The Mysteries Of Eva Mendes

The Sphinx-like Eva Mendes is almost as famous for the silence she maintains about her life with gentle-stud actor Ryan Gosling as she is for her many film roles over the past 18 years. In her first interview since the birth of her second child and a tragic family loss, the actress opens up to Latina as never before.

- Shirley J. Velasquez

IT MAY LOOK LIKE she’s living large today in Beverly Hills, tended to by a busy crew at the Latina cover shoot. But Eva Mendes has already given it eight hours of intense, professional focus since we got started early this morning, and the day is not over yet. She plops down on a mid-century– style living-room sofa and takes a moment to appreciate the rugged beauty of the sienna-hued canyon through the floor-to-ceiling window. The Miami-born actress isn’t about to complain, especially now that she’s changed back into her own comfy outfit: a green silk maxi-dress and a worked-in pair of Chloé wedge sandals.

Getting Eva to open up about the goings-on in her life won’t be easy, but I have just the trick. Resting across from us on a walnut coffee table— everything here is mid-century—is a horoscope book. But it’s not just any astrology volume. It’s The Secret Language of Birthdays, a well-researched tome that describes in detail, and with remarkable accuracy, many say, the character traits—good and bad—of men and women born across the 365 days of the year.

We flip to Eva’s birthday, March 5, and I warn her that she may not like what she finds, and we don’t have to go down this road if it’s too uncomfortable. “I’m so intrigued—haber,” she says excitedly, taking the book and reading out loud:

Those born on March 5 usually have two distinct sides to their personality. To the world they may appear debonair and charming, sophisticated, as well as kind and considerate, while inside they are grappling with their personal demons.

Eva pauses. “I wish I was sophisticated,” she says, “but I don’t really see that.” She continues: