Long before Eva Longoria arrived in Hollywood, it was foolish to tell her that something wasn't possible.
When her mother said she couldn't have a quinceañera, Longoria got a job at Wendy's and paid for the all-important birthday party herself. When she wanted to be an entertainer and the answer was again “no,” Longoria found a way.
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“My mom wasn't saying, 'No, you can't be a cheerleader.' She was like, 'We can't afford it,'” said Longoria, who rose to prominence as the star of ABC's “Desperate Housewives.” “That's a different problem. Let me solve the problem. “I had to be clever.”
Longoria's refusal to accept defeat has been a strength in navigating an industry that is cutthroat and resistant to change. Not content with acting credits, she has methodically built up experience and credibility: directing, producing, consulting, doing philanthropy, engaging in political activism, and advocating for Latinos. She blazed her own path so that others could have one to follow.
“I realized there can't be just one success story in our community,” Longoria said. “We need 20 of us, 40 of us, 100 of us filmmakers, actors, whatever. We need to multiply our impact.”
She made her feature directorial debut with last year's “Flamin' Hot,” which tells the story of Richard Montañez, the janitor-turned-Frito-Lay executive who has long claimed to have invented the popular Cheetos spicy snack. And with veteran unscripted producer and executive Cris Abrego, Longoria launched Hyphenate Media Group, which bills itself as part production company, part talent search agency and part business incubator. To boost its production efforts, the company has taken over all programming from Longoria's UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, including the upcoming Apple TV+ miniseries “Land of Women,” a comedy-drama based on Sandra Barneda's best-selling novel. will star Longoria.
“In no way do I feel anointed by the industry saying, 'You're in the club,'” Longoria, 49, said. “We are always going to be others, whether because of my Latin identity or because I am a woman. I don't think I really care if I belong or not. I'm going to build my own success. “I think what I’m trying to do is much bigger than what has been defined for me.”
