Eva Longoria is a Golden Globe-nominated, Screen Actors Guild- and ALMA Award-winning actress, producer, director, entrepreneur, philanthropist and “Desperate Housewives” alum. Longoria is set to star opposite Anna Faris (“Mom”) and Eugenio Derbez (HOW TO BE A LATIN LOVER) in the MGM/Pantelion re-imagined adaptation of the comedic cult-classic film OVERBOARD set for a 2018 wide-theatrical release as well as opposite Academy Award-winner Jaime Foxx in the feature film ALL-STAR WEEKEND slated for a 2017 wide release. Most recently she starred opposite Academy Award-nominee Demian Bichir in the Universal feature film LOWRIDERS, which looks at the lives of low-riding culture enthusiasts in LA’s Latino communities. Additionally, Longoria starred in the BBC miniseries “Decline and Fall” opposite Brit comedy star Jack Whitehall. Set in 1920s Wales, “Decline and Fall” is a bitingly funny satire that follows the life and times of hapless ‘Paul Pennyfeather’ (Whitehall) who meets and pursues the delectable ‘Margot Beste-Chetwynde’ (Longoria), a wealthy, powerful, and beautiful American woman. Longoria also recently directed an episode of the Golden Globe-nominated CW series “Jane the Virgin” and the Emmy Award-winning series “Black-ish,” and guest starred as the memorable ‘Charlotte Frost,’ the head of the Las Vegas Gaming Commission, on Fox’s hit drama series “Empire”.
Longoria recently celebrated 11 years as a Global Brand Ambassador for L’Oreal Paris, she owns the production company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, recently launched her first fashion line The Eva Longoria Collection which recently showed at NYFW, has a home collection line with JCPenney, a NY Times bestselling cookbook EVA’S KITCHEN, and created the fragrances “EVA” and “EVAmour. Her greatest work however is as a champion of women, the Latino community, and youth with special needs.
Longoria established The Eva Longoria Foundation (ELF) to help Latinas build better futures for themselves and their families through education and entrepreneurship. Foundation programs help Latinas achieve their full potential through parent engagement, mentorship, extracurricular participation, STEM education, microloans and other high-potential interventions. Longoria has spoken about her Foundation’s work before the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, the Clinton Global Initiative, Women in the World Texas and the National Council de la Raza, among others. Longoria wrote an essay about ELF’s work and Latina issues in the Shriver Report, a multiplatform study of the profound change in the makeup and reality of American families and the failure of government, business and other cultural institutions to adapt to this change and deal with it.
In addition to her Foundation, Longoria co-founded Eva’s Heroes in 2006. Eva’s Heroes enriches the lives of those with intellectual special needs by providing an inclusive setting built on the four tenets of interact, grow, learn and love. Based in San Antonio, the organization helps teens and young adults with intellectual special needs to integrate into and flourish in society. Eva’s Heroes offers unique opportunities for these young men and women that they may not be able to experience elsewhere. To date, Longoria has helped raise more than $2.1M for the organization.
Longoria is also the spokesperson for Padres Contra el Cancer, a nonprofit organization that is committed to improving the quality of life for Latino children with cancer and their families. Padres is the only Latino program in the United States that is focused on addressing the needs of the entire family. Since becoming a spokesperson over 10 years ago, Longoria has helped raise more than $7M through her participation as the Chair of “El Sueño de la Esperanza” gala, personal contributions and other special campaigns. Her participation in PADRES Galas has helped raise over $5M through corporate sponsorships with large corporations, such as Farmer’s Insurance and Verizon Wireless. Longoria has actively participated in special campaigns that have raised over $1M, and another $1M was secured from her personal corporate connections, which include Bebe clothing, Pepsi and Nickelodeon.
Longoria was named “Philanthropist of the Year” by The Hollywood Reporter and honored by Variety with a Lifetime Achievement Award for their Power of Women issue. Longoria has received countless other awards for her philanthropy and activism including: the prestigious Dorothy I. Height Racial Justice Award by the YWCA USA; the Norma Zarky Humanitarian Award from the Women in Film during their annual Crystal + Lucy Awards; the National Hispanic Foundation for the Art’s Horizon Award, presented each year to the individual whose work most advances the presence of Latinos in television and/or film; The Latina Visionary and Community Empowerment Award by the Hispanic Women’s Corporation at their 21st National Hispanic Women’s Conference; the Texas Medal of Arts Multimedia Award from the Texas Cultural trust Council; and the NHLI Mujer/Chair Award, presented to her by the National Hispana Leadership Institute for her significant contributions to the empowerment and wellbeing of the Hispanic community. The Larry King Cardiac Foundation, in partnership with the American Heart Association, also presented her with the Corazones Unidos Award for her philanthropic efforts. She was honored with the Hope of Los Angeles Award by the mayor of Los Angeles, as well as the Cesar Chavez Legacy Award by the Cesar Chavez Foundation. Longoria was honored as the Top Hispanic Leader by Hispanic Executive Magazine. She was also honored by Girls, Inc. Los Angeles on behalf of her outstanding achievements in entertainment and philanthropy and for inspiring girls to realize their full potential.
A pillar in the Latino community, Longoria executive produced and hosted the National Council of La Raza ALMA Awards for nearly a decade and also executive produced, in collaboration with Academy Award nominated Shine Global, the documentary HARVEST, which focused on the plight of the estimated 500,000 child farm workers whose tireless efforts help feed America. Longoria executive produced her second documentary, FOOD CHAINS, a film that also exposed the current and historic exploitation of farm workers, including stunning revelations that thousands of laborers in our nation’s fields are held as modern day slaves. The film had its US premiere at the 2014 TriBeCa Film Festival and was picked up for distribution by Screen Media. Longoria is currently producing her third documentary, OUR TIME, which explores the power of the Latino vote. Longoria was also instrumental in the 2012 Presidential campaign, as she helped President Obama receive 73% of the Latino vote. At the 2015 TriBeCa Film Festival, Longoria premiered “Go, Sebastian, Go!”, a short documentary that is part of the ESPN documentary series “Versus,” which she executive produced.
After Longoria was named as Forbes’ Highest Paid TV actress in 2011, she switched her focus to working behind the scenes. NBC Universal signed her production company, UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, to their biggest First-Look television deal ever, which was later renewed to include Universal films. She sold nine projects and was fiercely sought after by both ABC and NBC to make a return to primetime television. Longoria additionally executively produced Lifetime’s hit one-hour dramedy “Devious Maids” which was the first primetime show to feature five Latina leads. Longoria also recently starred in the feature film ANY DAY alongside Sean Bean & Kate Walsh, and the critically acclaimed feature film FRONTERA alongside Michael Pena & Ed Harris. She has also guest starred in the Golden Globe Award-winning FOX comedy series, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” and directed the Golden Globe-nominated CW series “Jane the Virgin.”
Additionally, Longoria received her Master’s degree in Chicano Studies from California State University, Northridge, writing her thesis on “Success STEMS from Diversity: The Value of Latinas in STEM Careers.”
You can follow Eva on social media (@EvaLongoria).