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Eva Longoria Says Women “Getting Fewer Director Jobs Than Two Years Ago”

Caroline Frost
·2 min read

Eva Longoria has spoken out on the inequality of women’s roles behind the camera in Hollywood, claiming things are getting worse, not better.

The actress turned activist and director told the UK’s Times newspaper that Hollywood is not the “progressive entity” people believe.

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She said:

“We are getting less jobs as directors than two years ago. People look at Hollywood as a progressive entity and it’s not… I think we’re more aware, thanks to the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, about what’s appropriate in work environments.

“That’s been a game-changer for our industry as far as how we’re treated on sets or in writers’ rooms and meetings. Has it led to hiring more women? I don’t think so.”

Longoria, who came to fame as Gabrielle in the hit series Desperate Housewives, has directed her first feature film, Flamin’ Hot, telling the story of janitor turned executive Richard Montañez, who created Flamin’ Hot Cheetos in 1992 and turned the company brand around.

Longoria told The Times:

“I knew I was gonna have to work twice as hard and out-hustle everybody. And I’m OK with out-hustling anybody in the room. Then [I got it] and I was like, ‘Oh God, am I gonna have to do everything I just said I was gonna do?’

“People think I’m an actor turned director. But I am a director-producer turned actor. I’ve always been way more interested in behind the scenes, in how the sausage is made.”

Flaming’ Hot will be available to watch on Disney+ from June 9. Longoria already has more than a dozen TV series director credits under her belt and her company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment is teaming up with Paris-based Mediawan and Elefantec Global to co-produce a Spanish-speaking Americas version of the hit series Call My Agent! Longoria will also direct the first two episodes.

She added in the same interview that she’d be the first to sign up for a Desperate Housewives reunion, although she believes the changes of it happening are slim:

“I miss Gaby. I miss the girls. I miss Wisteria Lane. But I’ve talked to Marc Cherry [who created the show] quite a bit about it. His big thing is, ‘What would we say? We fully explored these characters.’”

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