<\/p>\n
Eva Longoria has opened up about life in Spain and why she left the US, and if she plans to ever return. Photo: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Actor Eva Longoria has opened up about how her life has changed since her family decided to quit the U.S. and relocate abroad \u2013 while revealing whether she has any plans to return to America for good.<\/p>\n
Longoria, 51, who was born and raised in Texas, announced in 2024 that she had \u201cescaped\u201d the U.S., where she had been living in Los Angeles, and was splitting her time between her homes in Spain and Mexico, along with her husband, Jos\u00e9 Bast\u00f3n, and their son, Santiago, 7.<\/p>\n
Now, the \u201cDesperate Housewives\u201d star has shared a glimpse into her favourite things about her life abroad \u2013 describing the ways in which the lifestyle in Spain helps her to stay stress free, particularly when it comes to the dining habits in the European country.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey really enjoy life in Spain. They love a long meal. You\u2019re never in a rush,\u201d she told People magazine. Comparing that ethos to customs in the U.S., Longoria went on to joke that one of the things she doesn\u2019t miss at all about her life in Los Angeles are the \u201cworking\u201d lunches that allowed her no time for any real enjoyment or relaxation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t miss the working lunch. It\u2019s so amazing how we really don\u2019t take lunch in our work culture,\u201d she shared. \u201cYou always do the working lunch: \u2018I\u2019m going to go grab a sandwich. I\u2019ll be right back.\u2019 You only have an hour. It\u2019s so stressful to think, \u2018I have to hurry up and be back.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Longoria also revealed that she has gotten used to not always being late because of traffic.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no traffic where we live. I walk everywhere,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not to say that Longoria doesn\u2019t miss anything about her life in the U.S.- namely her family, particularly her relatives in Texas.<\/p>\n
\u201cI miss my family, my Texas family \u2026 [and] good Mexican food. That\u2019s what I miss. That\u2019s what\u2019s not in Europe, is good Mexican food,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
MORE: Jen Hawkins\u2019 mansion sells as four-year construction continues<\/a><\/p>\n Eva Longoria attends the 51st AFI Lifetime Achievement Award: A Tribute Celebrating Eddie Murphy at Dolby Theatre on April 18, 2026. Photo: Getty Images<\/p>\n MORE: Rebel Wilson\u2019s booming property empire revealed<\/a><\/p>\n However, Longoria has had more opportunity to spend time with her family in recent months, during which she has been residing in the U.S. once again while working on her upcoming project, \u201cThe Fifth Wheel,\u201d which marks her second turn as a director.<\/p>\n Because of the duration of the project, the actor revealed that she actually made the decision to enrol her son in school in L.A., having previously homeschooled him when they were living in Spain.<\/p>\n The actor admitted that Santiago\u2019s love of his new daily school routine and his classmates has made her waver on their future plans, noting that the family \u201cmight\u201d head back to Spain, although she did concede that Santiago \u201clikes\u201d their life in Europe \u201cmore\u201d than he does the U.S.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a big family, and so a lot of his cousins are in Spain. They\u2019re mostly in Spain and Mexico. And so we like to be surrounded by family. I also think he\u2019s happiest when he\u2019s with family. So I think we take it day by day, year by year,\u201d the actor said.<\/p>\n In February, Longoria has opened the doors to her life abroad, giving fans a glimpse inside her Spanish property in CNN\u2019s new series \u201cEva Longoria: Searching for Spain.\u201d<\/p>\n The eight-part series followed the \u201cDesperate Housewives\u201d alum as she explored the birthplace of her ancestors, experiencing all the jaw-dropping views and mouth-watering meals Spain has to offer.<\/p>\n \u201cEleven generations ago, one of my ancestors left Spain for The New World and a new life. 400 years later, I\u2019m back to see how the land and its people have created one of the world\u2019s most exciting cuisines,\u201d she said in the trailer for the series, which premiered in April 2025.<\/p>\n The show debuted just five months after the actor opened up to Marie Claire about her decision to leave the U.S., describing the country as \u201cdystopian.\u201d<\/p>\n Zoe Saldana and Eva Longoria at an LA premiere back in 2022. Photo: Getty Images.<\/p>\n At the time of her move, Longoria conceded that she was very \u201cprivileged\u201d in her ability to move away from the country where she was born and raised, and where she launched her successful acting career.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m privileged. I get to escape and go somewhere. Most Americans aren\u2019t so lucky,\u201d she said. \u201cThey are going to be stuck in this dystopian country, and my anxiety and my sadness is for them.\u201d<\/p>\n Turning her attention to President Donald Trump, who had just claimed victory in the 2024 election, she said: \u201cIt was not shocking that he won, it\u2019s that a convicted criminal who spews so much hate could hold the highest office.\u201d<\/p>\n The actor noted that the conditions in her former home state of California were largely to blame for her decision to leave the U.S. before the election.<\/p>\n Actress Eva Longoria admitted she and her family have fled the \u201cdystopian\u201d US for Mexico and Spain. Photo: Instagram.<\/p>\n While insisting that she doesn\u2019t want to \u201cs\u2013 t\u201d on the region, she said she found certain aspects of it difficult to bear.<\/p>\n \u201cI had my whole adult life here. But even before [the COVID-19 pandemic], it was changing, the vibe was different. And then Covid happened, and it pushed it over the edge,\u201d she went on. \u201cWhether it\u2019s the homelessness or the taxes, not that I want to s\u2013 t on California \u2014 it just feels like this chapter in my life is done now.\u201d<\/p>\n Longoria\u2019s official exodus from the U.S. appears to have begun in earnest in 2023, when she put her sprawling Beverly Hills mansion on the market for $31.95 million (US$22.88 million) \u2013 later slashing the price to $26.51 million (US$18.98 million) in May 2024, before it was later delisted.<\/p>\n She and her husband paid $18.85 million (US$13.5 million) for the chic 1.4-acre property in 2017. They reportedly spent an untold amount on an exquisite renovation.<\/p>\n The 10,652-square-foot Spanish contemporary mansion was built in 1996 on a deep lot with a long, gated driveway. It\u2019s equipped with a state-of-the-art security system.<\/p>\n Longoria and Bast\u00f3n added many colourful touches when they remodelled. For starters, they livened up the exterior by planting trees and creeping vines and refreshed the front door with a vibrant red hue.<\/p>\n MORE: Aussie TV stars cashing in on secret deals<\/a><\/p>\n Inside Olsen twins\u2019 impressive property portfolio<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n