Eva Mendes says she and Ryan Gosling had a "non-verbal agreement" that she would be a stay-at-home mom.

Eva Mendes spoke on the Today show about how she came to the decision to give up a successful career for the sake of her family: the actress has not appeared on screen for many years, as she devotes her time to her husband Ryan Gosling and their two daughters, nine-year-old Esmeralda and seven-year-old Amada.

"It was almost a nonverbal agreement: 'OK, he'll work and I'll work, I'll just work here,'" Mendez, 50, said.

She said it was "easy" for her to put her Hollywood ambitions on hold so she could spend more time with her children. "I'm so lucky to be able to spend this time with my kids."

At the same time, she notes that she continues to work, although she has stopped acting in films. “I was still working, I just didn’t act in films, because filming takes you to other locations, takes you away.”

The network often discusses the long absence of the actress from screens and red carpets, which many consider strange: some think that Gosling forbids his wife to work because he prefers her to stay at home. Others speak out in defense of Eva, noting that she herself chose the role of a mother and housewife and this is her personal matter.

Eva also expressed admiration for her husband’s professionalism, noting that she thought about this while working on the film “The Place Beyond the Pines,” where they starred together. "I've never experienced anything like this. The way he works, his dedication to his craft, the way he wants to do everything the best... That means his co-stars have to be the best they can be. But unfortunately — or luckily — there’s only one Ryan,” she said.

She commented on her husband's performance at the Oscars, where he sang Ken's song from the movie "Barbie." "He went out and did his job. He's just really good at his job and did it and came home," she said. During the performance itself, Eva published a humorous post on social networks in which she urged Gosling to return home after the performance and put the children to bed.

However, she did not pose with him on the red carpet, and stated in the comments that they did not want to make their personal life public. The last time they appeared in public together was 12 years ago, when they presented their joint film “The Place Beyond the Pines.”

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