Eva Mendes

Eva was born in the Texan city of Houston but moved early to Miami (Florida); she is a descendant of Cuban parents. Later she moved to Los Angeles. She is the youngest of four siblings. She abandoned her marketing studies in the mid-1990s, when she was discovered by an artistic agent who saw her photo in a neighbor's folder who admired her beauty.

Her first film was Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror from 1998, a film that went directly to the video market in the United States. That same year she also appeared in an episode of the well-known series Urgencias.

A brief role in the comedy A Night at the Roxbury by John Fortenberry also from 1998 as the bridesmaid of actress Molly Shannon placed her on the international film scene.

Her film career was strengthened with more important characters in My Brother the Pig (1999), Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000), Exit Wounds (2001), an action film starring Denzel Washington, Training Day (2001), Hitch (2005), a comedy she co-starred in with Will Smith, or Ghost Rider, a fantasy film co-starring Nicolas Cage.

She has appeared in music videos by The Strokes - "The End Has No End", Aerosmith - Hole in my soul and in Will Smith's - Miami.

Model
Eva Mendes posed for photographer Marino Parisotto for the Campari 2008 calendar. Inspired by fairy tales, Eva appears dressed as a fairy tale character.

Additionally, she posed naked in an advertisement for the PETA organization, during a campaign against the use of animal furs. Eva Mendes posed for photographer Marino Parisotto for the Campari 2008 calendar. Inspired by fairy tales, Eva appears dressed as a fairy tale character.

Filmography

1998 Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror Kir
A Night at the Roxbury Bridesmaid
1999 My Brother the Pig Matilda
2000 The Disciples Maria Serranco
Urban Legends: Final Cut Vanessa Valdeon
2001 Exit Wounds Trish
Training Day Sara Harris
All About the Benjamins Gina
2003 2 Fast 2 Furious Monica Fuentes
Once Upon a Time in Mexico Ajedrez
Out of Time Alex Díaz Whitlock
Stuck on You April
2005 Hitch Sara Melas
The Wendell Baker Story Doreen
3 & 3 Gabriella
2006 Trust the Man Faith
2007 Ghost Rider Roxanne Simpson
Knocked Up Herself (uncredited)
We Own the Night Amada Juarez
Live! Katy
Cleaner Ann Norcut
2008 The Women Crystal Allen
The Spirit Sand Saref
2009 Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans Frankie Donnenfeld
2010 Last Night Laura
The Other Guys Sheila Gamble post-production
Southbound TBA filming
2013 Resident Evil: Begins Excella Gionne (Rumors)