Eva Longoria's Real Name: Eva Jacqueline Longoria

Quick answer: Eva Longoria was born Eva Jacqueline Longoria on March 15, 1975, in Corpus Christi, Texas. She became famous as Gabrielle Solis on ABC's Desperate Housewives (2004–12). She has since worked as a producer, director, and philanthropist (Library of Congress; Biography.com).

Real name and early life

The Library of Congress name authority files her as "Longoria, Eva, 1975-." Its citation reads "Eva Jacqueline Longoria, b. Mar. 15, 1975 in Corpus Christi, Tex.; actress." The record also has a cross-reference for "Parker, Eva Longoria," the name on a book she published while she was married to basketball player Tony Parker.

Biography.com says she was the youngest of four sisters and grew up on a ranch in Corpus Christi. She earned a bachelor of science in kinesiology at Texas A&M University–Kingsville while acting in college plays; the Texas Cultural Trust confirms the degree. In March 1998 she won the Miss Corpus Christi pageant. The prize included a spot in a Los Angeles talent competition, which she won, and she stayed in California to act.

Career highlights

Longoria's first TV jobs were small parts on Beverly Hills, 90210 and General Hospital in 2000. From 2001 to 2003 she played Isabella on the CBS soap The Young and the Restless. Biography.com says the role won her an ALMA Award in 2002.

In 2004 she was cast as Gabrielle Solis, the scheming former model on Desperate Housewives. The show was an immediate hit. Biography.com reports that the cast won Screen Actors Guild ensemble awards, and the Texas Cultural Trust notes her Golden Globe nomination. By the show's final season in 2012, Biography.com says she was earning nearly $400,000 an episode. Film roles during this period included Harsh Times, The Sentinel, and The Heartbreak Kid.

Behind the camera, the Texas Cultural Trust credits her as an executive producer of Lifetime's Devious Maids. She also founded Eva's Heroes, a charity for young people with developmental disabilities, and the Eva Longoria Foundation, which supports Latinas through education and entrepreneurship. The Hollywood Reporter named her Philanthropist of the Year in 2009. Biography.com notes that she also served as national spokesperson for Padres Contra el Cáncer.

Name notes for searchers

She has always worked as Eva Longoria; Jacqueline is her middle name. Library records keep "Eva Longoria Parker" because she used that name during her marriage to Tony Parker. Wikipedia currently styles her "Eva Longoria Bastón," reflecting her marriage to José Bastón. All of these refer to the same person.