Eva Longoria has been using her platform to call out inequalities in the entertainment industry for quite some time. But with the release of her feature directorial debut, the Flamin’ Hot filmmaker’s desire to see more inclusion and representation in Hollywood has only grown. In a recent interview, Longoria demystified a few assumptions some might have about the process of moviemaking and the current state of Hollywood.
“We’re like any other industry — there’s no gender parity, not even close,” Longoria told InStyle in a recent interview. “Not only are we not close, we’re going in the wrong direction. I think the illusion is that Hollywood is very progressive,” she said. Indeed, Longoria knows first hand the biases and prejudices that still have a stronghold on the entertainment industry.
But upon reading the script for Flamin’ Hot — the story of Mexican immigrant Richard Montañez, who came up with the idea for Flamin’ Hot Cheetos — Longoria knew, “‘I have to be the one to tell the story,'” she recalled thinking to the outlet. “I felt ownership about it. I felt like I was Richard Montañez. I’ve been told no a million times for many reasons. I’ve been told, ‘No, ideas don’t come from people like you,’ and, ‘No, you’re a woman, maybe you shouldn’t direct.'”
This isn’t the first time Longoria has called out the entertainment industry. The actress, producer, and now filmmaker has been incredibly transparent about the struggles she’s endured as her career has grown over the last few decades. But now, Longoria is breaking barriers so that future generations of filmmakers and producers won’t have to experience the same treatment she did, and will create a better, more inclusive Hollywood that reflects our world and the people in it.
Before you go, click here to see actresses who have stepped behind the camera to direct.
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