Celebrity Interviews

Zimbio Interview: Eva Mendes

Pacific Coast News

Being beautiful is no joke. We’re deeply offended by The Other Guys making fun of how hot Eva Mendes is. Nah, just kidding. The Will Ferrell/Mark Wahlberg comedy is funny. They play desk cops who have to step up and be action heroes for once. Mendes plays Ferrell’s wife, and he acts like she’s a dog while Wahlberg goes ga-ga for her. Mendes can joke around with the guys too, so this is way more fun than talking about her serious dramatic work.

Zimbio: The joke in this movie is that Will Ferrell doesn’t realize how hot you are. Do you find it amusing how hot guys actually think you are?

Eva Mendes: Wow, help me. I don't know how to answer this. I'm going to sound like an a**hole for saying this, but the truth is: The fame walks in the door before you do. So you no longer know how men really react to you. They just react to: "Dude there's that famous girl from Training Day in the other room." I just don't feel like I get that genuine of a response anymore.

Zimbio: Do you really think they wouldn’t be into you if you weren’t in movies?
 Eva Mendes: Okay, I'm going to tell you a little story. I did this movie a few years ago with Will Smith called Hitch and we went around the world promoting the film. He calls me "Reba" so one day we were in Rio doing press and he came back and we had a coffee. He goes, “I thought Reba was it. I thought she's the best. She's a beautiful girl. This is Reba. Well I just went down to the coffee shop and I saw about five Reba's that worked there.” He said: "In Brazil you're not a big deal." Puts it all in perspective.  

Zimbio: So, which of your male co-stars do you find sexy?
Eva Mendes: I think it’s is very unprofessional to objectify these men like this. I don't know. The truth is that these guys are really funny. I can't do it. I'm so sorry. I have to talk to these guys later on. I can't really expose what I find sexy about them.

Eva+Mendes in Sony Pictures Entertainment:

Zimbio: How did you get in shape for the role of the hot wife?  
Eva Mendes: Physically? I just did the usual. I went old school. I pulled out the old Jane Fonda workout. No, I hate working out but I have to do it. So I go to the gym and do weights and run and do all that stupid sh*t I have to do to stay employed as an actress. I had a trainer who bumped the sh*t out of Will, but it's the usual stuff.   

Zimbio: Who’s trailer was the party trailer?   
Eva Mendes: I don't know. I think we talk a big game, but I think we’re actually pretty boring. I'd like to say one thing in all seriousness: I've never had as much fun working on a film. I've really never felt as encouraged as I was to just be funny and just try different things with everybody. I love these guys a lot.

  Zimbio: So it must have been totally professional to dress up like an old grandma and make out with Will Ferrell.
Eva Mendes: It was oddly arousing is all I’d like to say. Just interpret that as you wish.

Zimbio: Besides this one, what's your favorite cop film?
 

Eva Mendes: Thief. Thief. I’m going to go with Michael Mann’s Thief, absolutely. I'm going to take a beat and be serious about my movie and do a little self-promotion. I have to say, and I’ll probably sound like a total ass right now, but a film that Mark Wahlberg and I did called We Own the Night I thought was great. I love that movie and I thought Mark was amazing.

Zimbio: So you do those serious movies like Training Day and We Own the Night, then you do these ridiculous movies like The Other Guys. Would you rather be serious or funny?
 Eva Mendes: I think it’s really about who you work with for me. I feel like I’ve never had more fun than I have on this set and I’m not just saying that. Anchorman is my favorite. Adam McKay is like my Scorsese and that would make Anchorman, my what?

Zimbio: Taxi Driver or Raging Bull, I guess.

Eva+Mendes in 2010 MTV Movie Awards - Arrivals

Eva Mendes: Raging Bull? Okay. I’m going to go with that. So I definitely had so much fun here and I felt really just at home, but at the same time I mentioned We Own the Night earlier and I had a different kind of fun but equally as creatively stimulating. So it’s just about the people you work with I think for me anyway.

See more Eva Mendes pics here (click any picture):