the Pines," and they soon became a couple. In 2014, daughter Esmeralda Amada was born, and two years later came Amada Lee. Since then, Mendes has made motherhood and her family her first priority. While she doesn't often talk about the details of her private life with her husband and kids, she's discussed just how important they are to her.
"I'm just so obsessed with my kids that I don't want to leave them," Mendes told E! News in 2018 when asked if she had any plans to return to acting. She also said that it isn't easy being a mom while trying to have her own career, acting or otherwise. "I don't feel like I have it balanced at all. I've kind of been figuring it out as I'm going along and it's just important to have a support system," she said, adding that her family (and her husband's family) have been great at being there for her.
Mendes didn't walk the red carpet at the 2024 Oscars (but she was there)
In 2024, reports emerged that Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes had moved out of Hollywood so that their kids could enjoy a more normal upbringing. "For them, the most important job is their girls," an insider told People magazine. "Everything else comes second. And their girls are thriving. They left L.A. to live a bit further north, away from Hollywood. They didn't want the girls to grow up around other celebrity kids." The couple are all about creating "balance and boundaries," the source added. "They care so much about their marriage and just want their girls to live a happy life."
Of course, that doesn't mean that Gosling and Mendes will be shunning big Hollywood events. In fact, while she didn't make a grand public appearance, Mendes was actually at the 2024 Oscars (observers couldn't help but notice that Gosling walked the red carpet with his sister Mandi). Perhaps to prove that she was indeed in attendance, Mendes posted a short clip on Instagram of herself near the dressing room of her husband, who was nominated for best supporting actor and performed the song "I'm Just Ken" from the smash hit "Barbie." She captioned the video: "Always by my man."
She prefers to let her husband have the Hollywood spotlight
There's no question that Ryan Gosling is a lot more famous than his wife these days, but Eva Mendes is perfectly happy with that dynamic. In fact, she prefers it that way. While her absence from the red carpet at the 2024 Academy Awards was noted, it wasn't exactly unusual – Mendes doesn't typically attend movie premieres with her husband. However, even though she isn't always there in person, Gosling knows that she's with him in spirit. What's more, she always makes sure to hype up her hubby's movie roles, like she did when he landed the role of Ken in "Barbie."
"She's been very supportive," Gosling told reporters from the BBC's "The One Show" (via PopSugar) at the London premiere of his film "The Gray Man," adding: "She's supporting my Kenergy. She started a hashtag, #Thatsmyken, which meant a lot to me." However, even though she started the aforementioned hashtag, Mendes rarely posts photos of her husband on social media. She told her Instagram followers (via Glamour) that she'll only ever share old photos of Gosling or photos that are already online. "My man and kids are private," she explained. "That's important to me."
She became a brand ambassador and launched a makeup line
While she's devoted the majority of her time to being a mom since her last movie appearance in 2014, Eva Mendes has still managed to take on work, just not the kind that put her on the big screen. In 2015, it was revealed that Mendes had become the spokesperson for New Dimensions, a skincare line from cosmetics giant Estée Lauder. "When you're on a red carpet, you're photographed from every angle and you can't control that," Mendes said (via Vogue). "But if you have products you love, once you go out there, you don't worry as much. It's a confidence booster." Around the same time, Mendes launched her own line of makeup called Circa Beauty, developed to be an affordable brand with a luxury feel.
As the creative director of Circa, Mendes worked closely on the line, which includes products like eye shadows and foundations. She was keen to stress that the colors and shades would cover a wide range of skin tones. "As a Latin woman, it was important to me that we create a line of products that work for all women and is accessible without compromising quality," she said (via Fashion Network). Mendes told the Los Angeles Times that this approach was inspired by her own experiences in Hollywood. "When I first started in films about 15 years ago, there weren't many makeup options for my skin tone," she said. "When I look back at things from the beginning of my career, I can see how off the shades were!"
Her business ventures have kept her busy
More recently, Eva Mendes widened the scope of her business ventures to include cleaning products. In 2022, she revealed via a press release that she had aligned with Skura Style, a female-founded lifestyle brand that creates kitchen cleaning tools. Not only was she to be the new brand ambassador, she had become a co-owner, too, acquiring an equity stake in the parent company. "I'm not the cook in the family, but the dishes are my domain," Mendes said. "I find cleaning oddly exciting, and as a dish freak, I was shocked to learn that the sponge is the dirtiest item in my house! That's when my obsession with Skura began."
The company has a package called Eva's Essentials, which includes two scouring pads and a set of 10 microfiber cloths along with some of the company's special sponges, which are made from an antimicrobial agent-treated polyurethane foam. But are they more effective than regular kitchen sponges? "The Skura Style sponge actually does a great job of removing caked on old food and other messes made in my pots and pans," home appliance and furniture tester Samantha Mangino said in a review for USA Today. "Throughout my time using the Skura Style sponge, I barely reached for my steel wool when it came to stuck-on food."
Eva Mendes has been focusing on her health
According to Eva Mendes, being a mother wasn't something she ever thought about until Ryan Gosling came into her life. "It was the furthest thing from my mind," she told Women's Health in 2019. When she met her future husband, all that changed. "Then it made sense for me to have, not kids, but his kids." After giving birth twice, Mendes wanted to make her health a priority. As she revealed to the magazine, she takes keeping in shape seriously because of a few health problems she's had in the past. "I have blood work done at least twice a year because I have high blood sugar, and high cholesterol runs in my family," she explained.
To avoid sweets, Mendes simply doesn't keep them around because she admits to having something of a sweet tooth. To make up for that lack of candies, she indulges in healthier snacks like quinoa and salmon. But it's not just a proper diet that Mendes practices — she does healthy exercises for body and mind. From Thai massage to regular cardio workouts, Mendes keeps very active, though she acknowledges that it's not always easy. "I'm envious of women who enjoy working out, because I have the worst attitude about it," she admitted. "I'm kicking and screaming the whole way."
She started her own clothing line
In 2013, Eva Mendes joined forces with clothing retailer New York & Company to create her own fashion line. The following year (the same year that she appeared in what is still her last feature film at the time of this writing), it was revealed that Mendes had helped create a series of bridesmaids dresses for the company. "An important day needs a special dress," she said in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter). "I love this collection for weddings and other special events. Feel great and dance the night away!"
With a successful launch and tens of millions of dollars in sales, the deal between Mendes and New York & Company was expanded in 2018. Company CEO Greg Scott raved about Mendes in the announcement at the time, expressing his joy over the expansion of the line. "Eva has been a fantastic partner and I'm excited to see how this expansion will impact Eva's fans," said Scott (via Fashion Network). "By expanding to six new stores and by designating more space to the 50 Eva shop-in-shops, we are introducing new clientele to her amazing collection."
Sadly, New York & Company was among the retailers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It filed for bankruptcy in 2020, offering 40% off on its Eva Mendes collection. It's no longer available on the company's website, though celebs are still known to wear it – "Good Morning America" host Robin Roberts rocked the Leandra Sheath Dress from the collection while presenting the show as recently as 2023.
She's been working with charitable organizations
While she clearly has a mind for business, it's not all about the money for Eva Mendes. Over the last decade, she's found the time to work with a number of charitable organizations that do good work for various causes. This includes working as an Ambassador for Ronald McDonald House Charities, a nonprofit that is "dedicated to supporting families with sick children in their time of need," the website states.
Mendes showed up at an event in Australia in 2022 for what is known as McHappy Day, and it wasn't the first time she had played that role for RMHC. "I am incredibly honored to once again partner with McDonald's to raise awareness of McHappy Day and support the truly invaluable work of Ronald McDonald House Charities," Mendes said in a statement. "RMHC is a charity that is close to my heart after my cousin stayed at a Ronald McDonald House while her baby was undergoing treatment."
In addition, Mendes has worked with The Art of Elysium, a charity that brings artists together to help "medically fragile children, teens, adults, seniors, those dealing with social, emotional and mental health issues, and the homeless," per its website. She also works with nonprofits like PETA, and she has been a vocal proponent of various food banks across the country, from Los Angeles to New York. According to Look to the Stars, Mendes has worked alongside 12 different charities and championed 22 causes over the years.
She had to deal with a family tragedy
The last decade hasn't been all good fortune for Eva Mendes. She's had to deal with some challenges, too, and in 2016, she was rocked by a death in the family. Sadly, the loss of her brother Carlos to cancer came right before the birth of her second daughter. But, while the tragedy was of course devastating, she managed to find a way through. "Losing my brother brought our family closer, and we were already close to begin with," Mendes said in Latina magazine (via E! Online). "So to just see everybody be there for one another and show up, I feel so lucky to have them."
Despite the heartbreak, the welcoming of her daughter Amada (who was named after Mendes' grandmother) 12 days later brought a spark of hope to her family. "We had a funeral service for him and that same week I had the baby. It was really, really intense and obviously beyond heartbreaking, but also kind of beautiful." Not long after, Mendes' husband Ryan Gosling received a Golden Globe for his performance in "La La Land" and dedicated the win to Carlos. "It was the most beautiful gesture, and I had no idea Ryan was going to say it," Mendes said in Women's Health. "Losing my brother was incredibly difficult."
She won't work in certain genres because she's a mother
We may not have seen Eva Mendes in a movie for a decade, though she hasn't ruled out coming back to Hollywood: Mendes would return to acting, it just has to be under certain conditions. According to the actor and businesswoman, becoming a mother has changed her perspective on what projects she's willing to take part in, wanting to "set an example" for her two daughters. "As a mother now, there are many roles I won't do," she said on social media (via Us Weekly). "There are many subject matters that I don't want to be involved with, so it limits my choices and I'm fine with that."
During an appearance on "The View" in 2022, Mendes got more specific about the type of movies she wants to avoid as a mom. "I have such a short list of what I will do. Before kids, I kind of was up for anything," Mendes said. "But now I won't do violence, I don't want to do sexuality — the list is short." However, despite her options being limited by her strict approach, she's still optimistic that audiences will see her back on the screen at some point. When asked if she would return to acting if "a special project" came along, she said, "I hope so — it has to be nice and clean."
She's been on and off social media
We may not have seen Eva Mendes on the big screen recently, but that doesn't mean we haven't seen her on any screens at all — pop open your laptop or check your smartphone and you'll find plenty of her on social media, particularly on Instagram. But, while she enjoys promoting her various business projects — and the fun she has while traveling — online, it hasn't all been smooth sailing for her. Mendes took an extended absence from social media because she was feeling "phony," she said during her appearance on "The View" in 2022. "I wanted to [be] more genuine, but not seek it out," she explained (via Remezcla). "My last post was me on a Ferris wheel, and I was like, 'What am I doing?!'"
However, this may not have been the whole story — the previous year, she came under fire for comments she made on Instagram equating spanking to spousal abuse, initiating a fierce debate. She didn't back down from her stance, however, respectfully telling one follower, "We all parent our own way." When Mendes came back to Instagram in 2022 it was to talk up her partnership with Skura. But it isn't all promotion: She now continues to regularly post about her goings-on and is always willing to engage with fans, well-wishers, and even a few critics in the comments, something that major stars rarely do.
Visiting her husband on set keeps her close to the movie business
Just because she's not interested in starring in a feature film herself doesn't mean that Eva Mendes is staying away from movie sets. Being married to Ryan Gosling (who is one of the highest paid actors in Tinseltown and can be seen in some of the biggest movies year after year) gives her ample opportunity to step onto sets, something she does with regularity. She even brings her kids with her sometimes. According to Mendes, her two daughters became convinced that Gosling was an actual astronaut after visiting him on the set of the film "First Man," in which he plays Neil Armstrong. "They loved it! And they now think Poppy's an astronaut," Mendes told Entertainment Tonight. "We haven't corrected them yet."
Because she hasn't starred in a movie in 10 years, it's possible that some audiences have forgotten about Mendes, but thanks to frequent visits to her husband's movie sets, you can bet that Hollywood studios haven't. So, it's likely just a matter of time before the right role comes along and we see Mendes back on screen, whether that's in a movie or a TV show. The actor-turned-entrepreneur even expressed an interest in working with Disney during her appearance on "The View" in 2022. "Disney — perfect!" she said when co-host Whoopi Goldberg suggested that the Mouse House would be perfect for her.