Eva Mendes on quitting acting: ‘I wasn’t a great actress’

Eva Mendes finally opens up about her decision to step away from acting.

“I’ve never been in love with acting,” Mendes, 50, revealed in an interview on Thursday, October 17, with the London channel The Sunday times. “I don’t mean this to be self-deprecating, but I wasn’t a great actress. I had my moments where I worked with great people.”

Mendes noted that she is most proud of the two films: the 2012 one The place behind the pines and 2014 Lost river – that she did with her husband Ryan Gosling.

“He brings something out of me that has never been accessible before,” Mendes said, adding that she would “love to make another movie” with the 43-year-old Gosling.

In September, the actress stressed that working with Gosling was a career highlight for her.

“He really is the best,” she continued Good morning America. “Working with him and what we created together was such a highlight of my career that I thought, this is a good time to Seinfeld it and just walk away.

Mendes started acting in the ’90s and went on to star in several successful films, including 2001. Training day2003 2 Fast 2 Furious, 2005 Tow bar2007 We own the night2010s Last night and 2010s The other boys.

Mende’s last film role was in Gosling’s directorial debut Lost river in 2014, the same year they welcomed their first child, daughter Esmeralda. (The pair also share daughter Amada, born in 2016.)

Mendes has previously been open about her decision to quit acting after she and Gosling decided to start a family.

“All those years are so formative,” she said People in May. “I wanted to be there for it all.”

Although Mendes hasn’t acted, she still occasionally helps coach Gosling, who has continued to star in numerous films, including 2023’s. Barbiewhich earned him an Oscar nomination.

“I would just simplify everything,” Mendes said The times Thursday, referring to the advice she gave Gosling during filming Barbie. “I’m like, ‘Make sure Barbie notices you, that’s what Ken is all about.’ So then there was this desperation. He really loved that.”

For his part, Gosling recently shared that Mendes had “become the best acting coach” he had ever had.

“It’s endless how much she helps me,” he said Extra in May, noting that Mendes had one request for him when it came to filming dangerous stunts for his 2024 film The autumn man. “Don’t light a fire. It was also a request from my children: ‘Do a stunt film, but don’t get set on fire.’”