Everything to know about Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling's relationship
The actors keep their private lives to themselves
Eva Mendes has revealed that she and partner Ryan Gosling had an "unspoken agreement" that she would take a step back from acting and stay at home with their children.
The actor opened up on Today, explaining that she felt lucky to have the time with their daughters, Esmeralda, nine, and Amada, seven. “It was almost just like a non-verbal agreement that it was like, ‘OK, he’s going to work and I’m going to work. I’m just going to work here’,” she said.
Mendes’ comments gave fans a rare glimpse inside her relationship with the Barbie star, as the pair have always been private about their lives off screen.
So what do we know about the couple’s relationship?
2011: Met while filming The Place Beyond The Pines
Mendes and Gosling met in 2011 while they were filming The Place Beyond The Pines, which saw them playing a couple. They kept their romance off the radar for a bit, although they were spotted out for the day at Disneyland and gossip swirled after it was reported that they spent New Year’s Eve together.
In 2012 they were busy promoting the film. And years later, Mendes discussed the pictures of them posing together on the red carpet, saying on The Kelly Clarkson Show: “That's literally me going, 'I'm not in love with him’… We were just trying to be very professional.”
2014: New movie and first baby
In 2014, the actors reunited on the silver screen when they made the fantasy thriller Lost River, and their relationship status was confirmed with the arrival of their first baby.
The couple kept the pregnancy quiet until July 2014 when Mendes was seven months along, and Esmeralda was born in the September.
Mendes was later quoted as saying on an Australian radio show that she hadn’t had a particular desire to be a mum until she got together with Gosling. "I never wanted babies before until I fell in love with Ryan, and it kind of worked out to where I was 40 and having my first baby,” she said.
2015: Gosling says Mendes romance is meant to be
Gosling made his feelings clear in 2015, when he said that Mendes was everything he wanted. The usually private star opened up in a chat with Hello! Canada as he talked about celebrating their first Christmas with Esmeralda.
“I know that I’m with the person I’m supposed to be with,” he said, adding that the only thing required of his ideal woman is “that she’s Eva Mendes”.
“There’s nothing else I’m looking for,” added the smitten actor.
2016: Baby number two
Mendes and Gosling added a second daughter to their brood in 2016, once again keeping their baby news quiet until late into the pregnancy.
Daughter Amanda was born in April that year, and was apparently named after Mendes’ grandmother.
Watch: Eva Mendes says she and Ryan Gosling had a 'non-verbal agreement' she’d be a stay-at-home mum
2020: Mendes has said her relationship is ‘private’
Four years ago, Mendes did address the fact that the couple don’t share too much about their relationship, when she explained to a fan on Instagram that she liked to keep certain things to herself. The fan had praised the star for communicating with her followers, and Mendes replied to say how much joy she got from her connection with other women.
“As far as Ryan, I’ll only post flashbacks of things that are already ‘out there’ (like pics from movies we did or stuff like that),” she added. “My man and my kids are private. That’s important to me so thanks for getting that. Have a beautiful day. Sending so much love!”
2022: Marriage rumours
Mendes triggered wedding rumours in 2022 when she shared a photo on Instagram that showed her with the words “de Gosling” inked onto her wrist.
Fans were convinced the tattoo meant that Mendes was now Mrs Gosling, with many flocking to social media to mull over whether the Hollywood stars had secretly tied the knot. Fanning the flame was the fact that Mendes had apparently been heard referring to Gosling as her “husband”.
2024: Mendes backed Barbie star during awards season
The spotlight has shone more brightly on the couple in recent months, thanks to Gosling’s high-profile part as Ken in Barbie.
The actor has revealed that Mendes and their daughters had a role in him taking the part, telling People: “They are such a huge part of this for me... it was my girls’ interest in Barbie and disinterest in Ken that got me into this in the first place.”
And when the movie premiered in LA, Gosling wore a necklace with an “E” charm, and told reporters it stood for Eva.
Mendes also made it clear how much she backed him, praising his performance on Instagram and telling fans: “So beyond proud to be this Ken’s Barbie.”
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