Eva Mendes has revealed that she hadn’t planned on having children until she met her now-husband, Ryan Gosling.
Speaking to Women’s Health, the Hollywood actor explained how being a mother was “the furthest thing from my mind”.
As for what happened next? “Ryan Gosling happened,” Mendes told the publication.
“I mean, falling in love with him,” she clarified. “Then it made sense for me to have… not kids, but his kids. It was very specific to him.”
Mendes now has two children with Gosling, Esmeralda, four, and Amada, two.
1/16 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
A two-year-old Prince Harry holds the hand of his mother, Princess Diana, at Aberdeen Airport. (1986)
Photo by Carraro/REX
2/16 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
Aged two years old, Prince William is photographed outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital, London, following the birth of his younger brother Prince Harry. (1984)
Photo by Mauro Carraro/REX
3/16 Prince George
Prince George arrives for his first day of school at Thomas’s London Day School in Battersea. (2017)
AFP/Getty Images
4/16 Princess Charlotte
Princess Charlotte waves on the steps of St George’s Chapel, Windsor, as she arrives at the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank. (2018)
Photo by Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images
5/16 Prince Louis
A newborn Prince Louis is pictured outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital, London. (23 April 2018)
Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images
6/16 Queen Elizabeth II
A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, aged three or four years old. (circa 1929-1930)
Photo by Universal History Archive/REX
7/16 Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth II
Princess Margaret is pictured alongside her elder sister Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II. Princess Elizabeth carries a purse embroidered with the letter “E” and a crown. (circa 1933)
Photo by Richard Gardner/REX
8/16 Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip is pictured in Corfu, Greece, at the age of 14 months. (1922)
Photo by REX
9/16 Prince Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles waves after his parents Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh as they drive a procession of welcome following their return from Canada (1951)
AFP/Getty Images
10/16 Prince Andrew, Duke of York
A six-year-old Prince Andrew looks out from a window at Buckingham Palace. (1966)
Photo by McCabe/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
11/16 Princess Anne, Princess Royal
An official portrait is taken of Princess Anne, a day before her fourth birthday. (1954)
STF/AFP/Getty Images
12/16 Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
A four-year-old Prince Edward turns in his seat as he attends the annual Royal Windsor Horse Show. (1968)
Photo by P. Felix/Daily Express/Getty Images
13/16 Princess Beatrice
A two-year-old Princess Beatrice sits underneath a presentation table at the Royal Berkshire Polo Club, holding a fluffy toy. (1991)
Bill Cross/Daily Mail/REX
14/16 Princess Eugenie
A young Princess Eugenie holds her mother, the Duchess of York’s hand as she leaves Upton House School Windsor on her elder sister’s first day of school. (1991)
Photo by Mike Forster/ANL/REX
15/16 Camilla Parker Bowles, Duchess of Cornwall
A four-year-old Camilla Parker Bowles, later the Duchess of Cornwall, is pictured with her two-year-old sister Annabel. (1952)
Photo by Ann Cleaver/REX
16/16 Zara Phillips
Zara Phillips, daughter of Princess Anne, attends the Royal Windsor Horse Show aged two. Zara went on to become an equestrian and Olympian. (1983)
Photo by Paul Massey/Mail On Sunday/REX
1/16 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
A two-year-old Prince Harry holds the hand of his mother, Princess Diana, at Aberdeen Airport. (1986)
Photo by Carraro/REX
2/16 Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
Aged two years old, Prince William is photographed outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital, London, following the birth of his younger brother Prince Harry. (1984)
Photo by Mauro Carraro/REX
3/16 Prince George
Prince George arrives for his first day of school at Thomas’s London Day School in Battersea. (2017)
AFP/Getty Images
4/16 Princess Charlotte
Princess Charlotte waves on the steps of St George’s Chapel, Windsor, as she arrives at the wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank. (2018)
Photo by Steve Parsons – WPA Pool/Getty Images
5/16 Prince Louis
A newborn Prince Louis is pictured outside the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital, London. (23 April 2018)
Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images
6/16 Queen Elizabeth II
A portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess Elizabeth, aged three or four years old. (circa 1929-1930)
Photo by Universal History Archive/REX
7/16 Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth II
Princess Margaret is pictured alongside her elder sister Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II. Princess Elizabeth carries a purse embroidered with the letter “E” and a crown. (circa 1933)
Photo by Richard Gardner/REX
8/16 Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
Prince Philip is pictured in Corfu, Greece, at the age of 14 months. (1922)
Photo by REX
9/16 Prince Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles waves after his parents Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh as they drive a procession of welcome following their return from Canada (1951)
AFP/Getty Images
10/16 Prince Andrew, Duke of York
A six-year-old Prince Andrew looks out from a window at Buckingham Palace. (1966)
Photo by McCabe/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
11/16 Princess Anne, Princess Royal
An official portrait is taken of Princess Anne, a day before her fourth birthday. (1954)
STF/AFP/Getty Images
12/16 Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
A four-year-old Prince Edward turns in his seat as he attends the annual Royal Windsor Horse Show. (1968)
Photo by P. Felix/Daily Express/Getty Images
13/16 Princess Beatrice
A two-year-old Princess Beatrice sits underneath a presentation table at the Royal Berkshire Polo Club, holding a fluffy toy. (1991)
Bill Cross/Daily Mail/REX
14/16 Princess Eugenie
A young Princess Eugenie holds her mother, the Duchess of York’s hand as she leaves Upton House School Windsor on her elder sister’s first day of school. (1991)
Photo by Mike Forster/ANL/REX
15/16 Camilla Parker Bowles, Duchess of Cornwall
A four-year-old Camilla Parker Bowles, later the Duchess of Cornwall, is pictured with her two-year-old sister Annabel. (1952)
Photo by Ann Cleaver/REX
16/16 Zara Phillips
Zara Phillips, daughter of Princess Anne, attends the Royal Windsor Horse Show aged two. Zara went on to become an equestrian and Olympian. (1983)
Photo by Paul Massey/Mail On Sunday/REX
Mendes, 45, and Gosling, 38, met on the set of The Place Beyond the Pines in 2011, in which they both starred.
The couple are notoriously private, which Mendes says is down to wanting to protect her children.
“Not only are we in the industry, but the whole fame component is super scary when you try to raise your kids,” she explained.
Mendes went on to share some of her parenting tips, revealing that she’s careful not to let her daughters see her as a famous actor.
“They’ve never seen me get ready for something,” she said, “they’ve never seen me at work. Which is fine, for whoever wants to do it that way, but the way I keep it normal is by not letting them see me in these situations.
“I’m just Mom. And I’m more than happy to just be Mom.”
