|
Latin Heat Online
Eva Mendes: All the Right Moves Equally Successful in Comedy, Drama, and Action, This Latina Beauty Is Always in Motion
Brad Munson
When Eva Mendes (then “Mendez”) first attracted attention in Training Day with Denzel Washington, she wasn’t taken very seriously. A beautiful woman, yes -- even more, a beautiful Latina ... but an actress to contend with? Don't be silly.
Those who underestimated Eva have learned their lesson. Here’s a woman who can turn on a dime, with quality work in everything from action/adventure like 2 Fast 2 Furious or Ghost Rider to gentle, insightful comedies like Hitch and The Women to serious, even grim dramatic performances, like her newest offering, The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans. And Eva has proven her ability to stand up to some of the stronger male actors of her generation, from Denzel Washington (twice) to Will Smith to Joaquin Phoenix to her current leading man, Nicholas Cage (again: twice, the last time in the laughable but profitable Ghost Rider).
And then there’s the sexy part – the absolutely undeniable sensuality that pours off Eva Mendes virtually all the time. It’s one of the reasons she was cast in last year’s hotty parade, The Spirit; it’s why she was noticed amongst the hoardes of ingénues and rose out of the dregs of Children of the Corn V (1998) and Urban Legends: The Final Cut (2000) to make some of the more interesting films of the last five years. And it’s what makes her a favorite subject for photographers and a perfect addition to the Revlon Cosmetics spokesperson army, populated by beauties like Julianne Moore, Halle Berry and Cindy Crawford.
“It’s fun to be a woman,” Eva says. “It’s fun to flirt and wear makeup and have boobs.” And it’s something she does well – just as well as representing her Cubana background. “I feel I’ll take on the responsibility of showing the world a whole different kind of Latin woman,” she’s said ... and that’s exactly what she’s done, playing a string of powerful, self-aware women as well as those who are trapped, confused, and desperate.
The Bad Lieutenant is no exception. This time Eva plays the hooker girlfriend of Nick Cage, a corrupt police lieutenant in the world of post-Katrina New Orleans, who is trapped in a downward spiral of drug abuse and mental illness. The movie – opening wide this Friday – has already garnered some serious props from a wide range of critics with the notable exception of the director of the original Bad Lieutenant, who was widely quoted as wishing the remakers of his 1992 film would “burn in hell.”). Mendes’ role may be overshadowed by Cage, but she’s there, and solid, and as memorable as ever.
“Fame and celebrity don’t matter to me,” Eva has said. “The longevity of my career does.” And she’s doing what matters most right now, with three separate films slated for release in 2010: The Other Guys, a goofy comedy with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and many others, directed by Adam McKay (Anchorman, Step Brothers); Tell Me, a very serious romance with luminous actress Kiera Knightley and Sam Worthington; and Southbound, a serious drama with Matthew McConaughey about the border war directed by Venezuelan hyphenate Jim Jakubowicz (Secuestro Express).
Beautiful, talented, smart and always in motion. That’s Eva Mendes. Catch her if you can.
|