Did Eva Mendes say farewell to Hollywood?

In 2022, Eva Mendes shared an Instagram video responding to claims she had given up on her film career. Mendes revealed 'Lost River,' was a “tough act to follow,” especially when she was only being offered 'stereotypical roles.'

“I never quit acting,” Mendes wrote in the caption. “I wanted to be home with my babies and fortunately my other business ventures allowed me to do that more than acting would.”

She went on to say in the post, "Also, I was not excited about the stereotypical roles being offered to me at the time." So does that mean she may come back to Hollywood at some point?

What has happened to Eva Mendes? What is she doing at the moment?

'Lost River', back in 2014, was the last film Eva Mendes shot. Interestingly, it was her partner's directorial debut: Ryan Gosling, who is also father to her two children.

Since her appearance in 'Lost River,' the actress has stayed away from the Hollywood spotlight and doesn't seem to have any intention of returning to the glamour and glare of the red carpets unless there is a project that could tempt her out of Hollywood semi-retirement.

(Image: Eva Mendes in 'Lost River,' 2014)

What made her decide to take a career break? "Ryan Gosling happened," the actress laughingly confessed in an interview with Women's Health.

Eva Mendes was a renowned, sought-after actress in Hollywood. Her filmography includes several installments of the 'Fast & Furious' saga and titles such as 'Hitch', 'Ghost Rider' and the legendary 'Training Day', alongside Denzel Washington (pictured).

But it was in 2011, on the set of 'The Place Beyond the Pines,' that the actress fell in love with her co-star, Ryan Gosling.

Image: Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling in 'The Place Beyond the Pines,' 2011

Eva Mendes had confessed that they had met years before, without specifying when or under what circumstances. Throughout their relationship, the couple has maintained the secrecy and privacy of their romance.

“I mean, falling in love with him," Eva Mendes told Women's Health, "then it made sense for me to have…not kids, but his kids. It was very specific to him.”

Image: Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling in 'The Place Beyond the Pines,' 2011

Having been together for three years, Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling became the parents of Esmeralda Amada Gosling in September 2014, and then Amada Lee Gosling in April 2016.

Image: Eva Mendes in 'The Place Beyond the Pines,' 2011

Even before her second daughter was born, Eva Mendes was clear about what she wanted. “I felt a lack of ambition, if I can be honest,” she says. “I feel more ambitious in the home right now than I do in the workplace.”

"When I had my first daughter, I was already 40 years old. And I think I was already 42 when I had my second daughter. Let's just say that, as I had already built a career, I decided to change my focus and dedicate myself to my family," she says, according to Popsugar.com.

And so, since 2014, Eva Mendes has put her acting career on hold to focus on her career as a mother. However, she has maintained collaborations with the clothing brand New York & Company, or with the cosmetics firm Circa.

Hollywood seems to have taken a very distant place from Eva Mendes' priorities in her life. One of the reasons for this decision is "all that fame entails," she says. "It's very scary when you're trying to raise your children," to have to travel a long way to be alone with their daughters in the park or have ice cream without the paparazzi surrounding them, Eva Mendes told 'Hello' Magazine.

Eva Mendes doesn't want her star status to influence her daughters' upbringing. "They’ve never seen me get ready for something; they’ve never seen me at work... The way I keep it normal is by not letting them see me in these situations. I’m just Mom. And I’m more than happy to just be Mom.”

Such is Eva Mendes' lack of connection with Hollywood that the actress almost missed Ryan Gosling's thank-you speech after picking up the Golden Globe for Best Actor for 'La La Land' in 2017.

The reason? They only watch one cartoon channel in the house!

Luckily, her sister called her in time for her to switch channels and see her partner just as he started to speak. Thank goodness, because Gosling addressed Eva Mendes directly.

That same year, Eva Mendes' brother had passed away and the actress was deeply affected. Aware of the situation, Ryan Gosling wanted to cheer up his beloved by dedicating the Golden Globe to her and the deceased brother whom Eva Mendes cared for in her last months of life.

"If she hadn't taken care of all that so that I could have this experience, there would possibly be someone else in my place today. So, honey, thank you," the actor said in his speech. "It was like a dream," Mendes told Women's Health about the speech. "He said my brother’s name. It was the most beautiful gesture, and I had no idea Ryan was going to say it."

But anyone who thinks Eva Mendes is alone in raising Esmeralda and Amada or caring for her brother is mistaken. The Talk quoted her as saying "We have a huge support group: Ryan's mother, my mother, his sisters, my sisters. It's a whole village helping us," the actress says with admiration.

Given Eva Mendes' family, personal and life situation, has she completely given up on making films in Hollywood again? Far from it. Even though the actress, who was born on March 5, 1974, is in her late forties, there will still be time to return to acting.

When speaking to 'Hello' Magazine, she said: "The list of things I'm willing to do gets shorter every day. I don't want to be in a violent film, I don't want to be in anything that puts me at risk, so I think that only leaves room for me to be in a Disney film."

Joking aside, surely the actress can come back whenever she wants to, and she won't be short of interesting offers. Mendes is still a star held in the utmost respect and admiration.