Eva Longoria has admitted she ‘doesn’t care’ she is ‘pigeonholed as the ‘sexy one’ in Desperate Housewives.
The actress, 48, said she is ‘riding that wave to the beach’ after her role as Gabrielle Solis propelled her to Hollywood.
And Eva is every inch the femme fatale on the cover of ELLE’s December/January 2023 Women in Hollywood issue.
Eva said: ‘I remember when I was on Housewives and I was the sexy one, people were like, “Are you scared you’re going to be pigeonholed as sexy?”
‘I was like, “Oh God, no. I’m riding that wave to the beach. Go ahead and say I’m sexy”.
‘I don’t care, because there’s going to be a day when you’re going to say I’m not sexy, and I won’t care then either.’
And Eva rocks some of her most daring looks to date. In one photograph, Eva showed off her cleavage as she went braless in a $3,290 leather waistcoat from Michael Kors.
The actress also smouldered in a floral shirt and black knickers from Max Mara which skimmed over her bottom in another shot.
Eva also spoke about the challenge of directing her first feature film Flamin’ Hot in a male dominated industry.
It is based on the memoir A Boy, a Burrito and a Cookie: From Janitor to Executive by Richard Montañez, who claims to have invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
Eva said: ‘You have to assume you have the job—that’s what men do all the time. They don’t assume they’re fighting for the job.
‘Hearing that changed my approach and my tone in the room when I pitched Searchlight. I was like, This is my movie, and I, in every fiber of my being, knew I would be directing this. It’s mine, it’s mine, it’s mine.
‘I couldn’t fail at my first movie—that wasn’t an option for me, because then I wouldn’t get a second chance.
‘Men can direct a $200 million movie, fail, and get another $200 million movie. And you’re like, “What?”
‘You have to work harder; you have to work smarter.
‘I don’t mind doing that until we have equality. I’m going to keep pushing the line and doing all I can to pave the road.’
Flamin’ Hot was released in March this year and received mixed reviews from critics.
Of why she decided to tell the story, Eva said: ‘Hollywood gets to decide what heroes look like, and they never look like us. I looked at Richard and I was like, “Oh my gosh, this would be a great opportunity to create a hero who looks like my dad, who looks like my uncle, who sounds like my family”.’
The publication has listed Eva, alongside the likes of Jennifer Lopez and America Ferrara, as an honorees in the celebration of Hollywood.
Eva appears in the December 2023/January 2024 issue of ELLE which is available online or in stores.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
