I N F O R MA T I O N
Read the story of Eva's rise of fame and the basic facts of her life!

• Biography
Read about Eva's story and the essential information.

Name: Eva Mendes
Birthday: March 5, 1974
Zodiac Sign: Pisces
Born in: Miami, Florida
Nationality: American
Ethnicity: American/Cuban
High School: Herbert Hoover High School, Glendale
University: California State University Northridge
Occupation: Actress, Model and Interior Designer
Currently Resides: Los Angeles, California      
Eyes Color: Brown
Natural Hair Color: Dark brown
Height: 5' 07" (approx. 1,68 m)
Weight: 110 lbs (approx. 49 kg)
Family: 2 sisters and 1 brother
Religion: Catholicism
Favourite Place to Vacation: Capri, Portofino, Tuscany and Sicily, Italy
Favourite Food: Mexican and Italian
Favourite Movie: The Shining, Blow Up
Favorite Music: Oasis, The Strokes, The Stone Roses, Saint Etienne, The Ocean Blue, The Smiths and Nortec Collective.
Romantic Relationship: George Gargurevich (aka George Augusto)
Best Celebrity Friends: Jessica Simpson and Cameron Diaz

- Why is she so famous:
By the start of the new millennium, Eva appeared in several action-packed and fun films. These include A Night at the Roxbury, Exit Wounds and All About the Benjamins. Of late, her resume has become quite impressive, with a steamy performance as Denzel Washington's woman in Training Day and a turn as Paul Walker's love interest in 2 Fast 2 Furious.

- Short Biography:
Eva Mendes was born in Miami, Florida to "lower-middle-class" Cuban-American parents and was raised in Los Angeles by her mother after her parents' divorce; Mendes has said that her mother "suffered so much to make my life OK" during her early years. Her father is a car salesman and her mother, Eva, is not an elementary school principal. As a child, Mendes was teased about her "buck teeth." She went to Hoover High School in Glendale, California and later attended California State University, Northridge but dropped out to seek an acting career. She studied with Ivana Chubbuck. Mendes has a sister, Janet, who currently lives in Los Angeles.

Her career began when an agent stumbled across her photo while perusing Mendes's neighbor's portfolio. Soon appearing in an Aerosmith video and making her film debut in Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror. Eva worked her way through the gamut of aspiring actors to appear in such high-profile films as Urban Legends: Final Cut and Once Upon a Time in Mexico. She also worked her way up through commercials to other music videos (including an appearance in Will Smith's video "Miami" and a Pet Shop Boys music video in 1996) to guest roles in television soap operas and supporting film roles.

She received her first big-screen break when she appeared in the award-winning and critically-acclaimed Training Day. That performance led to roles in Stuck on You, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and as the female lead in the comedy Hitch opposite Will Smith. Her role in Once Upon a Time in Mexico also gave her a nomination at the Teen Choice Awards. She has been in multiple major movie projects, like Ghost Rider, in which she costars along with Nicolas Cage.

Mendes has been in a long-term relationship with peruvian filmmaker George Gargurevich. She lives in the Hollywood Hills. When not on the set she loves music, hiking, biking, skiing, mountain climbing, sleeping and interior design. She was a spokesmodel for Revlon, Campari, Morgan De Toi and Calvin Klein. In 2008 she has launched a latin inspired home decor line, Vida, with her boyfriend.