Eva Longoria
Eva Jacqueline Longoria Bastón is an American actress, producer, director, and businesswoman. After several guest roles on television, she became recognized for her portrayal of Isabella Braña on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless. Her breakthrough role as Gabrielle Solis on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives earned her two Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Golden Globe nomination. She has appeared in the films The Sentinel, Over Her Dead Body, For Greater Glory, Frontera, Lowriders, and Overboard, winning an Imagen Award for the latter. She guest-starred on the Hulu mystery comedy-drama series Only Murders in the Building, earning her a third Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.
In 2005, Longoria founded UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, a film and television production company. In 2023, the company was acquired by Hyphenate Media Group, a production company co-founded by Longoria and Cris Abrego. She also executive produced the Lifetime television series Devious Maids, the short-lived NBC sitcom Telenovela in which she starred, and the films The Harvest and Food Chains. Her directorial ventures include the television series Ashley Garcia: Genius in Love, for which she was nominated at the Daytime Creative Arts Emmys, and the Oscar-nominated film Flamin' Hot.
Longoria received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2018. She has appeared in several advertising campaigns, including with L'Oréal, New York & Co, Pepsi, and launched her own fashion and perfumes brand in 2017. Her other business ventures include opening the restaurant Beso in 2008, investing in businesses and films such as John Wick, and publishing a cookbook.
Early life and education
Longoria was born in Corpus Christi, Texas, on March 15, 1975, the youngest of the four daughters of her Tejano parents Ella Eva and Enrique Longoria Jr. One of her sisters has special needs. Longoria told Redbook in 2016:She was raised Roman Catholic. She did not speak Spanish growing up, and did not learn the language until 2009. While in high school, she worked at a Wendy's restaurant part-time for three years, initially so she could raise funds for her quinceañera. Longoria previously told the press how her years in fast food as a teen shaped her work ethic, saying "I couldn't wait to get to work and make my own money." Longoria earned her Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. At that time, she also won the title of Miss Corpus Christi USA. After completing college, she entered a talent contest that led her to Los Angeles; and shortly thereafter, was spotted and signed by a theatrical agent. While auditioning for roles, she worked as a headhunter for four years. Longoria has publicly credited Jennifer Lopez as being an inspiration to her early in her career. "Jennifer broke down so many doors so that we could walk through them," she told the magazine People. "And she kicked them down. They were not easy doors." She also described Tejana legend Selena as being "my idol, my inspiration" and "the reason I even dared to dream that a better life was possible."
After three years at California State University, Northridge, she received her master's degree in Chicano studies in May 2013. "This place was probably the place I grew most in my life… I was exhausted the whole time I was here," she laughs. "I did night school. I would finish filming and come here 7 to 10 at night, and then, go home and do it all again. Be on set at 5:00 a.m. It fills my heart with my Mexican pride." Her thesis was "Success STEMS From Diversity: The Value of Latinas in STEM Careers".
Career
2000s
Longoria guest-starred in an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210. Another guest appearance on General Hospital the same year led to a contract role on the CBS Daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless, where she portrayed Isabella Braña from 2001 to 2003.After leaving that show, she appeared in the 2003 revival of Jack Webb's long-running Dragnet media franchise. She then starred in Señorita Justice, a poorly received direct-to-video film; and a television film, The Dead Will Tell.
In 2003, Longoria was cast as Gabrielle Solis in the ABC comedy-drama Desperate Housewives. She later commented, "I think it's funny when people say I'm an overnight sensation, because I've been working at it for 10 years."
Shortly after her debut on Desperate Housewives, she starred in a direct-to-video film, Carlita's Secret, for which she was also co-producer.
In 2006, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy, along with her co-stars in Desperate Housewives. That year, she received the ALMA Award, and was named entertainer of the year. She also starred opposite Michael Douglas and Kiefer Sutherland in the thriller The Sentinel —her first major role in a theatrical feature film—and played Sylvia in Harsh Times, starring Freddy Rodríguez and Christian Bale.
In the 2000s, Longoria appeared in several high-profile advertising campaigns and numerous men's magazines, reaching No. 14 in the FHM "Sexiest Women 2008" poll. She was also featured on the cover of various international women's magazines, including Vogue, Marie Claire and Harper's Bazaar. People en Español listed her among its "Most Beautiful People" for 2003. She continues to be included in lists of Hollywood's Most Beautiful. She was listed as No. 1 in Maxim
In January 2007, Longoria was chosen to be the first face of Bebe Sport. She appeared in the Spring/Summer 2007 campaign, photographed by Greg Kadel. She also holds contracts with L'Oréal, and New York & Co. She also contracts with Magnum Ice-Cream and Heineken. She was a part of Microsoft's "I'm A PC" ad campaign. She and Tony Parker have appeared together in campaigns for London Fog. She became a spokesperson for L'Oréal Paris in 2005 and was still being featured in L'Oréal TV commercials and print ads as of 2016.
2010s
In the summer of 2010, she was a judge on The Next Food Network Star; and in October, she hosted the MTV Europe Music Awards 2010 in Madrid, Spain.Based on her earnings from June 1, 2009, to June 1, 2010, Longoria was ranked No. 4 on Forbes ''Prime Time's 10 Top-Earning Women with an estimated $12 million. She topped the Forbes magazine's list of the highest-paid TV actresses for 2011.
In 2013, Longoria professed that she was a "cat lady", and appeared as a spokesperson for Sheba Cat Food.
From 2013, she served as one of the executive producers of Devious Maids and directed the season two premiere, "An Ideal Husband". In 2016, she also starred in the fourth season, in the episode "Once More Unto the Bleach". She is also an executive producer of the documentaries The Harvest and Food Chains, for which she won a James Beard Foundation Award.
In 2014, she had a recurring role in the TV show Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
In 2015, NBC announced plans for a sitcom called Telenovela in which Longoria starred as a popular telenovela actress. It was filmed with a single camera. It ran for only one season.
In August 2016, Longoria's production company, UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, signed a two-year first-look deal with Universal Pictures.
In 2017, Longoria directed the season three finale episode of the ABC comedy Black-ish. The same year, she was attached to the pilot of a workplace comedy, Type-A.
In 2018, Longoria attended the premiere for her new film, Dog Days'' with co-stars Vanessa Hudgens and Nina Dobrev on August 5, 2018.
2020s
In August 2019, Longoria was announced as the director of the biopic Flamin' Hot, her feature-length directorial debut. The film was released in 2023, amid a controversy into the authenticity of the subject matter.In September 2020, UnbeliEVAble Entertainment renewed a three-year first-look deal with 20th Television.
In 2021, Longoria was working with Kenya Barris to develop a possible new television series Brown-ish about a Latino family.
She will produce a Spanish-language adaptation of the television series Call My Agent! for Latin America and the U.S. and direct the first two episodes.
In June 2024, the Los Angeles Times featured Longoria in its "L.A. Influential" series as a "creator who is leaving their mark" in Los Angeles.
Other ventures
Business and endorsements
In March 2008, Longoria opened the restaurant Beso in Hollywood, along with partner and celebrity chef Todd English. The restaurant is located on Hollywood Boulevard and is accompanied by Kiss, a Victorian-themed nightclub on the floor above. The Hollywood Beso was scheduled to be the focus of a pilot episode for a tentative reality series called Beso: Waiting on Fame, to air on VH1 in late 2010. In 2009, Longoria and various investor-partners opened a Beso restaurant, with a nightclub called Eve above it, in the Crystals retail and entertainment district of CityCenter in Las Vegas.In 2011, the corporation Beso LLC, owner of the Vegas restaurant-and-nightclub venture, with listed assets of about $2.5 million and Longoria as a 32 percent shareholder, filed for Chapter 11 protection, entering bankruptcy proceedings, in order to restructure nearly $5.7 million in debt and other liabilities. On July 28, 2011, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Nevada ordered Longoria to appear in Las Vegas on August 20 in order to be examined about the bankrupt restaurant's finances.
In terms of food-related promotions, in 2012 and 2013, Longoria paired with Iron Chef Michael Symon for a promotion for PepsiCo's Lay's potato chips contest called "Do Us A Flavor". The promotion encourages consumers to submit new flavor ideas and fans to vote for their favorite on Facebook. The person who creates the winning flavor is awarded $1 million or one percent of chip flavor's net sales.
After some of the funding failed to arrive a week before production of the 2014 film John Wick was due to commence Longoria stepped in and provided $6 million. She doubled her investment in 10 years and continues to receive financial returns from the success of the film though she has no financial interest in any of its sequels.
In 2015, Longoria announced that she had teamed up with sportswear manufacturer Sunrise Brands to create a women's apparel collection, set to launch Fall 2016.
In March 2017, Longoria launched her clothing line website on her official site. In December 2023, she was a guest narrator at Disney's Candlelight Processional at Walt Disney World.
After being approached by Natalie Portman, Longoria in 2020 joined the ownership group of Angel City FC of the National Women's Soccer League.
In 2021, Mexican football club Necaxa welcomed a high-profile investment from NX Football USA, LLC, which acquired a 50% ownership stake in the club. Among the star-studded ownership group was Longoria, who became one of the most visible and influential figures in Necaxa’s new era. Longoria was joined by a diverse mix of investors, including former D.C. United MLS owners, executives from Swansea City A.F.C., and fellow celebrities such as former German international footballer Mesut Özil, retired NBA star Shawn Marion, MLB pitcher Justin Verlander, and Verlander’s wife, model and actress Kate Upton.
In April 2024, Necaxa’s investment team—including Longoria—expanded their international presence by acquiring a 5% stake in Wrexham AFC, the Welsh club famously revived by actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds. As part of the reciprocal partnership, McElhenney and Reynolds also became minority stakeholders in Necaxa, marking a rare and high-profile transatlantic collaboration in global football.