American actress Eva de la Caridad Méndez, known as Eva Mendes, has charmed audiences with her performances in several iconic films, including Training Day (2001), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), Hitch (2005), and The Place Beyond the Pines (2012). 

It was on the set of The Place Beyond the Pines that Mendes met her husband, Ryan Gosling. The two bonded during filming, eventually falling in love. The couple now share two daughters, Esmeralda Amada (born 2014) and Amada Lee (born 2016).

Though Mendes has not appeared in a film since 2014, it was a conscious decision on her part. She has expressed that she would only return to acting for a project where she could work with Gosling. The couple has appeared together in two films: Drunk History Christmas (2011) and The Place Beyond the Pines (2012).

Since walking away from acting, Mendes has focused on a variety of projects. She co-founded Skura Style, a cleaning product company, and authored a children’s book titled Desi, Mami, and the Never-Ending Worries, published in September 2024. It explores a mother helping her daughter navigate anxiety.

In a candid interview with The Sunday Times, Mendes reflected on her decision to step away from acting, explaining that it wasn’t a difficult choice for her. Although her acting hiatus has continued, Mendes remains open to returning to the screen under the right circumstances.