'''Eva Jacqueline Longoria''' (born March 15, 1975 in Corpus Christi, Texas) is a Golden Globe Award-nominated Mexican-American film and television actress. She is best known for her role as Gabrielle Solis in the ABC television series ''
Desperate Housewives''. She has also become an internationally recognised model, appearing in several high profile advertising campaigns and numerous men's magazines.
Biography
Early life
Longoria was born in Corpus Christi, Texas to Mexican-American Catholic parents Enrique Longoria Jr. and Ella Eva Mireles. The youngest of four daughters, she has three older sisters Elizabeth, Emily and Esmeralda. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. During this time she won the title of "Miss Corpus Christi, USA" in 1998. After completing college, she entered a talent contest which would lead her to Los Angeles, shortly after she was spotted and signed by a theatrical agent.
Career
Longoria landed her first television role in 2000, guest starring in an episode of ''Beverly Hills, 90210''. It was a humble beginning, but there would soon be more work. Another guest appearance in ''General Hospital'' the same year preceded her big break in popular American soap opera ''The Young and the Restless'', in which she played psychotic Isabella Braña Williams from 2001 to 2003 and was listed in People en Español's "Most Beautiful People" for 2003. After leaving ''The Young and the Restless'', she was seen on the now-canceled ''Dragnet''. Although it lasted only two seasons, the show gave Longoria another leading star credit to her name. Following ''Dragnet'', she starred in two ill-fated productions - ''
Señorita Justice'' - a poorly received direct-to-video film and a television film titled ''The Dead Will Tell''.
Longoria was about to land a role that would elevate her to the A-List. In 2004, she starred as adulteress Gabrielle Solis in the worldwide break-out ABC hit ''
Desperate Housewives''. As the show became an overnight sensation, Longoria's career was well and truly launched. She caused a stir at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards in Miami when she appeared in a one-piece bathing suit to introduce Mariah Carey's performance, and joked that she "wasn’t going to let a little hurricane keep me from wearing a bathing suit." She also became the face of L'Oreal internationally and signed a rumoured 6-figure deal to appear in the company's print and television ads. Despite her success, she was snubbed at the 2005 Emmy Awards when she was the only female member of the ''
Desperate Housewives'' main cast not be nominated. She satirized ''Housewives'' internal drama when she appeared on the ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'', being interviewed from her supposedly-relegated-to
