Eva Longoria, Platinum Honorary Award winner, warns of the decline in Latino talent in the U.S.: "There are fewer and fewer Latinos in Hollywood."

Actress Eva Longoria , who will receive the Platinum Honor Award this Sunday at the 12th annual awards ceremony, has warned that Latin talent in the United States "is declining every year," which is why she decided to produce and direct productions. "I didn't want to wait for opportunities. The situation isn't improving and it's actually declining every year. There are fewer Latinos, both in front of and behind the cameras. I'm trying to highlight Latin talent and women," she said at a press conference held at the UMusic Hotel Madrid.

The actress pointed out that Latinos face the American film industry without experience, but criticized the fact that "if opportunities aren't given, you can't gain experience." She also recalled that she has suffered firsthand "from not being Latina or American." "For some roles where I auditioned as an American, they told me I was too Latina. However, when I auditioned for a role as a Latina, they told me I wasn't Latina enough. I felt like I was neither from here nor from there," she recalled.

In this regard, he added that the global film industry is changing thanks to streaming . " There's a hunger to see different things . That's why we have to support each other," he said.

On the other hand, she lamented that women receive less money than men for their work, despite the fact that she and her co-stars on the series Desperate Housewives did not experience this problem. "I want to change the laws and society to elevate women. I don't know how to fix it, but I'm working on it because for centuries and centuries there has been no equality, both economically and in terms of rights," she claimed.

Asked about the balance between femininity and feminism, Longoria believes that being feminine shouldn't be separated from being a feminist and emphasized that "all women need opportunities in the industry, including trans women." "It's important to straddle both spaces at the same time (femininity and feminism). It's who we are. It's just like me being American and Latina at the same time," she stated.

For his part, the president of the Audiovisual Producers' Rights Management Entity (EGEDA) , Enrique Cerezo , praised Eva Longoria for being a "great ambassador for Latin America" ​​and noted that she is an "indispensable" professional. " Eva Longoria has known how to tackle the creation and promotion of major film and television projects through her entertainment production company. She is an example of the determination to enhance the seventh art," he asserted.

In previous editions, this award has recognized actors and actresses such as Benicio del Toro , José Sacristán , Carmen Maura , Antonio Banderas , Adriana Barraza and Cecilia Roth , among others.

From television to film, also as a director and producer

Eva Longoria began her career as a guest actress on the television dramas Beverly Hills, 90210 and General Hospital in 2000. She also appeared on the cast of The Young and the Restless , where she played the role of Isabella Braña Williams from 2001 to 2003.

In 2004, she cemented her position as an actress and became an internationally known celebrity when she portrayed the character of Gabrielle Solis in the popular comedy series Desperate Housewives . Starring a cast that included Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman and Marcia Cross, the series ran for eight seasons with high ratings and showcased Eva Longoria 's outstanding acting talent, earning her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Leading Actress in a TV Series in 2006.

She has also worked on series such as Empire , Devious Maids , Brooklyn Nine-Nine , BoJack Horseman and Jane the Virgin. Outside of acting, Eva Longoria has moved into producing with Unbelievable Entertainment , which is involved in the production of a number of projects, including the series Grand Hotel , starring Academy Award nominee Demian Bichir and Roselyn Sanchez.

In 2023, Eva Longoria made her directorial debut with Flamin' Hot , a biopic about Richard Montañez, the janitor who claims to have invented Flamin' Hot Cheetos, which became Searchlight Pictures' most-watched streaming release ever and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for The Fire Inside , written by Diane Warren and performed by Becky G.

The film was screened at the White House alongside President Joe Biden, becoming the first film presented there focusing on Latinx characters. In March 2023, the docuseries Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico premiered, following the actress on her journey exploring the cuisine of the Latin American country. Similarly, in May 2024, it was announced that CNN would revive the series with Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain , which will premiere soon.

Recently, the actress has appeared on the big screen with the film Tierra de mujeres for Apple TV+, which she executive produced and starred in alongside Carmen Maura, and she will next star in the productions Alexander and the Terrible , Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and The Pickup .