Eva Mendes says she and Ryan Gosling had a “non-verbal agreement” she’d be a stay-at-home mum.
The ‘Hitch’ actress, 50, has daughters Esmeralda, nine, and seven-year-old Amada with ‘Barbie’ actor Ryan, 43, who she’s been with since 2011, and added they had an unspoken deal where they knew her work was going to be taking care of their children while he went out and earned money in Hollywood.
She said on the ‘Today’ show: “It was almost just like a non-verbal agreement, that it was like, ‘Ok, he’s going to work and I’m going to work, I’m just going to work here.’”
Eva stressed she felt it was a “no-brainer” to put her successful Hollywood career on hold to spend time nurturing their kids, adding: “I’m so lucky.”
She also said she still has a career and has only put her acting on hold as she has two young kids.
Eva added: “I still worked, I just didn’t act because acting takes you on locations, it takes you away.”
She admitted she “pretty much stopped acting” after she Ryan starred together in their 2012 ‘The Place Beyond the Pines’ film.
Eva added about the project: “I have never experienced anything like that – the way he works, his commitment to his craft, how he wants to make everything as best as it can be, and that means making his co-stars as best as they can be.”
She also opened up about his performance of ‘I’m Just Ken’ from his ‘Barbie’ film at this year’s Oscars earlier this month,
Eva added: “He went and he did his job. He just happens to be really good at his job, and he did it and he came home.”
On the night of the Oscars, she posted on Instagram she wanted Ryan to “come home” and “put the kids to bed”.
She told the ‘Today’ show: “Because that’s what it’s about. You go, you do your job the best you can and then you come home.”
Eva had been backstage ahead of the 96th Academy Awards to support Ryan, who was nominated for best supporting actor for playing Ken in director Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ blockbuster, and the couple’s daughters attended his dress rehearsal – and offered the actor advice.
Ryan said at the SXSW festival about their input: “It was great. It was so fun because they came to the dress rehearsal the day before and so they were in the front row.
“They gave me some tips and some notes – all great notes.”