Eva Longoria Parker

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For the Tampa Bay Rays player with a similar name, see Evan Longoria.
Eva Longoria Parker

Longoria at the NBA All-Star Weekend, 2006
Born Eva Jacqueline Longoria[1]
March 15, 1975 (1975-03-15) (age 33)
Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.
Other name(s) Eva Longoria Parker
Spouse(s) Tyler Christopher (2002-2004)
Tony Parker (2007-present)

Eva Jacqueline Longoria Parker (born March 15, 1975) is a Golden Globe Award-nominated Mexican-American film and television actress. She plays Gabrielle Solis in the ABC television series Desperate Housewives, and stars in the film Over Her Dead Body. She has also become a nationally recognized model after appearing in several high-profile advertising campaigns and numerous men's magazines, reaching #14 in the FHM "Sexiest Women 2008" poll. [2] Longoria is also known for her high profile relationship with NBA guard Tony Parker, whom she married in 2007.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Eva Longoria was born Eva Jacqueline Longoria in Corpus Christi, Texas, the daughter of Mexican-American Catholic parents, Enrique Longoria, Jr. (born in Rachal, Brooks County, Texas) and Ella Eva Mireles (married in Falfurrias, Brooks County, Texas).

She has three older sisters: Elizabeth Judina, Emily Jeannette, and Esmeralda Josephina. The family lived and worked on farmland that had been handed down to them from past generations, but they often had very little money; Enrique and Ella struggled for many years to give their children a decent upbringing. Eva showed viewers an introspect into the hardship she faced in her formative years growing up poor on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2006; she took cameras on location to the family farm, and showed how spartan they were still living. Longoria admitted that only when she made it in show business did things begin to look better for them financially. In an interview with Dateline's Stone Phillips, Longoria also revealed the snubbing she received from her siblings. She said "I grew up as the ugly duckling. They used to call me 'la prieta fea,' which means 'the ugly dark one.'"[3]

Longoria attended Marvin P. Baker Middle School and later Roy Miller High School, receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology at nearby Texas A&M University-Kingsville. During this time, she won the title of Miss Corpus Christi, USA in 1998. After completing college, Longoria entered a talent contest that led her to Los Angeles; shortly after, she was spotted and signed by a theatrical agent. With many family members still living in Corpus Christi, she still returns to her home town for visits.

[edit] Career

Longoria landed her first television role in 2000, guest-starring in an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210. Another guest appearance in General Hospital the same year brought her big break on the popular American soap opera The Young and the Restless, in which she played psychotic Isabella Braña Williams from 2001 to 2003. People en Español listed her among its "Most Beautiful People" for 2003. After leaving The Young and the Restless, she was seen on the now-cancelled Dick Wolf revival of Dragnet. Although it lasted only two seasons, the show gave Longoria another leading star credit to her name. Following Dragnet, she starred in two ill-fated productions - Señorita Justice, a poorly received direct-to-video film, and a television film titled The Dead Will Tell. In 2004, Longoria landed a role that elevated her to the A-List. She starred as adulteress Gabrielle Solis in the worldwide break-out ABC hit Desperate Housewives. As the show became an overnight sensation, Longoria's career was well and truly launched. But she has never considered her career to have jumped off so suddenly, "I think it’s funny when people say I’m an overnight sensation, because I’ve been working at it for 10 years."[4]

Shortly after her debut on Desperate Housewives, Longoria starred in a poorly received direct-to-video film titled Carlita's Secret, for which she was also co-producer. In 2005, she was rewarded for her performance as Gabrielle Solis in Desperate Housewives when she was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy along with her co-stars. Even though neither Longoria nor any of the rest of the cast won, she was awarded the prestigious ALMA AWARD and named entertainer of the year. She also starred opposite Michael Douglas and Kiefer Sutherland in the 2006 thriller The Sentinel, which was her first major role in a theatrical movie (both Douglas and Sutherland noted that much to their surprise Eva whipped both of them in gun practice). Longoria continues to be included in lists of Hollywood's Most Beautiful and was listed #1 in Maxim's Hottest Female Stars of 2005 and 2006, becoming the first woman to top the list in two consecutive years. She was ranked #9 in the magazine's Hot 100 of 2007 list.[5] In her most recently released film, Harsh Times, she plays the character Sylvia and co-stars with actors Freddy Rodriguez and Christian Bale.

In her interview with Ryan Seacrest on The Interview with Ryan Seacrest on E!, she stated: "I don't want to be on 7th Heaven - on for 20 years and no one's really watching, and it's hanging on by a thread." She has also stated multiple times that she will not renew her Desperate Housewives contract once it is up. Instead, she has set her sights on the film industry.[6] At the time of her statements, the length of her contract was not known, but she has since revealed it to be 10 years, starting from the first season.

In 2006, Longoria appeared in Jessica Simpson's music video "A Public Affair" along with Christina Milian, Christina Applegate, Ryan Seacrest, Maria Menounos, and Andy Dick. Longoria was on the cover of the September 2006 issue of Maxim Magazine. A 23 by 33 metre version of this cover is in the Desert sand just off Las Vegas Boulevard South as part of the magazine's 100th issue celebrations making Longoria the only actress visible from space. She sat down with Maxim and discussed how contrary to belief, her life really is normal. "Tony [Parker] and I spend most of our time in San Antonio. We have such a normal life there. I mean, we hang out and have breakfast, go to his parents', go to my parents'. Do laundry."[7]

Longoria recently won a People's Choice Award for Best TV Actress.[8] In January 2007, Longoria was chosen to be the first face of Bebe Sport. She appeared in the Spring/Summer 2007 campaign, photographed by Greg Kadel. The actress also holds model contracts with L’Oreal and Hanes, New York & Co.[9] Longoria also hosted the 2007 NCLR ALMA Awards on June 5, 2007, on ABC.

In 2007, the stars of Desperate Housewives each renewed their contracts with ABC for four years, worth $40 million. In November 2007, Longoria won a Bambi award in Germany for best TV Actress.

She also has started a contract with Magnum Ice-Cream and appears in the recent campaign advertising in Europe for the new Mayan Mystica Magnum variant and Magnum Minis.

[edit] Personal life

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Longoria was married to General Hospital star Tyler Christopher from January 20, 2002, to January 19, 2004, and as such, was also credited as Eva Longoria Christopher.

Like many South Texans, Longoria is an avid San Antonio Spurs fan, and is a courtside regular at Spurs games. On November 30, 2006, she became engaged to Spurs point guard Tony Parker. The two called in to the Ryan Seacrest radio show to announce it. She said the way he proposed was "perfect, personal, and sweet."[citation needed] The couple were officially married on July 6, 2007, because French law requires couples who marry to make their vows official at a city hall. They had their lavish church wedding on July 7, 2007 in Paris.[10]

Despite rumors to the contrary, Longoria has stated that she is very good friends with the entire cast.[11]

On June 14, 2007, the Spurs won the 2007 NBA Finals in Cleveland, Ohio against the Cavaliers, and Parker was honored as the Finals MVP for the series.[12] In September 2007, she started a restaurant in Los Angeles called Beso which translates to kiss.

In Desperate Housewives, she is now credited as Eva Longoria Parker.[13]

Eva Longoria Parker says she's ready to quit Desperate Housewives to start a family and pursue a film career.[14][15]

On March 1, 2008, Eva endorsed Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination. She later co-hosted a town hall meeting with Clinton in Texas on March 3, a day before that state's primary.

[edit] Charity work

Longoria founded Eva's Heroes a charity which helps developmentally disabled children. She is the national spokesperson for PADRES Contra El Cancer. She signed shoes for the Spirit of Women Red Shoe Celebrity Auction. Longoria also supports the Clothes Off Our Back Foundation, the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, the National Stroke Association, Project HOME and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.[16]

[edit] Fashion Icon

Eva has been a fashion icon since appearing as ex-model Gabrielle Solis in ABC's runaway hit show Desperate Housewives.

[edit] Filmography

Year Title
2001 Television series
2003 Television series
  • The Talent Agency as the Host
  • Dragnet as Det. Gloria Duran

Direct to video

  • Hot Tamales Live: Spicy, Hot and Hilarious
    • also credited as a producer for this film
  • Snitch'd as Gabby
2004

Television series

Television movies

  • The Dead Will Tell as Jeanie

Direct to video
2005
  • Hustler's Instinct as Vanessa Santos

Television specials
2006
2007
2008

[edit] References

  1. ^ Biography for Eva Longoria, TVGuide.com
  2. ^ http://www.fhm.com/100sexiest/EvaLongoria
  3. ^ Photo Gallery: Stone Phillips Celebrity Interviews, MSNBC.com
  4. ^ Hundley, Jessica. ""4 Eva"", Maxim Magazine Online, September 2006. Retrieved on 2007-01-23. 
  5. ^ #9 Eva Longoria in the Hot 100 of 2007 "Maxim Magazine, 2007"
  6. ^ When Contract Expires, Eva Longoria Will Leave 'Desperate Housewives', Starpulse News Blog, December 24, 2006
  7. ^ 4 Eva, MaximOnline.com, September, 2006
  8. ^ Longoria, Eva. ""Winners"", People's Choice Awards, January 2007. Retrieved on 2007-02-19. 
  9. ^ Actress Eva Longoria to be a new face of Bebe Sport EnjoyFashion, January 15, 2007
  10. ^ Eva Longoria, Tony Parker Make It Official, Again, USA Today, July 7, 2007
  11. ^ Kilkelly, Daniel. Hatcher distant from 'Housewives' co-stars, Entertainment Reporter, November 10, 2007. Accessed May 26, 2008.
  12. ^ "Basketball: France's Parker named Europe's first NBA Finals MVP", TurkishPress.net, June 14, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-06-15. 
  13. ^ Eva Longoria Changes Her Last Name to Parker, People.com, October 20, 2007
  14. ^ Eva "to quit" Housewives, News24.com, November 12, 2007
  15. ^ Eva Longoria Plans to Quit "Desperate Housewives", The New Zealand Herald, November 13, 2007
  16. ^ http://www.looktothestars.org.celebrity/64-eva-longoria

[edit] External links

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Persondata
NAME Longoria, Eva Jacqueline
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION American actress
DATE OF BIRTH March 15, 1975
PLACE OF BIRTH Corpus Christi, Texas, United States
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH