Eva Mendes is a multi-talented American actress, model, and businesswoman, born Eva de la Caridad Méndez on March 5, 1974, in Miami, Florida, to Cuban parents Eva Pérez Suárez and Juan Carlos Méndez. Her mother, a former aerospace employee, and father, a meat distributor, raised her in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Silver Lake after their divorce. Mendes grew up a Roman Catholic and briefly considered becoming a nun. She has an older brother, Juan Carlos Méndez, Jr., who died from throat cancer, as well as an older sister, Janet, and a younger paternal half-brother, Carlos Alberto "Carlo" Méndez.
Mendes began her acting career in the late 1990s, initially appearing in direct-to-video films and B movies, including Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror and Urban Legends: Final Cut. Her breakthrough role came in Antoine Fuqua's Training Day (2001),which earned her critical acclaim and led to roles in films such as All About the Benjamins, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and Hitch, opposite Will Smith. Mendes has since co-starred in films like Ghost Rider, We Own the Night, and The Other Guys, as well as appearing in music videos for artists like Will Smith and The Strokes.
As a model, Mendes has worked with top brands, including Calvin Klein, Magnum, Cocio, and Pantene, and has been a spokesperson for various campaigns, including Campari and Reebok. She has also designed a fashion collection for New York & Company and is the creative director of CIRCA Beauty, a makeup line sold exclusively at Walgreens.
Mendes has been involved in various charitable initiatives, including supporting Revlon's fight against breast cancer and participating in the PBS documentary Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. She has also been a passionate advocate for animal rights, appearing in a nude print advertisement for Calvin Klein's Secret Obsession perfume and supporting PETA's anti-fur campaign.
In her personal life, Mendes is in a long-term relationship with actor Ryan Gosling, with whom she has two children. Her goals as an actress include working with renowned directors and improving her craft, while also using her platform to promote social and environmental causes.
