Successful actress, screenwriter and director, wife and mother, committed woman: everything seems to smile on Eva Longoria. At 49, she is the new ambassador of the jewelry house APM Monaco. While in Paris at the beginning of April, she agreed to talk to us about her failures and her successes, her vision of life, and her childhood within a “family of women”.
Madame Figaro.
– You are an accomplished businesswoman, a talented actress, a producer, a screenwriter, a wife and a mother… Everything you do is a success! Do you ever fail? Eva Longoria. –
Failure is part of life. If you look at mine and think, “Oh my God, she never misses anything,” think again! I fail all the time. I have failed in the past and I have learned from it. Because, you know what: we learn much more from our failures than from our successes. On closer inspection, we ultimately don't learn much from his successes. On the other hand, failing allows us to correct or readjust our trajectory. So I think it's important to make a few missteps along the way.
You always seem positive and you are engaged in multiple fights such as the emancipation of women, the representation of minorities, etc. What is your main source of motivation?
I'm an optimistic person in general, so I approach life with a lot of positivity, assuming that everything will turn out well. I have faith in life, in human beings and I always see the glass half full. I also draw a lot of strength and energy from my bond with my sisters. I love being surrounded by these women and by my friends. We have created a true sisterhood that allows us to lean on each other. It's important to have people around you with whom you can discuss, from whom you can learn, who call us to witness and who are also witnesses to your own life.
How do you choose the women around you?
I don't choose the women in my life, they choose me! They have in common the fact of having taken part in my journey for a very specific reason. I learn a lot from them and I thank them for it. I love amazing, intelligent, independent women. I collect them! Being in daily contact with so many extraordinary women shapes me.
Who are the women who influence you the most?
Without hesitation, my mother and my sisters. They have a huge influence on the person I am. I come from a family of women and I was lucky, when I was very young, to have in front of me the woman I wanted to become. I had an example of that growing up. Many women do not have this opportunity; I was very lucky and I know it.
My childhood friends are also some of the most important women in my life. We are a group of five. We have known each other for thirty years, so since long before I became famous. They really know who I am and what I want.
Also read: Jenna Ortega: “I don’t want to influence the girls of my generation at all”
How did you imagine your life when you were younger?
I always imagined her as she is today. I always knew I would succeed. At that point, I had no idea what career path I was going to take, but I knew that whatever it was, I would be good at it. Dentist, lawyer, doctor, whatever, I was sure to excel because I know my work ethic and determination. I had the tools to achieve any of my goals. I really have this optimism and this self-confidence anchored in my body. The fact is that I eventually went into the film industry, but that's just one of many paths I could have taken.
When you look back on your journey, what are you most proud of?
I'm really proud to have made
Flamin' Hot
, my first feature film. I've been a director for twelve years and this is my first. It was truly a special project. It carries a very strong message and offers important representation to my community. To date, this is the highlight of my career. But, at the same time, I really feel like my greatest success is ahead of me. A lot of times people look at my life and say, “Oh my God, you've been on a great show!”, “Oh my God, you've done so much, how do you feel?” I respond that I feel like someone who still has so much to accomplish. This is just the beginning !