Eva Mendes was born in Houston and raised in Los Angeles of Cuban-American heritage. In college she began acting, studying under acting coach Ivana Chubbuck. Though taking many smaller roles in movies, she was little known until playing the girlfriend of 's character in "Training Day." After that role, she has been featured more in more in a wide range of acting from comedic to dramatic. These new roles gave her the ability to work with many directors such as Robert Rodriguez (Once Upon a Time in Mexico), Carl Franklin (Out of Time), John Singleton (2 Fast 2 Furious), Antoine Fuqua (Training Day), and the Farrelly Bros. (Stuck on You), helping to give her a reputation as a serious actress ...