(l-r) Eva Mendes, Kelly Clarkson -- (Photo by: Adam Christopher /NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)© NBC,Getty Images

Eva Mendes expressed relief that Olympic cameras didn't spotlight her and Ryan Gosling's daughters

The couple and their daughters Esmeralda, 9, and Amada, 8, appeared to be fully immersed in the event's excitement


Senior Writer
AUGUST 8, 2024 11:05 AM EDT

Eva Mendes is known for her privacy, especially regarding her family life with longtime partner Ryan Gosling and their two daughters. However, the former star made a rare public appearance at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where she and Gosling were seen cheering on the athletes during the women's gymnastics uneven bars final on August 4.

The couple and their daughters Esmeralda, 9, and Amada, 8, appeared to be fully immersed in the event's excitement. Still, true to form, Eva was grateful that the focus remained on the athletes rather than her children. In a comment shared on Instagram on August 6, Eva expressed her relief and gratitude, saying, "I love @nbcolympics didn't cut away to the kids! And most sites blurred their faces so mama bear is happy about that. Anyway, it felt so good to be there and feel unified with people."

 

US actress Eva Mendes (L) and her partner Canadian actor Ryan Gosling (2L) attend the artistic gymnastics women's uneven bars final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on August 4, 2024. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP) (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)© Getty Images
US actress Eva Mendes (L) and her partner Canadian actor Ryan Gosling (2L) attend the artistic gymnastics women's uneven bars final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on August 4, 2024. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP) (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)

 Eva's protective nature over her daughters' privacy is well-known, and she further emphasized this in another reply to a fan, adding, "They were great about not posing the kids, so I'm a grateful mama bear."

© Getty Images
US actress Eva Mendes (L) and her partner Canadian actor Ryan Gosling (C) attend the artistic gymnastics women's uneven bars final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris, on August 4, 2024. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Eva, 50, and Ryan, 43, have become one of Hollywood's most beloved but elusive couples. They focus on their family rather than the limelight. Their decision to attend the Olympics was a special moment for fans, offering a glimpse of their family life without compromising the privacy they hold so dear.

Proud Girl Dad

In an interview, Gosling has opened up a bit about his family life, revealing that his girls speak some Spanish and have a special nickname for him. He told the Wall Street Journal that his daughters have been learning Spanish, which has resulted in them calling him “Papi” with a slight accent. “It kills me every time,” Gosling said. “There’s just nothing, nothing better than that.”

© Getty Images
US actress Eva Mendes (L) and her partner, Canadian actor Ryan Gosling (R), attend the artistic gymnastics women's uneven bars final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena in Paris on August 4, 2024. (Photo by Loic VENANCE / AFP) (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)

Gosling also shared that his daughters and the peace in his home are a reason why he’s currently picking more lighthearted roles. “I don’t really take roles that are going to put me in some kind of dark place,” he said.

“This moment is what I feel like trying to read the room at home and feel like what is going to be best for all of us. The decisions I make, I make them with Eva and we make them with our family in mind first.”

Eva Mendes opens up about becoming a mom in her ‘40s

Eva Mendes has also been discussing her family life. In an interview with PEOPLE, she discussed her decision to have children in her 40s, revealing that while it was controversial for some people in her life, it was the right call for her. “When I was 40, it was a big deal for people when I was pregnant, and it wasn’t for me. And then I was 42 and I was pregnant with my second one and people were like, ‘Oh my God, you’re going to be so tired. That’s why people have kids in their 20s.’ I was like, that’s the most sorry, asinine thing I’ve ever heard,” she said.

Mendes went further and explained why she wouldn’t have been able to raise kids in her 20s. “In my 20s, I shouldn’t have even been around a child. I was just foul-mouthed and smoking. I could not have raised kids in any other era of my life but now, for sure.”