Actress and model Eva Mendes married her dreamboat husband Ryan Gosling back in 2011, but little is known about their private life. Both actors are notoriously tight-lipped about their relationship; however, in a recent interview, Mendes opened up about motherhood and taking time off from Hollywood to be a more present parent to her children, Esmeralda Amanda and Amanda Lee.
The couple met shortly before filming “The Place Beyond the Pines.” Mendes revealed that meeting her dashing co-star was part of what solidified her choice to have children, despite her age. Jokingly, she told the TODAY show host, “Something really crazy happened. I met Ryan Gosling, I fell in love with Ryan Gosling.” Looking at the Canadian actor, who is best known for his roles in “The Notebook” and “La La Land,” it is easy to understand Mendes’ decision. Once she began seeing Gosling, Mendes realized, “Oh, right, I want your babies.”
Mendes also waited until she felt ready for motherhood. In discussing parenthood, she revealed, “Consciously, I did want to wait till I was a little bit older … As a woman, I just wasn’t ready. And it’s such a personal choice for a woman, obviously.” Mendes was fortunate enough to have “really healthy pregnancies” with both girls. Reflecting, she said, “I was happy I waited.” For her, a culmination of time and the right person led to her finally making the decision to start a family. Mendes, who was already thirty-seven when she first met Gosling, said simply, “That’s when it made sense.”
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Eva Mendes (2017), (Alexander Tamargo/FilmMagic/getty images)
In reference to those early years, Mendes relayed how she drew inspiration from her own mother, whom she said was always around when she was young. “Even though we were very, very lower-middle class, my mom was able to be there for me at home until I was about 8 or 9, and those memories for me, that just formed who I was, those years with her,” Mendes said, recalling the amount of time her mother dedicated to her role as a parent. In shaping her own path to motherhood and taking time to spend time with her babies, Mendes said, “I feel fortunate enough that I could’ve taken some time out from acting.” However, Mendes didn’t stop completely. She said, “I still worked, I just didn’t act.”
Mendes instead poured herself into raising her children, finding the job to be as fulfilling as anything she’d done on screen. “I feel like parenting is the most creative thing I’ve ever done,” she revealed. “I’m an actress, I’ve designed clothes, I’ve done a number of different things, but the most creative thing is to create life.” However, Mendes also reminded her audience that motherhood, while creative is also “maddening.” She contended, “Oh gosh, it’s so fun and beautiful and maddening. It’s maddening.”
Despite the madness, Mendes seemed to truly enjoy being entrenched with her kids. When the girls were younger, Mendes said she actually enjoyed “the sleepless nights because [it was] bonding with my little girl.” After putting both babies to bed, Mendes said she’d look at Gosling and think, “‘We did it, we did it.”
Ryan Gosling (2017), (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Having found success, fulfillment, and family, Mendes doesn’t seem to miss the movies at all. When asked what she missed about the demands of Hollywood, she admitted, “What have I missed? I don’t think I’ve missed anything.” However, the door that leads back to being an actor isn’t entirely shut. Mendes suggested that while she’s open to performing again, her choice in roles has definitely shifted.
Speaking on how parenthood has affected those types of decisions, Mendes revealed that she shies away from certain topics, such as gratuitous violence. However, she said she remains open to the idea of returning to the big screen, admitting, “I think that’d be fun at some point,” but the actress didn’t seem to have a specific project in mind yet.
Mendes seems to be happy focusing on motherhood. However, despite the number of hours she’s poured into perfecting her parenting skills, Mendes also said she still doesn’t feel qualified to comment on the choices of other mothers. Instead of electing herself as an authority, Mendes admitted, “I don’t feel like I’ve really earned the right.”
Especially when their children were younger, Mendes said she didn’t feel she had the know-how to start giving advice. “I want(ed) to respect all the moms out there,” she said. So instead, Mendes has taken her time, learning alongside her family and occasionally sharing some piece of their life. Despite whatever challenges have arisen for the family, she said she and Gosling still look at each other and think, “We came out relatively unscathed.”
What special, childhood memories do you have of your mom? Let us know — and be sure to pass this article on to friends, family, and fellow Eva Mendes fans!
