As Gabrielle Solis, Eva Longoria lavished herself with gifts thanks to her wealthy financier husband’s money.
But in real life, the Desperate Housewives favorite, 49, has been ‘quietly making savvy business moves’ as she plots her transition from actress to investor, having been inspired by her close girlfriends Victoria Beckham and Serena Williams.
The actress and philanthropist, who is already worth a reported $50 million, has invested in multiple projects in recent years, including Siete Foods, which was acquired by Pepsi Co for $1.2 billion last week.
It comes months after DailyMail.com revealed that Longoria and her husband José Bastón, 56 – entrepreneur and founder of indie studio Elefantec Global – had quit Los Angeles for Marbella, Spain, in a bid to escape Hollywood.
‘Eva has quietly been making some savvy business moves behind the scenes for a few years now,’ revealed a source close to the actress.
Eva Longoria has been ‘quietly making savvy business moves’ as she plots her transition from actress to investor, an insider told DailyMail.com
The actress and philanthropist, 49, has been inspired by her close girlfriend Victoria Beckham, 50, who transitioned from singer to fashion mogul, and now has a reported net worth of $70m
‘Her venture into the world of investing was really sparked by some of her close gal pals who urged her to think beyond Hollywood.
‘One of her biggest inspirations was her best friend, Victoria Beckham.’
The former Spice Girl-turned-fashion mogul launched her eponymous label in 2008 before extending into beauty in 2021, with the British star now worth an estimated $70 million.
‘Eva has watched Vic transition from a massive pop star to a fashion mogul who created a brand that she is also very involved in,’ the source continued. ‘Vic has also been able to do this while raising a family and she really values her advice and friendship. She showed Eva how to build a lasting empire.’
They said she also turned to Serena Williams, 43, who has topped up her eye-watering tennis fortune with her Wyn beauty line to take her net worth to an estimated $340 million.
‘Serena showed Eva how to live life as a successful businesswoman and entrepreneur,’ the insider continued. ‘Seeing Serena’s massive success off the tennis court in creating and developing her own empire by stepping outside the box and believing in herself with her own beauty brand has been so inspiring.’
In April, Longoria started financing the Mexican American tortilla-maker food brand Siete Foods – the fastest growing Hispanic food company in the United States – claiming she wanted to turn it into a ‘billion-dollar brand,’ a dream which came to fruition last week when Pepsi acquired it for $1.2 billion.
It came four years after she became one of the first investors to answer Natalie Portman’s call to back Angel City FC, which played its first game in the 2022 National Women’s Soccer League.
Longoria has invested in multiple projects in recent years, including Siete Foods, which was acquired by Pepsi Co for $1.2 billion last week
The news comes months after Longoria, her husband José Bastón, 56, and their five-year-old son Santiago (pictured) told DailyMail.com they were relocating to Spain from Los Angeles
She also previously bankrolled the first John Wick film, earning herself a producer credit on the 2013 production starring Keanu Reeves, which grossed an estimated $86 million globally and went on to become a highly successful franchise.
The move was through her production company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, now known as Hyphenate Media Group, which has provided funding for a slew of films, TV series and podcasts over the years.
Her decision to focus on investments comes as she sets up home in Spain, with the dream to make a permanent move to the European city.
‘I live more in Spain than I do [the US]… I would love to be there permanently,’ she told DailyMail.com back in June. ‘I’m a Spanish resident, so I can work and stay there.
Longoria – who married Bastón in 2016 – purchased a six-bedroom, seven-bathroom mega mansion in Marbella in early 2023, with the couple hiring architect and interior designer Nicolás Escanez to help renovate.
It came as they listed their Beverly Hills property for $18.9 million.
‘Serena showed Eva how to live life as a successful businesswoman and entrepreneur,’ an insider told DailyMail.com
Longoria, pictured with her son in Spain, has made a number of quiet investments over the last few years
‘Eva and José are leaving Los Angeles for good and have put their home up for sale again,’ a source told DailyMail.com at the time.
‘They want to raise their son in a place where he will be surrounded by nature and beauty and not be sucked into the whole Hollywood cycle.’
Longoria, who topped Forbes magazine’s list of the highest-paid TV actresses in 2011, is the latest celebrity to leave Los Angeles for Spain – a trend which is becoming increasingly popular.
Amber Heard quietly quit Hollywood for Madrid in 2022 as she wanted to raise her daughter ‘away from all the noise.’
The actress sold her home in Yucca Valley, California, for $1.1million.
Richard Gere revealed earlier this year that he has taken up permanent residency in the Spanish city to be closer to wife Alejandra Silva’s family.
Hilary Swank, Joe Rogan and Mark Wahlberg are also among a growing list of stars quitting California.
