From her soapy start as a mentally unstable wife on
The Young and the Restless to the sudsy prime-time series that skyrocketed her to fame, this
Desperate Housewives actress knows how to play camp and glam to the hilt. Known for her sexy style and persona both on camera and off, Longoria Parker has been the face of L'Oreal Paris, graced magazine covers and was named
Maxim magazine's hottest female star of 2005 and 2006. Her high-profile relationship with basketball star Tony Parker resulted in a lavish 2007 wedding in his home country of France. But her business and charitable interests quiet those who see her as simply a Latina bombshell. She opened Beso, a Latin-fusion steakhouse, in 2008 with chef Todd English, and she serves as spokesperson for PADRES, an organization aiding Latino children with cancer. Also, in 2006---inspired by her sister Elizabeth, who was born with Down syndrome---she helped create Eva's Heroes, a foundation offering enrichment opportunities for developmentally challenged youth.
Eva Longoria Parker Fast Facts:
- Appeared in stage productions while attending Texas A&M University, Kingsville.
- Named Miss Corpus Christi USA in 1998.
- Was signed by an agent after entering a talent contest that brought her to Los Angeles after college.
- Won ALMA Awards in 2002 (for the role of Isabella Brana Williams in The Young and the Restless) and 2006 (for Person of the Year).
- Made her professional theatrical debut in 2003 in What the Rabbi Saw.
- Coproduces and has appeared in Hot Tamales Live, a sketch-comedy show in L.A.
- Told NBC's Stone Phillips in a 2005 interview, "I grew up as the ugly duckling. They used to call me 'la prieta fay,' which means 'the ugly dark one.'"
- Eva Longoria Parker Relationships:
- Elizabeth - Sister
- Ella Longoria - Mother
- Emily - Sister
- Enrique Longoria - Father
- Esmeralda - Sister
- Tony Parker - Husband
- Tyler Christopher - Ex-husband
- Eva Longoria Parker Awards:
- 2007 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Female TV Star - Winner
- 2006 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
- College:
- Texas A&M University, Kingsville, TX (BS in Kinesiology, 1997)
