The saying goes that behind every successful man is a strong woman, and Eva Mendes is the perfect example of that. A popular actor in her own right, Mendes out of her own choice, took a step back from her career following many successful films including the blockbuster, The Place Beyond The Pines that ignited a long-term romance between her and Ryan Gosling.
Post 2014, the gorgeous Latina star has been a devoted mother to the couple’s two daughters while constantly supporting Gosling’s rapidly rising career in Hollywood. In a recent interview, Mendes revealed the secret behind her relationship, her admiration for the Barbie star, and why she made the conscious choice to move away from the limelight.
Eva Mendes Couldn’t Look Past Ryan Gosling As The Perfect Co-Star
Sustaining a committed relationship in Hollywood takes a lot of effort. Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling have managed to do that successfully, and are seen as one of the golden couples of the industry. Both stars have constantly redefined love and commitment while supporting each other’s professional endeavors.
Since 2014 following her film Lost River, Mendes consciously took the decision to put her career on hold while her other half continued to make huge strides in Hollywood. One of the reasons for the Hitch star moving away from the limelight has to do with the La La Land actor himself. Speaking to ET, Mendes was effusive in her praise for her Oscar-nominated beau and his work ethic, which she felt she could never find in any other co-star.
“I’ve never experienced anything like that. The way he works, his commitment to his craft, how he wants to make everything as best as it can be — and that means making his costars as best as they can be. Unfortunately — or fortunately — there’s only one Ryan, so I pretty much stopped acting after that.”
While Gosling’s uniqueness as a person and a celebrity had set the benchmark for Mendes, the bigger picture involved her commitment towards providing a normal family life for their daughters. Elaborating on why she hung up her boots after starring in 2014’s Lost River directed by Gosling, she said,
“It was like a no-brainer. I’m so lucky, and I was like, if I could have this time with my children — and I still work, I just didn’t act, because acting takes you on location. It takes you away. It was almost just like a non-verbal agreement that it was like, ‘Okay, he’s going to work and I’m going to work. I’m just going to work here.’”
While many may see Mendes’ decision as a sacrifice on her part, her involvement and influence in making Gosling a huge celebrity in Hollywood makes her the true wind beneath his wings and a superstar in her own right.
Why Eva Mendes Does Not Walk The Red Carpet With Ryan Gosling
Sparks flew between Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling in 2012 on the sets of their film The Place Beyond The Pines. The pair struck up a quick romance on set which then blossomed into 12 years of a solid relationship with two children. But the couple’s unique feature has always been how low-key they’ve kept their relationship despite both stars being in constant public glare.
The Ghost Rider actor has openly addressed this aspect in many of her interviews. In 2023, she put up a nostalgic clip from The Place Beyond the Pines on her Instagram page. This was a film that was, in many ways, a perfect symbol of their love.
Following this video, Mendes was requested by a fan to make an exception and appear on the red carpet with Gosling to promote his film Barbie which was due to release in the summer of 2023. The actor thanked the fan for the sweet suggestion but stated her reasons (via Page Six) for not doing so.
“But we don’t do those things together. Like these photos I’ve been posting, I’m only comfortable posting because it’s already out there.”
The Hitch star clarified that while she was thrilled to support Gosling’s film choices and believed that he would do the same for her, they did not believe in promoting their films just to satisfy the public or maintain a certain image that was expected of them.
