Ryan Gosling
Gosling at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival
Born	Ryan Thomas Gosling (1980-11-12) November 12, 1980 (age 31) London, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Actor, musician, restaurant owner
Years active	1993–present

Ryan Thomas Gosling (born November 12, 1980) is a Canadian actor and musician. He began his career as a child star on the Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Club (1993–95) and went on to appear in other family entertainment programs including Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1995), Goosebumps (1996), Breaker High (1997–98) and Young Hercules (1998–99). His first serious role was as a Jewish neo-Nazi in The Believer (2001), and he then built a reputation for playing misfits in independent films such as Murder by Numbers (2002), The Slaughter Rule (2002), The United States of Leland (2003) and Stay (2005).

Gosling came to the attention of a wider audience in 2004 with a leading role in the romantic drama The Notebook, for which he won four Teen Choice Awards and an MTV Movie Award. His performance as a drug-addicted teacher in Half Nelson (2006) was nominated for an Academy Award and his performance as a socially inept loner in Lars and the Real Girl (2007) was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. In 2007, he starred in the courtroom thriller Fracture.

After a three-year acting hiatus, Gosling starred in both Blue Valentine and All Good Things in 2010. The former performance as a frazzled husband earned him a second Golden Globe nomination. 2011 proved to be a landmark year for the actor as he appeared in three mainstream films – the romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love, the thriller Drive and the political drama The Ides of March – and received two Golden Globe nominations. He is due to appear in five upcoming films: the period crime feature Gangster Squad, the generational drama The Place Beyond the Pines, the revenge drama Only God Forgives, an as-yet-untitled Terrence Malick film, and a remake of the sci-fi film Logan's Run.

Gosling's band, Dead Man's Bones, released their self-titled debut album and toured North America in 2009. He is a co-owner of Tagine, a Moroccan restaurant in Beverly Hills, California. He is a supporter of PETA, Invisible Children and the Enough Project and has travelled to Chad, Uganda and eastern Congo to raise awareness about conflicts in the region.

Early life[link]

Ryan Thomas Gosling was born in London, Ontario.^[1] He is the son of Thomas Gosling, a traveling salesman for a paper mill,^[2] and Donna, a secretary who qualified as a high school teacher in 2011.^[3] Because of his father's work, they "moved around a lot"^[2] and Gosling lived in both Cornwall, Ontario,^[4] and Burlington, Ontario.^[5] His parents were Mormons,^[6] and Gosling has said that the religion influenced every aspect of their lives.^[7] His parents divorced when he was a child and he and his older sister Mandi lived with their mother,^[8] an experience Gosling has credited with programming him "to think like a girl".^[9]

Gosling was educated at Gladstone Public School,^[10] Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School and Lester B. Pearson High School.^[11] He "hated" being a child,^[7][12] was bullied in elementary school^[13] and had no friends until he was "14 or 15".^[14][15] In Grade 1, having been heavily influenced by the film First Blood, he took steak knives to school and threw them at other children during recess. This incident led to a suspension.^[12] He was unable to read^[16] and was diagnosed with ADHD, prescribed Ritalin, and placed in a class for special needs students.^[17] Consequently, his mother quit her job and homeschooled him for a year.^[17] Gosling has said that homeschooling gave him "a sense of autonomy that I've never really lost".^[7]

Gosling performed from an early age. He and his sister sang together at weddings; he performed with Elvis Perry, his uncle's Elvis Presley tribute act,^[18] and was involved with a local ballet company.^[19] Performing boosted his self-confidence as it was the only thing he received praise for.^[15] He developed an idiosyncratic accent because, as a child, he thought having a Canadian accent didn't sound "tough". He began to model his accent on that of Marlon Brando.^[20] He dropped out of high school at the age of seventeen to focus on his acting career.^[21]

Acting career[link]

Child star (1993–1999)[link]

In 1993, at the age of twelve, Gosling attended an open audition in Montreal for a revival of Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Club.^[22] He was given a two-year contract as a mouseketeer and moved to Orlando, Florida.^[21] He appeared on-screen infrequently because other children were considered more talented.^[23] Nonetheless, he has described the job as the greatest two years of his life.^[21] Fellow cast members included Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera and Gosling has credited the experience with instilling in them "this great sense of focus."^[24] He became particularly close friends with Timberlake and they lived together for six months during the second year of the show. Timberlake's mother became Gosling's legal guardian after his mother returned to Canada for work reasons.^[25] Gosling has said that, while they are no longer in touch, they are still supportive of each other.^[24]

Following the show's cancellation in 1995, Gosling returned to Canada and continued to appear in family entertainment television series including Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1995),^[26] Goosebumps (1996)^[27] and Breaker High (1997–98).^[28] At the age of eighteen, he moved to New Zealand to film the Fox Kids adventure series Young Hercules (1998–99).^[29] While he initially enjoyed working on the series, he began to long for an opportunity to play a variety of characters and decided not to accept any more television work.^[21]

Move to independent film (2000–2003)[link]

At the age of nineteen, Gosling decided to move into "serious film". He was dropped by his agent and initially found it difficult to secure work because of the "stigma" attached to children's television.^[30] After a supporting role in the football drama Remember the Titans, Gosling secured a lead role as a young Jewish neo-Nazi in 2001's The Believer. Director Henry Bean has said he cast Gosling because his Mormon upbringing helped him understand the isolation of Judaism.^[31] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times praised an "electrifying and terrifyingly convincing" performance^[32] while Todd McCarthy of Variety felt his "dynamite performance" could "scarcely have been better".^[33] The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival^[34] and Gosling has described it as "the film that kind of gift-wrapped for me the career that I have now."^[18] Because of the controversial nature of the film, it was difficult to secure financial backing for a full theatrical release^[35] and the film was instead broadcast on Showtime.^[35] The film was a commercial failure, grossing just $416,925 worldwide from a production budget of $1.5 million.^[36]

In 2002's Murder by Numbers,^[37] Gosling and Michael Pitt portrayed a pair of high school seniors who believe they can commit the perfect murder. Sandra Bullock starred as a detective tasked with investigating the crime. Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly described him as "a phenomenal talent even in junk like this"^[38] while Todd McCarthy of Variety felt that the "strong and "charismatic" young actors were "let down by the screenplay".^[39] The film was a minor commercial success, grossing $56 million worldwide from a production budget of $50 million.^[40] His second screen appearance of 2002 was in The Slaughter Rule which explores the relationship between a high school football player and his troubled coach in rural Montana. Gosling has said that the opportunity to work with David Morse made him "a better actor".^[41] Stephen Holden of The New York Times described Gosling as "major star material" with a "rawness and an intensity that recall the young Matt Dillon"^[42] while Manohla Dargis of the Los Angeles Times was won over by his "raw talent".^[43] The film was released in just three US theaters and grossed $13,411.^[44]

In 2003, Gosling starred in The United States of Leland as a teenager imprisoned for the murder of a disabled boy. He was drawn to the role because it was unusual to find a character that was "emotionally disconnected for the whole film."^[45] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times felt that the "gifted actor does everything that can be done with Leland, but the character comes from a writer's conceits, not from life."^[46] A.O. Scott of The New York Times noted that he "struggles to rescue Leland from the clutches of cliché"^[47] while David Rooney of Variety felt that his "one-note, blankly disturbed act has none of the magnetic edge of his breakthrough work in The Believer".^[48] The film grossed $343,847 in the United States and was not released overseas.^[49]

[edit] The Notebook and Half Nelson (2004–2009)

Gosling came to the attention of a mainstream audience in 2004 after starring opposite fellow Canadian Rachel McAdams in the romantic drama The Notebook.^[50] Gosling sought to imbue his character with "quiet strength" and was inspired by the performance of Sam Shepard in Days of Heaven.^[51] Filming took place in Charleston, South Carolina in late 2002 and early 2003.^[52] Although Gosling and McAdams became romantically involved in 2005, they had a combative relationship on set.^[53] "We inspired the worst in each other," Gosling has said. "It was a strange experience, making a love story and not getting along with your co-star in any way."^[54] At one point, Gosling asked director Nick Cassavetes to "bring somebody else in for my off-camera shot" because he felt McAdams was uncooperative.^[53] The New York Times praised the "spontaneous and combustible" performances of the two leads and noted that, "against your better judgment, you root for the pair to beat the odds against them."^[55] Desson Thomson of The Washington Post praised Gosling's "beguiling unaffectedness" and noted that "it's hard not to like these two or begrudge them a great love together".^[56] The film grossed over $115 million worldwide and, with adjustments for inflation, it remains the most commercially successful film of Gosling's career as of 2012.^[57] Gosling won four Teen Choice Awards^[58] and an MTV Movie Award.^[59] Entertainment Weekly has said that the movie contains the All-Time Best Movie Kiss^[60] while the Los Angeles Times has included a scene from the film in a list of the 50 Classic Movie Kisses.^[61] The Notebook has appeared on many Most Romantic Movies lists.^{[62][63][64][65]}

Gosling at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival

In 2005, Gosling appeared as a disturbed young art student in Stay, a psychological thriller co-starring Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor. In an uncomplimentary review of the film, Manohla Dargis of The New York Times said that Gosling "like his fans, deserves better."^[66] Todd McCarthy of Variety felt that the "capable" McGregor and Gosling "deliver nothing new from what they've shown before".^[67] The film grossed $8 million worldwide.^[68] Gosling was unfazed by the negative reaction: "I had a kid come up to me on the street, 10 years old, and he says, ‘Are you that guy from Stay? What the f--- was that movie about?’ I think that's great. I'm just as proud if someone says, ‘Hey, you made me sick in that movie,’ as if they say I made them cry.”^[69]

Gosling next starred in 2006's Half Nelson as a drug-addicted junior high school teacher who forms a bond with a young student. To prepare for the role, Gosling moved to New York for one month before shooting began. He lived in a small apartment in Brooklyn and spent time shadowing an eighth grade teacher.^[70] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times described "a mesmerizing performance ... that shows the kind of deep understanding of character few actors manage."^[71] Ruthe Stein of the San Francisco Chronicle drew comparisons with Marlon Brando and declared that "nobody who cares about great acting will want to miss his performance".^[72] Roger Ebert felt the performance "proves he's one of the finest actors working in contemporary movies."^[73] He was nominated for an Academy Award.^[16] The film grossed $4 million at the worldwide box office.^[74]

Gosling played an introvert who falls in love with a sex doll in the gently comedic 2007 film Lars and the Real Girl. He drew inspiration from James Stewart's performance in Harvey.^[75] Roger Ebert felt "a film about a life-sized love doll" had been turned into "a life-affirming statement of hope" because of "a performance by Ryan Gosling that says things that cannot be said".^[76] Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post described his performance as "a small miracle ... because he changes and grows so imperceptibly before our eyes."^[77] However, Manohla Dargis of The New York Times felt "the performance is a rare miscalculation in a mostly brilliant career."^[78] He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.^[79] The film was a box office failure, failing to recoup its $12 million production budget.^[80]

Gosling starred opposite Anthony Hopkins in the 2007 courtroom thriller Fracture. He originally turned down the role, but changed his mind when Hopkins signed on.^[81] He spent time shadowing lawyers and observing courtroom proceedings in preparation for the role.^[82] Claudia Puig of USA Today declared that "watching a veteran like Hopkins verbally joust with one of the best young actors in Hollywood is worth the price of admission".^[83] Manohla Dargis of The New York Times felt it was a treat to watch "the spectacle of that crafty scene stealer Anthony Hopkins mixing it up with that equally cunning screen nibbler Ryan Gosling ... Each actor is playing a pulp type rather than a fully formed individual, but both fill in the blanks with an alchemical mix of professional and personal charisma."^[84] The film grossed over $91 million worldwide.^[85]

Gosling was due to begin filming The Lovely Bones in 2007. However, he left the production two days before filming began because of "creative differences" and was replaced by Mark Wahlberg.^[86] Gosling had been cast as the father of the murdered teenage girl and initially felt he was too young for the role. The director Peter Jackson and the producer Fran Walsh persuaded him that he could be aged with hair and make-up changes.^[87] Before shooting began, Gosling gained 60 pounds in weight and grew a beard in order to appear older.^[87] Walsh then "began to feel he was not right. It was our blindness, the desire to make it work no matter what."^[87] Gosling later said, ""We didn't talk very much during the preproduction process, which was the problem ... I just showed up on set, and I had gotten it wrong. Then I was fat and unemployed."^[87] He has said the experience was "an important realisation for me: not to let your ego get involved. It's OK to be too young for a role."^[88]

Widespread recognition (2010–2011)[link]

Following a three year absence from the big screen, Gosling starred in five movies in 2010 and 2011. "I’ve never had more energy,” Gosling has said. “I’m more excited to make films than I used to be. I used to kind of dread it. It was so emotional and taxing. But I’ve found a way to have fun while doing it. And I think that translates into the films.”^[30] He has also spoken of feeling depressed when not working.^[15]

In 2010, he co-starred with Michelle Williams in Derek Cianfrance's directorial debut, Blue Valentine. The low-budget marital drama was mainly improvised and Gosling has said "you had to remind yourself you were making a film".^[89] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle felt he "brings a preternatural understanding of people to his performance"^[90] while A.O. Scott of The New York Times found him "convincing as the run-down, desperate, older Dean, and maybe a bit less so as the younger version".^[91][91] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly noted that he "plays Dean as a snarky working-class hipster, but when his anger is unleashed, the performance turns powerful."^[92] However, Wesley Morris of The Boston Globe felt the performance was an example of "hipsterism misdirected".^[93] He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. ^[94] The film was a box office success, grossing over $12 million worldwide from a production budget of $1 million.^[95]

Gosling at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.

Gosling's second on-screen appearance of 2010 was in All Good Things, a mystery film based on a true story. He played the role of New York real-estate heir Robert Durst, who was investigated for the disappearance of his wife (played by Kirsten Dunst).^[96] Gosling found the filming process to be a "dark experience".^[97] When asked if he was proud of the film, he replied, "I'm proud of what Kirsten does in the movie."^[97] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone felt he "gets so deep into character you can feel his nerve endings."^[98] Mick La Salle of the San Francisco Chronicle found the "chameleonic Gosling is completely convincing as this empty shell of a man".^[99] Betsy Sharkey of the Los Angeles Times felt that the film belonged to Dunst, but noted that Gosling "is good too".^[100] The film grossed $644,535 worldwide.^[101] Also in 2010, Gosling narrated and produced ReGeneration, a documentary that explores the cynicism in today’s youth towards social and political causes.^[102][103]

2011 saw Gosling expand his horizons by appearing in three diverse, high-profile roles. He appeared in his first comedic role in Crazy, Stupid, Love opposite Steve Carell and Emma Stone.^[104] Gosling took cocktail-making classes at a Los Angeles bar in preparation for his role as a smooth-talking ladies' man.^[105] Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post said his "seductive command presence suggests we may have found our next George Clooney".^[106] Peter Travers declared him "a comic knockout"^[107] while Claudia Puig of USA Today felt he reveals a "surprising" "knack for comedy."^[108] He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.^[109] The film was a box office success, grossing over $142 million worldwide.^[110] With adjustments for inflation, it is the second most successful of Gosling's career.^[111]

Gosling's first action role was in Drive, based on a novel by James Sallis.^[112] Gosling portrayed a Hollywood stunt performer who moonlights as a getaway driver and he has described the film as a "violent John Hughes movie": "I always thought if Pretty in Pink had head-smashing it would be perfect".^[113] Roger Ebert compared Gosling to Steve McQueen and stated that he "embodies presence and sincerity ... he has shown a gift for finding arresting, powerful characters [and] can achieve just about anything.^[114] Joe Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal pondered "the ongoing mystery of how he manages to have so much impact with so little apparent effort. It's irresistible to liken his economical style to that of Marlon Brando."^[115] The film was a box office success, grossing $70 million worldwide from a production budget of $15 million.^[116]

In his final appearance of 2011, Gosling was directed by George Clooney in the political drama The Ides of March, in which he played an ambitious press secretary.^[117] Gosling partly decided to do the film to become more politically aware: "I'm Canadian and so American politics aren't really in my wheelhouse."^[118] Joe Morganstern of the Wall Street Journal said that Gosling and Philip Seymour Hoffman "are eminently well equipped to play variations on their characters' main themes. Yet neither actor has great material to conjure with in the script."^[119] In an generally tepid review, Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times asserted that it was "certainly involving to see the charismatic Gosling verbally spar with superb character actors like Hoffman and [Paul] Giamatti."^[120] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle felt there was "one aspect to the character that Gosling can't quite nail down, that might simply be outside his sphere, which is idealism."^[121] He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama.^[109] The film grossed $66 million worldwide.^[122]

Upcoming projects (2012)[link]

Gangster Squad, a 1940s crime drama, is set for release in 2012.^[123] Gosling will portray Sgt. Jerry Wooters, an LAPD officer who attempts to outsmart mob boss Mickey Cohen. The director is Zombieland's Ruben Fleischer and Gosling has said, "it’s very, very different tonally [from his other films]."^[124] Gosling has also completed work on the generational drama The Place Beyond the Pines, directed by Blue Valentine 's Derek Cianfrance,^[125] and has described it as "the best experience I have ever had making a film."^[19] The film is set for release in 2012.^[126] Gosling will portray Luke, a motorcycle stunt rider who robs banks in order to provide for his family.^[127]

Gosling has completed shooting Only God Forgives in Bangkok, Thailand.^[128] It is his second collaboration with Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn. He undertook Muay Thai training in preparation for the role.^[124] The story revolves around Gosling's mother, played by Kristin Scott Thomas, who orders her son to avenge his brother's death. Gosling has described the script as “the strangest thing I’ve ever read.”^[124]

In September 2012, Gosling will begin shooting an as-yet-untitled Terrence Malick film.^[129] The film will costar Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara and Haley Bennett.^[130] When asked to provide details of the film or his role, Gosling replied, "I can't comment. A chatty cathy that one."^[131] Gosling had previously signed up to work with Malick in 2004 on the bio-pic Che.^[132] However, Malick left the project to direct The New World and Gosling later dropped out due to scheduling conflicts.^[133] Gosling is also scheduled to appear in a remake of the sci-fi film Logan's Run, again to be directed by Winding Refn.^[134] He has yet to see the original film.^[131]

Music career[link]

Gosling at a 2009 Dead Man's Bones concert

In 2007, Gosling made a solo recording called "Put Me in the Car" available for download on the internet.^[135] Also that year, Gosling and his friend Zach Shields formed indie rock band Dead Man's Bones. The two first met in 2005 when Gosling was dating Rachel McAdams and Shields was dating her sister, Kayleen.^[136] They initially conceived of the project as a monster-themed musical but settled on forming a band when they realized putting on a stage production would be too expensive.^[136] They recorded their self-titled debut with the Silverlake Conservatory's Children's Choir and learned to play all the instruments themselves.^[136] Gosling contributed vocals, piano, guitar, bass guitar and cello to the record.^[137]

The album was released through ANTI- Records on October 6, 2009.^[138] Pitchfork was won over by the "unique, catchy and lovably weird record"^[139] while Prefix Magazine felt the album was "rarely kitschy and never inappropriate."^[140] However, Spin Magazine felt the album "doesn't reverse the rule that actors make dubious pop musicians"^[141] and Entertainment Weekly criticized its "cloying, gothic preciousness".^[142]

In September 2009, Gosling and Shields had a three-night residency at LA's Bob Baker Marionette Theater where they performed alongside dancing neon skeletons and glowing ghosts.^[143][137] They then conducted a thirteen-date tour of North America in October 2009, using a local children's choir at every show.^[144][145] Instead of an opening act, a talent show was held each night.^[146] In September 2010, they performed at Los Angeles' FYF Festival.

In 2011, the actor spoke of his intentions to record a second Dead Man's Bones album. No children's choir will feature on the follow-up album because "it's not very rock 'n' roll."^[147]

Personal life[link]

Gosling lives in New York City.^[148] He co-owns Tagine, a Moroccan restaurant in Beverly Hills, California.^[149] He bought the restaurant on an impulse and said he spent "all my money" on it.^[150] He spent a year doing the renovation work himself and now oversees the restaurant's menus.^[150][151]

Gosling dated American actress Sandra Bullock for a year from 2002 to 2003.^[152] He had a two-year relationship with Canadian actress Rachel McAdams from mid-2005 to mid-2007.^[153][154] They briefly reunited in the summer of 2008.^{[155][156][157]} Following their split, he described McAdams as "one of the great loves of my life".^[158] He dated Kat Dennings in late 2009, Blake Lively in late 2010 and Olivia Wilde in early 2011.^{[159][160][161][162]} Gosling began dating American actress and model Eva Mendes in September 2011.^[163]

Fox News and the New York Post have reported that Gosling was arrested by LAPD officers on 17 March 2005. Gosling pleaded "no contest" to a misdemeanor charge of "exhibiting speed", despite being originally charged with "driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs" and "driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or greater." He was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay $849 in fines.^[164][165]

Gosling is supportive of various social causes. He has worked with PETA on a campaign to encourage KFC and McDonalds to use improved methods of chicken slaughter in their factories.^[166][167] Gosling volunteered in Biloxi, Mississippi in 2005, as part of the clean-up effort following Hurricane Katrina.^[168] He is a supporter of Invisible Children Inc, a group that raises awareness about the LRA in Central Africa.^[169] In 2005, Gosling travelled to Darfur refugee camps in Chad.^[170][16] He was a speaker at Campus Progress's National Conference in 2008 where he discussed Darfur.^[171] As part of his work with the Enough Project, he visited Uganda in 2007^[172] and eastern Congo in 2010.^[173]

Filmography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ryan Gosling

• Ryan Gosling at the Internet Movie Database
• Ryan Gosling at Yahoo! Movies
• Ryan Gosling at People.com

Eva Mendes
Mendes at the 66th Venice International Film Festival in 2009
Born	(1974-03-05) March 5, 1974 (age 38) Miami, Florida, United States
Occupation	Actress, Model, Singer, Designer
Years active	1998–present

Eva Mendes (born March 5, 1974) is an American actress, model, singer and homeware designer. She began acting in the late 1990s, and after a series of roles in B movies such as Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror (1998) and Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000), she broke into the Hollywood mainstream with an appearance in Training Day (2001). She has since starred in many films including All About The Benjamins (2002); 2 Fast 2 Furious, Once Upon a Time in Mexico and Stuck on You (2003); Hitch (2005); Ghost Rider and We Own the Night (both 2007); The Spirit (2008); Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009); The Other Guys and Last Night (both 2010).

Mendes has worked as a spokesmodel for Cocio chocolate milk, Magnum ice cream, Revlon make-up, Calvin Klein underwear and perfume, Cartier jewelery, Thierry Mugler perfume, Reebok trainers, Campari apéritif, Pantene shampoo, Morgan clothes and Peek & Cloppenburg clothes. Mendes is the creator of a home decor line, Vida, sold exclusively at Macy's. She launched a bedding collection in 2008 and a dinnerware collection in 2010. Mendes is a singer: she has recorded a version of The Windmills of Your Mind and has collaborated with Cee Lo Green on a song entitled Pimps Don't Cry. She is dating Ryan Gosling and lives in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles.

Early life[link]

Mendes was born in Miami, Florida to Cuban parents, and was raised in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale by her mother after her parents' divorce;^[1] Mendes has said that her mother (who was a stay-at-home mom until she became an accountant when Eva went to school) "suffered so much to make my life OK" during her early years.^[1] Mendes was raised a Roman Catholic and aspired to be a nun.^[2] She attended Hoover High School in Glendale and later attended California State University, Northridge to study marketing, but dropped out after wanting to begin an acting career. She studied acting under Ivana Chubbuck.^{[citation needed]}

Acting career[link]

Mendes at the 2009 Venice Film Festival

While Mendes "always had high hopes" for herself,^[3] she didn't consider an acting career until a talent manager saw her photo in a friend's portfolio.^[4] Her first film appearance was in the direct-to-video Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror. Mendes was "so ashamed" by her performance in the film that she decided to hire an acting coach so that she wouldn't "squirm" when watching herself in future roles.^[3] In this period of her career, she also starred in A Night at the Roxbury, Mortal Kombat: Conquest, My Brother the Pig, The Disciples, Urban Legends: Final Cut and Exit Wounds.

Mendes' breakthrough role came when she appeared in Training Day as the girlfriend of Denzel Washington's character. She found it to be a fulfilling experience: "I thought, 'This is what people meant about acting."^[3] That performance led to roles in All About the Benjamins, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Once Upon a Time in Mexico (which earned her a nomination at the Teen Choice Awards), Out of Time and Stuck on You. She was the female lead in the 2005 comedy Hitch opposite Will Smith. They were the first minority actors to play leads in a hit romantic comedy.^[5] She then starred in The Wendell Baker Story, Guilty Hearts, Trust the Man, and Ghost Rider. In 2007, she starred alongside Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, and Robert Duvall in the film We Own the Night. She also starred in Live! and Cleaner.

In 2008, she received a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress for her performance in The Women.^[6] She next starred in The Spirit, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, The Other Guys, Last Night and Fast Five. In August 2010, Mendes appeared in a Funny or Die video spoof, selling her "S.E.X. tape".^[7] She also sang for the Funny or Die music video "Pimps Don't Cry," a song featured in The Other Guys, released on August 6, 2010.^[8]

Modeling career[link]

Mendes appeared in Will Smith's video "Miami" and the Pet Shop Boys' music video for "Se a vida é (That's the way life is)" in 1996 and Aerosmith's video "Hole in My Soul" in 1997. Mendes was employed by Revlon Cosmetics as an international spokeswoman and was also a supporter and active participant in Revlon's campaign to raise funds for breast cancer research.^[9] Mendes appeared nude in an ad for Calvin Klein's Secret Obsession perfume. Since there was exposure of her nipples in the ad, it was banned from airing in the United States.^[10] In 2007, she was named as an ambassador for Cartier.^[11] In December 2007, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) used a nude photo of Mendes for their anti-fur campaign alongside the tagline "Fur? I'd rather go naked."^[12] She modelled in a Morgan campaign in 2007.^[13] Mendes was a spokesmodel for the 2008 Campari calender.^[14] Mendes was announced as the international face of Australia's 30 Days of Fashion & Beauty event in July 2008. She made guest appearances in that country at the month-long festival in September.^[15]

In October 2008, she toured various stores in Europe including Harrods to promote Calvin Klein's Seductive Comfort line of lingerie.^[16] In 2009, Mendes was announced as a Pleasure Ambassador for ice cream brand Magnum.^[17] In 2010, Mendes was the face of chocolate milk brand Cocio.^[18] In March 2011, it was announced that Mendes will be a new spokeswoman for Thierry Mugler's Angel fragrance.^[19] Also in 2011, she was named as the brand ambassador for Reebok Easytone trainers^[20] and Pantene shampoo.^[21] She also modeled in a Peek & Cloppenburg clothing catalog in 2011.^[22]

Mendes was voted as No. 4 in the 2008 edition, and No. 1^[23] in the 2009 edition, of AskMen.com's Top 99 Most Desirable Women. Maxim ranked Mendes #7 in its 2007 Hot 100 issue.^[24] She also made her second Maxim cover in the November 2007 issue.^[25] Maxim ranked Mendes #11 in its 2010 Hot 100 issue.^[26] People named her one of 2012 Most Beautiful at Every Age.^[27]

Designer[link]

Mendes runs a home decor line, Vida, with her former longterm partner George Augusto. On September 4, 2008, Mendes announced she was launching a line of bed linens available in Macy's stores.^[28] In 2010, Mendes launched a line of dinnerware at Macy's stores.^[29]

Music career[link]

In 2010, Mendes dueted with Cee Lo Green on a song entitled Pimps Don't Cry.^[30] In 2011, she recorded a version of The Windmills of Your Mind.^[31]

Personal life[link]

Mendes does not want to have children and has described marriage as "a very archaic kinda thing. I don't think it fits in my world today."^[32] She was in a relationship with George Augusto from 2002 to 2010.^[33][34][35] She began dating Ryan Gosling in September 2011.^[36] She lives in Los Feliz, Los Angeles.^[37]

Mendes spent several weeks at the Cirque Lodge addiction facility in 2008 to address "some personal issues".^[38] She later said that she will never publicly disclose details of her condition because "I have to think of the pain it might bring my mother."^[39] She now attends therapy sessions which have "enriched my life. I come from a family and a heritage where you don't really go to therapy unless you're crazy. I want people to know that that's so not the case."^[40]

In 2011, Mendes visited Sierra Leone to speak with rape victims and raise awareness of the problems in the area.^[41]

Filmography[link]

Eva Mendes at the premiere of Trust the Man, Toronto Film Festival 2005

References[link]