Cultural appropriation and lack of inclusion are crises not unfamiliar to the otherwise glamorous world of Hollywood. Add the ordeal of stereotypical roles to that mix, and you have the trinity that depicts an actor’s worst nightmare. And as it happens, it is by dint of the same that Eva Mendes decided to bid farewell to the film industry.
Eva Mendes on Her Struggle Concerning Latina Roles
About a decade ago, Eva Mendes decided to part ways from acting when she realized that all her effort was probably not worth the hassle. Known best for films like Hitch and Ghost Rider, Mendes revealed how she had to go out of her way to land any significant role that didn’t have to do with her Hispanic heritage, something which prompted her to quit acting.
“I got tired fighting for the good roles,” the 2 Fast 2 Furious star told Variety last year. “There just was a point where I thought, ‘I’m going to create my own opportunities and become a producer on things and create my own material,’ but it just didn’t feel worth it to me.”
While Hollywood has come to evolve over the years, the industry didn’t have much to offer to Latina actresses back when Mendes extricated herself from the business. “There are more opportunities for Latina actresses now,” she remarked. “But when I bowed out 10 years ago I wasn’t being offered things that weren’t specifically Latina.”
Mendes isn’t the only one who has voiced her concerns regarding the position Latino stars hold in Hollywood though. John Leguizamo is yet another actor who has openly and ardently criticized the industry for its lack of Latin representation and other problems revolving around colorism.
Nevertheless, leaving showbiz was probably the wisest decision Mendes could’ve made considering how she soon discovered the joy of domestic bliss with her family.
See also: Ryan Gosling’s Wife Eva Mendes Grateful For Their $47 Million Movie 10 Years After Their Marriage
Quitting Acting Worked Out in Her Favor
Mendes, who shares two children with her beau Ryan Gosling, prioritized motherhood over fame, though she looks at it from a different perspective. “I never quit acting,” the Training Day star wrote on her Instagram back in September 2022. “I wanted to be home with my babies and fortunately my other business ventures allowed me to do that more than acting would.” Either way, it ended up working out for her.
Mendes, 49, first got romantically involved with Gosling, 42, over a decade ago and the two have been inseparable ever since then. While the couple hasn’t officially tied the knot yet, they’re both raising two lovely daughters, Amada 6, and Esmeralda, 8.
As for their life behind the cameras, both the actors are extremely private and have always made it a point to keep their family as far away from the spotlight as possible.
Source: Variety
