As a child, Eva Longoria had no aspirations of capturing Hollywood's spotlight. With a quip that left room for laughter, the 50-year-old actress shared with Today in an interview published on March 23rd, "I was the comedian of the family, the ugly duckling among my siblings. Feel free to check the documents if you need proof." Among her trio of blonde, identical-looking sisters, Longoria, the youngest of four daughters, knew she didn't fit the conventional mold of beauty. "I accepted that I wasn't the pretty one, so I decided to be the funny one, the clever one," she reminisced.
Raised on a Texas ranch amidst chickens, Longoria vividly recalled their morning chores: collecting eggs and milking cows for the fresh dairy that graced their coffee and cereal. Her journey led her to earn a degree in kinesiology from Texas A&M, partially funded by a scholarship she won from a beauty pageant. It was during one such competition that fate steered her towards Los Angeles, and eventually, Hollywood.
"I landed in Hollywood, unsure of what had just transpired. It was as if a voice whispered, 'You're meant to be an actor,'" Longoria recounted.
Her breakthrough came with the iconic series Desperate Housewives, which aired for eight seasons from 2004 to 2012. Recalling the moment her mother watched the show for the first time, Longoria said, "Mom, you gotta watch, it's called Desperate Housewives." After the episode, her mother called, saying, "Honey, you were in it a lot." Longoria replied, "Yeah mom, I'm one of the stars." Her mother's follow-up question, "Are you going to be in it next week?" brought laughter as Longoria assured her, "Mom, I'm going to be on every week." For those around her, it was a significant adjustment, but not for Longoria herself.
Since then, she has starred in numerous TV shows and movies, diversifying her portfolio to include producing and directing. Her latest venture, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip, set for release on March 28th, holds a special place in her heart. "I cherished the idea of making a movie my son could watch alongside me," Longoria expressed. "It's a delightful road trip film centered around a Latino family, offering a refreshing break from the usual narratives that depict Latinos in TV and film—trauma, struggle, or identity. To be part of a movie that embodies joy, family, and a unique perspective was exactly what I wanted. Sign me up!"
Longoria shares her six-year-old son Santiago with her husband, José Bastón, and also serves as a stepmother to Bastón's three children, José, Talia, and Mariana, from his previous marriage to Natalia Esperón.
