Eva Mendes says she “shouldn’t have even been around a child” in her 20s

The star, married to Ryan Gosling, opened up her journey with motherhood.

Actor Eva Mendes has spoken about her journey embracing motherhood later in life and prioritizing her daughters over acting.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the 50-year-old actress candidly discussed her decision to wait until her 40s to have children.

“In my 20s, I shouldn't have even been around a child,” she laughingly admits to PEOPLE. “I was just foul-mouthed and smoking. I could not have raised kids in any other era of my life but now, for sure.”

The “Ghost Rider” star shares two daughters, Esmeralda Amada, 9, and Amada Lee, 8, with her longtime partner, Ryan Gosling. 

Mendes also spoke about fully immersing herself in motherhood later in life, describing her decision to step back from acting as the “easiest decision [she has] ever made.”

"I was older and I knew that my kids are going to be little once, and whatever I do or don't do right now is going to affect them the rest of their life,” she said.

Since becoming a mom, Mendes emphasizes the profound impact her daughters have had on her. “It all matters when you have two little people watching you all day long,” she reflects.

Balancing her personal and professional life, Mendes has been careful regarding her family's privacy. “I have always had a clear boundary when it comes to my man and my kids,” she shared on Instagram in 2020 in a now deleted post.