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Eva Longoria opens up about feeling like the ugly duck among her sisters

The Mexican-descent star opened up about how the socially accepted beauty of her mom and sisters impacted her self-esteem


Shirley Gomez
Senior Writer
JULY 25, 2023 4:15 PM EDT

Who would have thought that one of Hollywood’s most beautiful and influential Latinas grew up feeling like the ugly duck among her family members? During a recent interview for Not Skinny But Not Fat with Amanda Hirsch, the Mexican descent superstar opened up about how the socially accepted beauty of her mom and sisters impacted her self-esteem, even when, decades later, she became a L’Oréal spokesperson.

“All my three sisters were blonde. And I was the only one that came out with black hair, dark skin, dark eyes,” the actress and businesswoman said. “My sisters have these beautiful hazel eyes. My mom is a ‘Güera’ — which is the white one. They call her ‘Tia Güera’ because she’s so light skinned.”

2014 NCLR ALMA Awards   Arrivals© GettyImages
Actress Eva Longoria and mom Ella Eva Mireles arrive at the 2014 NCLR ALMA Awards at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on October 10, 2014 in Pasadena, California.

Longoria then made a surprising revelation. “So I grew up as ‘La prieta fea,’ which means ‘the ugly dark one.’” Eva said her mom used to call her like that; however, she clarified that although Latinos call each other names related to their race, the meaning has no racist connotation whatsoever. “It’s a term of endearment, but when people would walk up to my mom and go, ‘your daughters are so beautiful. And who’s this?’ I’d be like, ‘I’m one of them,’” she expressed.

Eva Longoria Honored With Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame© GettyImages
Actress Eva Longoria, mom Ella Eva Mireles, sisters Esmeralda Josephina Longoria, Elizabeth Judina Longoria and Emily Jeannette Longoria attend the ceremony honoring Eva Longoria with star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on April 16, 2018 in Hollywood, California.

“So I wasn’t the pretty one. Like I grew up as not the pretty one. So there was a conscious decision when I was young to be the funny one. And I really think that has lent itself to my personality,” she added. “Not just like, ‘Oh, I’m going to be an actress,’ but like, I just don’t value beauty in my own self very much, and I’m with L’Oréal. I’m a spokesperson which my sisters are still like ‘why they pick you.’”

When did Eva Longoria become a L’Oréal ambassador?

Longoria joined the L’Oréal Paris family in 2005. She is one of the longest-serving members of the brand’s “Dream Team,” which includes Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé Knowles, Jane Fonda, Julianne Moore, and Blake Lively.

The newest generation also includes Camila Cabello and, most recently, Kendall Jenner.