Eva Mendes has only one condition to return to acting after her hiatus in Hollywood since 2014. She recently shared that she would take on a role only if she were cast opposite her husband Ryan Gosling. She even went on to make the comment that she was not a great actress, however, fans would strongly disagree.
Mendes was halfway through earning her marketing degree in college when she left to pursue acting under Ivana Chubbuck. A talent manager saw her photograph in her friend’s portfolio and thus began Mendes’ career in the industry. She first appeared in a small role in the TV film, Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror.
Eva Mendes’ 3 Performances That Prove She’s Indeed A Great Actress
During an interview with The Sunday Times, Eva Mendes was asked about returning to Hollywood. She stepped away from acting roles in 2014 and shared that she would only consider returning alongside her husband Ryan Gosling. She shared that she was never in love with acting and added that she wasn’t a great actress herself. She shared with The Sunday Times:
I was never in love with acting. I don’t mean this in a self-deprecating way, but I wasn’t a great actress. I had my moments when I worked with really great people. He gets something out of me that’s never been accessible before.
However, fans would disagree with her as she displayed some powerful performances during her time as an actress. It was one of these films that united her with her now-husband. Some of the great acting roles of Mendes include:
1. The Place Beyond The Pines
Eva Mendes played Romina Gutierrez in this epic crime drama and paired up opposite Ryan Gosling. The couple’s relationship developed during this time and it translated to the screen as well. Fans found the two delivering an impeccable chemistry in their respective roles. While the film explored the themes of masculine identity, Mendes stood out with her acting range.
Mendes nailed the emotional sequences in the film. Her character Romina is caught between the two men in the film. While Gosling played the motorcycle stunt rider turned bank robber, Bradley Cooper also appeared in the film as an ambitious police officer.
The Place Beyond The Pines is now available for rent on AppleTV.
2. Hitch
While The Place Beyond The Pines explored Eva Mendes’ emotional depth in acting, Hitch brought out her comedic skills. The film is a formulaic mid-2000s romcom about a dating coach, Alex Hitchens, whose proven techniques fail to work on Sara Melas. In their respective roles as Alex and Sara, Will Smith and Mendes share palpable chemistry.
Fans were impressed by the genuine charm and sharp humor Mendes brought to her character. Hitch grossed $371.6 million at the box office, becoming the tenth-highest-grossing film of 2005 (via Box Office Mojo). The success of the film resulted in the development of a TV series, but it never took off.
Hitch is now available for streaming on Starz.
3. Training Day
Eva Mendes had less of a screen space in this film that won Denzel Washington a Best Actor Oscar and earned Ethan Hawke an Oscar nomination. Mendes played Sara, the mistress of Washington’s Detective Alonzo. Mendes portrays a riveting performance as a troubled woman who gets entangled in Alonzo’s corrupt life.
In the performance-oriented film, Mendes proved herself to be a fitting choice to appear alongside Washington and Hawke. The film received critical acclaim and earned $104.9 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo).
Training Day is now available for streaming on Paramount+.
Eva Mendes Gave One Tip To Ryan Gosling On How To Play Ken
While Mendes credits her husband for bringing the best in her when acting alongside him, she also shared how she helped him during Barbie. She gave one tip to her husband on how to nail the role of Ken in the film. She told Gosling that all he had to do was to make Barbie notice him, which would bring out the desperation in the character. Mendes shared with The Sunday Times:
I would just simplify everything. I’m like, ‘Just make Barbie notice you, that’s what Ken is all about.’ So then there was this desperation. He really loved that. I’d remind him, as he’s literally walking out the door, ‘Make Barbie notice you, make Barbie fall in love with you.’
Mendes also shared during the interview that she felt really sexy when her husband looked at her. She shared that how she felt was often a reflection of what Gosling gave her, admitting that it would rub some people the wrong way.
