Ryan Gosling’s recent hosting stint on Saturday Night Live was filled with laughter, but it ended with a heartfelt moment of love. The 43-year-old actor concluded the show by giving a special shout-out to Eva Mendes and their daughters, Esmeralda and Amada. After expressing gratitude to the cast, crew, and Emily Blunt for their participation in the April 13 episode, Ryan exclaimed, “Eva, Esmeralda, Amada, I love you!”
During one of the sketches that evening, Eva’s name also came up. While playing a role with Marcello Hernandez and Kenan Thompson, who imitated a Cuban accent, Marcello’s character teased about “a lot of celebrities” being present at a club, including Eva. This elicited a surprised expression from Ryan. Furthermore, Ryan’s character joked about how having a “Cuban wife” can lead to changes in a man.
Although Eva, aged 50, hails from Miami, she was raised by Cuban parents. She playfully responded to Ryan’s comedic skit by sharing a video on Instagram captioned, “Oye! Back in L.A. with my ‘Cuban Papi.'”
Ryan usually maintains privacy regarding his relationship with Eva in public remarks and appearances. The couple hasn’t attended a red carpet event together since their 2012 film, The Place Beyond the Pines, where they first met in 2011.
Nevertheless, Eva openly expresses admiration for Ryan on her Instagram account. She fondly reminisced about their meeting and Ryan’s dedication to his work during an interview with TODAY last month.
“I have never seen anything like it. His dedication to his craft, his desire to make everything the best it can be, including his co-stars,” Eva remarked.
She also shared her decision to focus on motherhood and step back from auditioning for new film roles after becoming a mother to their daughters, highlighting the mutual understanding between her and Ryan about their respective careers.