Everything Eva Longoria Has Done Since Desperate Housewives

ABC’s successful and long-running series Desperate Housewives turned star Eva Longoria into a household name – understandably leading to substantial interest in what she has done since. Although the show ended in 2012, Desperate Housewives‘ success proved to be an invaluable platform for everyone associated with the show. In Longoria’s case, this has led to a successful career in both the TV and movie industries, with an impressive resumé both in front of and behind the camera.

Partly as a result of her role as Gabrielle Solis, Longoria had a number of high-profile film and TV roles while Desperate Housewives was still on the air. These included leading parts in hit movies like Harsh Times, The Sentinel, and Over Her Dead Body, as well as small screen appearances on Saturday Night Live and in music videos for the likes of Jamie Foxx. In the years since, Longoria has diversified her output still further, acting as a producer and director as well as continuing her onscreen work. Here is everything that Eva Longoria has done since Desperate Housewives came to an end in 2012.

10 In a World…

Her first major post-Desperate Housewives cinematic release, 2013’s In a World… was a low-key indie comedy that proved very successful with critics. The meta nature of the movie saw Eva Longoria star as herself, alongside the likes of Cameron Diaz and Parks & Rec star Nick Offerman. In a hilarious performance, Longoria is seen undergoing voice training as an English mob boss’s wife, causing Lake Bell’s protagonist no small amount of stress.

9 Telenovela

Despite being relatively short-lived, Telenovela represents Longoria’s biggest TV role since Desperate Housewives ended. As Ana Sofia Calderon, Longoria plays the highly-strung lead on a fictional Spanish language soap opera, despite not speaking any Spanish herself. Although the premise had plenty of potential, Telenovela failed to live up to expectations and was canceled after one season in 2016.

8 Lowriders

After a number of more minor film roles, 2016’s Lowriders represented something of a return to the limelight for Longoria. Thanks to its detailed depiction of LA Latino culture, Lowriders was largely praised, despite enjoying mixed returns at the box office. In the movie, Longoria played the step-mother of protagonist Danny – a budding graffiti artist, played by The Purge TV show’s Gabriel Chavarria, struggling to come to terms with his heritage. Although the movie only made just over $6 million at the box office, many critics praised its aesthetic and authentic feel.

7 Overboard

A remake of the 1987 original, 2018 Ana Faris vehicle Overboard was a box office success, despite being generally panned by critics. The film follows a bizarre amnesia plot, in which Ana Faris’ Kate pretends to be the wife of a wealthy yacht-owning playboy after he falls off his boat and wakes up on a beach unable to remember who he is. In her role as Theresa, Eva Longoria encourages Kate to go along with the ruse, kick-starting the outlandish comedy that continues throughout the film’s runtime. Despite poor reviews, Overboard made an impressive $91.2 million at the box office, against a $12 million budget.

6 Dog Days

2018’s Dog Days features an ensemble cast whose stories intersect as a result of their shard relationship with dogs. Alongside Longoria, who appears as a woman who’s about to adopt a daughter, the movie includes the likes of Bad Boys For Life‘s Vanessa Hudgens, Michael Cassidy, and Finn Wolfhard. Although the movie scored a respectable 62% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes it failed to make back its $10 million budget – making just $6 million at the box office.

5 Dora and the Lost City of Gold

A live-action adaptation of the beloved animation Dora the Explorer, Dora and the Lost City of Gold represents one of Eva Longoria’s most successful big screen outings to date. Not only did the movie earn over $120 million against a $45 million budget, but it also generated 85% positive reviews from critics, according to Rotten Tomatoes. Although Longoria’s Eva Marquez is only a supporting role, as Dora’s mother she is no less integral to the events of the movie.

4 Sylvie’s Love

Amazon’s 2020 romantic drama Sylvie’s Love may not have enjoyed a cinematic release, but that didn’t stop the film from becoming a success. Not only does Sylvie’s Love hold an impressive 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, but it was also nominated for and won several notable awards. Longoria’s role as Carmen – alongside Bridgerton‘s Regé-Jean Page – is somewhat limited, however she is responsible for reuniting the two central lovers as the movie draws to a close.

3 The Boss Baby Family Business

Following in the footsteps of the 2017 original, The Boss Baby Family Business is an all-star animated comedy. In addition to Longoria as Carol Templeton, the film stars the likes of Alec Baldwin, James Marsden, Amy Sedaris, Jeff Goldblum, and Lisa Kudrow. Although not as financially successful as the previous entry in the franchise, The Boss Baby Family Business‘ $146 million at the box office was enough for a second sequel to be greenlit – although its currently unclear whether Longoria herself will be involved.

2 Other Eva Longoria Roles Since Desperate Housewives

In addition to her headline releases, Eva Longoria has also had a number of minor movie and television roles since Desperate Housewives ended. The Texas-born performer has also featured in 2014’s Frontera, 2013’s Crazy Kind of Love, and 2022’s Unplugging, as well as numerous other cinematic projects. On the small screen, Longoria has appeared on shows such as The Simpsons, Mother Up!, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and BoJack Horseman, highlighting her credentials as both a screen and voice actor.

Interestingly, however, it is perhaps Longoria’s behind the camera career that has proven to be the most interesting and diverse. Not only has she served as a producer on the likes of John Wick, but she has also directed episodes of Jane the Virgin, and Black-ish. This goes to show how far she has expanded her skillset since her days on Wisteria Lane.

1 Upcoming Eva Longoria Projects

While rumors of a Desperate Housewives sequel persist, Eva Longoria continues to have a number of irons in the fire. For instance, she is set to make her feature directorial debut with Flamin’ Hot, a semi-historical movie about the Frito-Lay janitor Richard Montañez who claimed to have invented the titular Flamin’ Hot flavor of Cheetos. As a performer, she will also appear in the upcoming movie Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, set for a wideranging release in 2023. Although she may still be best-known for her work on Desperate Housewives, there’s no doubt that Eva Longoria has plenty of other strings to her bow.