Eva Mendes was born to Cuban-American parents in Miami, Florida on March 5, 1974. After her parents divorced, Mendes moved to Los Angeles with her mother. She has two older sisters and an older brother. Mendes had no plans to become an actress until she met Zedrick Threatt, who helped her pursue an acting career.
She started acting, mostly as an extra in movies, as a means to earn extra spending money. Her talent was soon caught by an agent who convinced her to take acting more seriously. She began to appear in commercials, music videos, soap operas, and supporting film roles. Mendes’s performance in Training Day led to many roles such as Hitch, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and Stuck on You.
Eva checked into Cirque Lodge rehab center in Utah in 2008 for a substance abuse problem.
- In February 2008, it was revealed Eva had entered rehab for drug use. Her treatment is being undertaken at Cirque Lodge centre in Utah.
- Before Eva got her big break, she sold hot dogs at ‘Hot Dog on a Stick’ at Glendale Galleria Mall in California.
- Growing up, Eva's role model was Cindy Crawford.
- In February 2007, Eva was named Cosmopolitan's 'Fun Fearless Female of the Year.'
- As of 2007, Eva is dating filmmaker George Gargurevich.
- Eva is a smoker.
- Eva graduated from Herbert Hoover High School in Glendale, California. She then attended California State University Northridge and majored in Marketing but she dropped out to pursue acting.
- Eva's hobbies are music, hiking, biking, skiing, and mountain climbing, and interior designing.
- Eva ranked #12 on the Maxim Magazine 'Hot 100 of 2005' list.
