Eva Mendes Has One Regret About Once Upon A Time In Mexico

Eva Mendes rarely appears on screen these days, but for the better part of the 2000s and 2010s, she was one of the most sought-after leading ladies in Hollywood. During the actor's heyday, Mendes appeared in some of the biggest films in release, and in turn, shared the screen with major showbiz players like Denzel Washington ("Out of Time"), Will Smith ("Hitch"), Matt Damon ("Stuck on You"), and Joaquin Phoenix ("We Own the Night"), among others.

Likewise, busy Mendes booked gigs with some of the most respected directors in the game. While the likes of Leos Carax and Derek Cianfrance surely rank among the most impressive filmmakers Eva Mendes has worked with, Robert Rodriguez may be the most interesting, if only because she worked with the D.I.Y. auteur on one of his best films, 2003's action epic "Once Upon a Time In Mexico." That film boasted a seriously impressive cast, including stars Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, and Johnny Depp. It also found Mendes in top form as Ajedrez, a shady AFN agent with shifting allegiances.

"Once Upon A Time In Mexico" is ranked among Eva Mendes' best movies. But it seems there's one scene in the film she regretted shooting. And yes, it involved one of her famous co-stars. 

That co-star was Johnny Depp. And to be clear, Eva Mendes didn't exactly regret shooting the scene in question. She did, however, clearly wish it had played out a little differently. The scene comes near the end of "Once Upon A Time In Mexico," and finds Ajedrez and Depp's dodgy CIA agent on the verge of ending their uneasy alliance with the requisite bloodshed. Ajedrez gets the upper hand, but before she puts the man down, unexpectedly steals a kiss — a move that ultimately costs Ajedrez her life.

The fateful moment is fleeting, and Mendes explained in an interview with Boston.com that she indeed regretted the brief nature of her kiss with Depp, telling the publication, "All of my screen kisses were the best, though I regret not kissing Johnny Depp for longer." As for why Mendes regretted not stretching the moment out, she'd go on to admit having a bit of a crush on Depp at the time, stating, "I was so intimidated by him. It was the first time I had worked with an actor who I had crushed on as a little girl."

Mendes did alright for herself on the Hollywood Heartthrob front, of course, having entranced Ryan Gosling a few years after her Depp encounter. And as for her crush on Depp, it could possibly have changed a bit given his troubles of late. But this is a fun little behind-the-scenes factoid for "Once Upon A Time In Mexico" fans nonetheless.