Early life
Mendes was born in Miami, Florida (although many sources incorrectly state her birthplace is Houston, Texas) to "lower-middle-class" Cuban parents and was raised in Los Angeles by her mother after her parents' divorce; Mendes has said that her mother "suffered so much to make my life OK" during her early years. Her father is a car salesman and her mother, Eva, is an elementary school principal. As a child, Mendes was teased about her "buck teeth." She went to Hoover High School in Glendale, California and later attended California State University, Northridge but dropped out to seek an acting career. She studied with Ivana Chubbuck. Mendes has a sister, Janet, who currently lives in Los Angeles.
Career
Mendes worked her way up through commercials to music videos (including an appearance in Will Smith's video "Miami") to guest roles in television soap operas and supporting film roles. She received her first big-screen break when she appeared in the award-winning and critically-acclaimed Training Day. That performance led to roles in Stuck on You, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and as the female lead in the comedy Hitch opposite Will Smith. Her role in Once Upon a Time in Mexico also gave her a nomination at the Teen Choice Awards. She has two major movie projects pending, including Ghost Rider, in which she costars along with Nicolas Cage.
Mendes is a spokesmodel for Revlon. She has also worked in interior design and has written children's books. Maxim ranked her #27 in their 2006 Hot 100 issue.
Personal life
Mendes has been in a long-term relationship with filmmaker George Gargurevich. She lives in the Hollywood Hills. When not on the set she loves music, hiking, biking, skiing, mountain climbing and interior design. Her favorite movies are The Shining (1980) and Blowup (1966).
