Eva Longoria discusses lack of Latino representation when she started acting: ‘There were no efforts’

Eva Longoria is looking back at her successful career in Hollywood, following her recent directorial debut with ‘Flamin; Hot.’ The 48-year-old star says that the film industry has evolved when it comes to Latino representation, however, the conversation was not as open at the start of her career as it is today.

During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actress shared her perspective on diversity both in front and behind the camera. “I’m like, ‘Well, I made one film, and we have a long way to go. Imagine when we have two films. Imagine when we have three films!’ she said about her latest project.

© GettyImages

“It wasn’t as big of a conversation as it is now. The word ‘diversity’ gets thrown around so much today. Back then, there were really no efforts or programs or initiatives,” she explained, going deeper into her experience working on the popular show ‘Desperate Housewives.’ “I became this poster child. ‘Yay! One of us made it! A Latina’s on a major show!’”

© GettyImages

And while Eva says she misses playing her character Gabrielle Solis on screen, she revealed that it was a very demanding job. “I was like, ‘I can’t breathe.’ I had PTSD from 24 episodes a year,” she said, adding that she got other offers but “turned everything down.”

The filmmaker also talked about her struggles as a Latina director during a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival. “The problem is if this movie fails, people go, ‘Oh Latino stories don’t work…female directors really don’t cut it.’ We don’t get a lot of at-bats. A white male can direct a $200 million film, fail and get another one. That’s the problem. I get one at-bat, one chance, work twice as hard, twice as fast, twice as cheap.”