Eva Longoria Parker

Infobox actor

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caption = Longoria at the NBA All-Star Weekend, 2006
birthname = Eva Jacqueline Longoria [ [http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/eva-longoria/189931 Biography for Eva Longoria] , "TVGuide.com"]
birthdate = birth date and age|1975|3|15
birthplace = Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S.
othername = Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria-Parker
academyawards =
emmyawards =
tonyawards =
screenactorsguildawards = Best Ensemble - Comedy Series
2004, 2005 "Desperate Housewives"
homepage =
spouse = Tyler Christopher (2002-2004)
Tony Parker (2007-present)
sagawards = Outstanding Ensemble - Comedy Series
2004 "Desperate Housewives"
2005 "Desperate Housewives"

Eva Jacqueline Longoria Parker (born March 15, 1975) is a Golden Globe Award-nominated American film and television actress. She rose to fame by playing Isabella Braña Williams on the CBS soap opera "The Young and the Restless". She now 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. [ [http://www.fhm.com/100sexiest/EvaLongoria Eva Longoria | 100 Sexiest 2008 | FHM.com ] ] Longoria is also known for her high profile relationship with NBA guard Tony Parker, whom she married in 2007.

Biography

Early life

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 is the youngest of four daughters.cite web|url=http://www.darkhorizons.com/news06/longoria.php|title=Exclusive Interview: Eva Longoria for "The Sentinel"|last=Fischer|first=Paul |date=2006-04-11|publisher=darkhorizons.com|accessdate=2008-06-13] 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. Longoria 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.'" [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19569591/?pg=2#dtl_stone Photo Gallery: Stone Phillips Celebrity Interviews] , "MSNBC.com"]

Longoria originally wanted to be a fashion model and sent in photos to a modelling agency but was declined because of her height. Longoria attended Marvin P. Baker Middle School and later Roy Miller High School, receiving her Bachelor of 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.

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." [cite news|first=Jessica|last=Hundley|title="4 Eva"|date=September 2006|publisher=Maxim Magazine Online|url=http://www.maximonline.com/articles/index.aspx?a_id=7282&src=GM7070:MD|accessdate = 2007-01-23| ]

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 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. In her most recently released film, "Harsh Times", she plays the character Sylvia and co-stars with actors Freddy Rodriguez and Christian Bale.

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. [ [http://www.maximonline.com/Girls/Evalongoria/slideshow/1133/47.aspx?src=GM7070:MD #9 Eva Longoria in the Hot 100 of 2007] "Maxim Magazine, 2007"] In honor of "Maxim's" 100th issue in 2006, Longoria was featured on a 75-by-110-foot vinyl mesh replica of its January 2005 cover located in the Las Vegas, Nevada desert. [cite news|url=http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2006-04-05-longoria-maxim_x.htm|title=Longoria: Plus-sized cover girl|last=Keck|first=William |date=2006-04-05|publisher="USA Today"|accessdate=2008-06-13]

Endorsements

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. [ [http://www.enjoyfashion.com/fashion/fashion-news/actress-eva-longoria-to-be-a-new-face-of-bebe-sport-20070105-32.html Actress Eva Longoria to be a new face of Bebe Sport] EnjoyFashion, January 15 2007]

She also has started a contract with Magnum Ice-Cream [cite web|url=http://www.mad.co.uk/BreakingNews/BreakingNews/Articles/20cd42cdcf5d4a1a8b4a30105ca88c35/Unilever-sales-to-exceed-expectations.html|title=Unilever sales to exceed expectations|last=Varley |first=Melinda |date=2008-05-08|publisher=mad.co.uk|accessdate=2008-06-13] and with L'Oréal. [cite web|url=http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/2005/4/5/loreal_paris_signs_eva_longoria_as.htm|title=L'Oreal Paris Signs Eva Longoria as New Spokesperson|publisher=hispanicbusiness.com|accessdate=2008-06-13]

Personal life

Longoria was married to "General Hospital" star Tyler Christopher from 2002 to 2004. [cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/eva_longoria/biography|title=Eva Longoria Biography|publisher=people.com|accessdate=2008-06-13]

On November 30, 2006, she became engaged to Spurs point guard Tony Parker. [cite news|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,26334,1564335,00.html|title=Eva Longoria & Tony Parker Engaged|last=Alexander|first=Bryan|date=2006-11-30|publisher=people.com|accessdate=2008-06-13] The couple were officially married on July 7, 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. [ [http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2007-07-07-longoria-wedding_N.htm Eva Longoria, Tony Parker Make It Official, Again] , "USA Today", July 7, 2007] Their marriage had its first ordeal when the French model Alexandra Paressant claimed to have had an affair with Parker. [cite web|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/model_says_she_had_an_affair_with_eva_longorias_husband_tony_parker?page=3|author=Mark Cina|date=2007-12-07|publisher=US Magazine|accessdate=2008-10-05|title=Model Says She Had Affair With Eva Longoria's Husband Tony Parker ]

In 2008, Longoria opened a restaurant in Los Angeles called Beso, which translates to "kiss" in Spanish. [cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/theguide/restaurants/la-gd-rest10apr10,1,3748491.story?track=rss|title=Eva Longoria's Beso of originality|last=Virbila|first=S. Irene |date=2008-04-10|publisher="LA Times"|accessdate=2008-06-13]

Longoria owns a house in Los Angeles' Hollywood Dell neighborhood that she purchased in 2006 for $3.6 million. [http://www.bergproperties.com/blog/actress-michelle-forbes-lists-her-house-in-los-angeles%e2%80%99-hollywood-hills-for-115m/]

Charity work

In 2006, Longoria founded Eva's Heroes, a charity which helps developmentally disabled children. [cite web|url=http://www.saafdn.org/page10002578.cfm|title=Eva's Heroes|publisher=saafdn.org|accessdate=2008-06-13] She is the national spokesperson for PADRES Contra El Cancer. [cite web|url=http://www.iamhope.org/press/releases/060809gala.php|title=PADRES Contra el Cáncer National Spokesperson Eva Longoria Hosts the Tampico Beverages El Sueño de Esperanza Gala on the "Desperate Housewives" Wisteria Lane Set|date=2006-09-06|accessdate=2008-06-13] She signed shoes for the Spirit of Women Red Shoe Celebrity Auction. Longoria also supports the Clothes Off Our Back Foundation, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the National Stroke Association, Project HOME and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. [cite web|url=http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/64-eva-longoria|title=Eva Longoria's Charity Work|publisher=looktothestars.org]

Filmography

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZj2AtgAf_Y Eva Longoria Parker] Interview
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* [http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/5216488a3b Eva Longoria Parker 2007 short film] on "Funny Or Die"

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