A complete timeline of Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling's relationship

  • Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling began dating in 2011 when filming the movie "The Place Beyond the Pines."

  • They've maintained an extremely private relationship since and rarely make public appearances together.

  • They also share two daughters, Esmeralda and Amada.

Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling have been together for over a decade, but they've gone out of their way to keep their relationship far from the public eye.

The couple has only appeared on the red carpet together while promoting their movie "The Place Beyond the Pines" in 2012, and Instagram users still won't find a recent photo of the duo on Mendes' social media (Gosling doesn't have a public account).

Although the pair's romance has primarily flourished behind closed doors, they've proven that their relationship remains strong by issuing rare comments about their love for each other and their family.

Here's everything we know about Gosling and Mendes' romance — from being on-screen costars to becoming "helicopter parents" to two daughters.

Claudia Willen contributed to a previous version of this article.

September 2011: Gosling and Mendes hit it off while filming "The Place Beyond the Pines."

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Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes costarred in "The Place Beyond the Pines."Focus Features

The actors spent time together while filming the 2012 drama, in which they played former lovers that shared a son.

Mendes and Gosling also spent time together off-set and were spotted together showing PDA while on a date in Disneyland.

"They were very playful. Eva was skipping around like a little girl… She would lean into him and she held his arm the entire time," a source told Us Weekly.

Another source added, "There's always been this strong chemistry between them… this was just a matter of time."

January 2012: They appear together in Funny or Die's "Drunk History Christmas."

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Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling starred in the skit.Funny or Die

Mendes and Gosling wake up side-by-side in bed before Gosling proceeds to recite a poem in the video.

Jim Carrey also appears alongside the actors in the skit, playing Santa Claus.

May 2012: Mendes dodges questions about Gosling during an appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."

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Eva Mendes appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."The Ellen DeGeneres Show

When Ellen DeGeneres brought up Gosling during the show, Mendes couldn't stop giggling and averted eye contact with the host.

When she playfully pretended not to personally know "Gosling," DeGeneres asked if Mendes always calls him by his last name. The actor then put her head down in embarrassment and laughed, giving an early indication of how tight-lipped the duo would keep their relationship.

June 2012: Gosling brings Mendes to his mother's graduation ceremony.

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Ryan Gosling invited Eva Mendes to his mother's graduation.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images; Bryan Bedder/GettyImages

An onlooker snapped a photo of Mendes and Gosling sitting right next to each other at the Brock University graduation ceremony in St. Catharines, Ontario, where the actor was celebrating his mother's commencement.

September 2012: They walk the red carpet at the premiere of "The Place Beyond the Pines."

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Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes costarred in "The Place Beyond the Pines."Sonia Recchia/Getty Images

Mendes and Gosling made their red carpet debut together, along with the rest of the cast, at the Toronto International Film Festival's premiere of "The Place Beyond the Pines."

March 2013: They make another appearance to promote the movie.

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Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes promoted the film.James Devaney / Getty Images; James Devaney / Getty Images

This time, they walked the red carpet at the New York City premiere of "The Place Beyond the Pines."

September 2013: Mendes calls herself a "weirdo" when she talks about Gosling.

Eva Mendes
Eva Mendes addressed questions about her relationship with Ryan Gosling.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

When asked about Gosling during an interview with The Edit, Mendes was at a loss for words.

"I'm sorry. I'm shutting down," she said, adding, "I'm such a weirdo. I literally lose my ability to speak — and you were doing so well."

February 2014: Mendes laughs off pregnancy rumors.

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Eva Mendes denied reports that she was pregnant.The Ellen DeGeneres Show

When asked about pregnancy speculations during an episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," the actor brushed them off.

"It's so ridiculous," she said, adding, "It all started because I didn't want to go through the scanners at the airport. You know those X-ray scanners, which are really creepy? They basically see you naked, right? And not only that, but there's a radiation aspect to it, so I always opt out."

July 2014: Sources confirm that the couple is expecting their first child together.

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Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes have two daughters.Christopher Polk/Getty Images; Getty/Michael Loccisano

Multiple outlets reported that Gosling and Mendes were parents-to-be. However, neither Gosling nor Mendes directly addressed the news.

September 2014: Mendes gives birth to the couple's first daughter.

Eva Mendes
Eva Mendes has two daughters with Ryan Gosling.Getty Images / Alberto E. Rodriguez

Gosling and Mendes welcomed their first baby girl, multiple outlets confirmed. TMZ obtained the child's birth certificate and reported that her name was Esmeralda Amada.

During an interview with Violet Grey, Mendes explained the inspiration behind her daughter's name.

"We both love the Esmeralda character from the Victor Hugo novel 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' and just think it's a beautiful name. Her middle name is Amada, which was my grandmother's name. It means 'beloved' in Spanish," she said.

Mendes also discussed the couple's decision to keep her child's life as private as possible.

"Whether we like it or not, privacy is going to be very difficult for Esmeralda. I think it's unfair but that's our reality. So Ryan and I decided early on to give her as much privacy as we could. And my pregnancy was the first opportunity to give her that. It's such an intimate time for the mother, too," she said.

She continued, "I know that it seems all very innocuous when you're flipping through a tabloid at the doctor's office or see a photo of a pregnant lady online, but I find the media's 'bump watch' obsession to be both intrusive and stressful. So I made a decision to eject myself from it completely. I was like, 'Annnnd I'm out.'"

April 2015: Mendes stars in "Lost River," a film that Gosling directed and co-produced.

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Eva Mendes starred in "Lost River."Bold Films

Mendes played a cabaret dancer in the 2015 film "Lost River," which was Gosling's feature film directorial debut. It marked the first time that the couple worked together after "The Place Beyond the Pines."

During a 2019 interview with Oprah Magazine, Mendes reminisced on her experience working with her partner.

"The two times we've collaborated, him and I, have been the two best experiences in my career. There's such special work in 'The Place Beyond the Pines.' We had known each other for a while already, so to work together was really exciting," she said.

Mendes continued, "And being in the film 'Lost River' was nothing short of a magical experience. I would love to either act opposite him again or be directed by him at some point. I just love working with him. In a career of 20+ years, to have my two most incredible creative experiences be with him, of course, I'd want a third."

December 2015: Gosling speaks about his daughter before adding that there's "nothing else" for him except for Mendes.

Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling shares two daughters with Eva Mendes.Getty Images/ Astrid Stawiarz

"This will be our first Christmas where Esmeralda is sort of taking it all in, so that's exciting," the actor said during an interview with Hello!, adding, "She's obsessed with the Hanson Christmas album! No disrespect to Hanson, they're very talented kids, but I think I've heard that record enough. I'm sure it will be on a loop this Christmas as well."

Gosling also gushed about Mendes during the interview, saying that there's "nothing else" out there for him.

"I know that I'm with the person I'm supposed to be with," he said, continuing to say that the only criteria he seeks in a woman is "that she's Eva Mendes. There's nothing else I'm looking for."

April 2016: They welcome their second child.

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Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes have two kids.Vera Anderson / Getty Images; Alexander Tamargo / Getty Images

TMZ reported that Mendes gave birth to her second daughter in Santa Monica, California. The actors named their second daughter Amada Lee, whose first name is the same as their eldest daughter's middle name.

During an interview with Latina, Mendes opened up about the couple's tie to the name.

"My grandmother's name is Amada, and Esmeralda Amada is the name of our oldest," she said, adding, "We had a few names picked out for our new baby, and when she was born, we didn't feel like those names were her."

And while some people may be surprised that Gosling and Mendes reused the name, the Cuban actor said that it's not abnormal in her culture.

"In true Latin fashion, we reuse names all the time. I actually told Ryan, 'This is common in Latin culture, so it wouldn't be crazy.'" she said.

January 2017: Gosling wins a Golden Globe award and dedicates it to Mendes.

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Ryan Gosling starred in the movie "La La Land."NBC

Gosling won best actor in a musical or comedy at the 2017 Golden Globes for his performance in "La La Land." Although Mendes didn't accompany Gosling to the ceremony, he dedicated the award to her.

"I would like to try to thank one person properly and say while I was singing and dancing and playing piano and having one of the best experiences I've ever had on a film, my lady was raising our daughter, pregnant with our second, and trying to help her brother fight his battle with cancer," he said during his acceptance speech.

Gosling continued, "If she hadn't have taken all that on so that I could have this experience, it would surely be someone else up here other than me today. So sweetheart, thank you. To my daughters Amada and Esmeralda, I love you."

September 2017: They attend the SNL after-party after Gosling hosts the show.

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Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes stepped out together.Robert Kamau / Getty Images

After the actor hosted an episode of NBC's "Saturday Night Live," Mendes stepped out to join him for the after-party in New York City.

June 2018: Gosling says that Mendes diagnosed a minor head injury he got on set.

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Ryan Gosling appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live."Jimmy Kimmel Live

During an episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live," the actor spoke about filming the movie "First Man."

"They built this multi-axis trainer, which is something NASA designed just to help the astronauts prepare for the worst-case scenarios in space," he told Jimmy Kimmel, adding, "But it's this thing that kind of sends you a-- over teakettle. They would only do it for 20 minutes at a time or something, but in the movie, because we had to get a lot of shots, I was in it for, like, six to eight hours."

When he got home from shooting, Gosling said he was somewhat delirious.

"I was just hellbent on this idea that there were people in doughnut stores all around the world that were trying to charm their way into getting free doughnuts," he said, continuing, "She was so patient and listening. She was like, 'I think you might have brain damage. I think you should go to the hospital.'"

After being checked out, the actor said that he was diagnosed with a minor concussion.

September 2018: Mendes chats about her family with Gosling and says she's "obsessed" with their kids.

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Eva Mendes has been in a relationship with Ryan Gosling for years.Charley Gallay / Getty Images

"I'm just so obsessed with my kids that I don't want to leave them," Mendes told E! News, adding, "They're just still so little."

She also spoke about the importance of her family, admitting, "I don't feel like I have it balanced at all."

Mendes continued, "I kind of have been figuring it out as I'm going along and it's just important to have a support system. I have my family, I have Ryan's family and that's just like, invaluable to have family around supporting you."

April 2019: Mendes says that she didn't think about having children until she met Gosling.

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Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes have been together since 2011.Getty Images; Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images

Mendes said that motherhood was the "the furthest thing from my mind" before meeting Gosling during an interview with Women's Health.

"Ryan Gosling happened," she explained, adding, "I mean, falling in love with him. Then it made sense for me to have…not kids, but his kids. It was very specific to him."

May 2019: Mendes says that her daughters don't know that she and Gosling are famous.

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Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling have two daughters.Theo Wargo / Getty Images; Jeff Kravitz / Getty Images

"They are not aware. We are definitely just mom and dad to them, and we're trying to keep it that way as long as possible," she told Oprah Magazine, adding, "We are just mom and dad, so we are having fun just being that to them."

July 2019: Mendes and Gosling adopt a puppy together.

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Eva Mendes adopted a dog.Eva Mendes/Instagram

"Meet Lucho. The newest member of our family," Mendes wrote on Instagram, adding, "If you're looking for a fluffy family member, adoption is a great option."

Since adopting Lucho, Mendes has shared several photos of him on her Instagram.

October 2019: Mendes calls herself and Gosling "helicopter parents."

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Eva Mendes chatted about her and Gosling's parenting methods.The Kelly Clarkson Show

The actor chatted about life as a mother during an episode of "The Kelly Clarkson Show," emphasizing how difficult it's been raising children.

"People are so sweet — they really try to warn you, prep you, when you're pregnant, but nobody can prep you. Nobody. And nobody told me it was gonna really be a job. And a job that I needed an incredible amount of skill for, in different areas," she said.

Grateful that she and Gosling see eye-to-eye on parenting, Mendes continued to describe their methodology.

"We're very controlling. I think what the term is — we're always laughing at these terms — I think we would be 'bulldozing parents,'" she said, adding, "The stakes are really high so yeah, I'm a helicopter parent. And then I heard the bulldozing and I'm like, 'Oh, yeah, I'm probably a bulldozing parent too.'"

April 2020: Mendes explains why she doesn't post photos of her family on social media.

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Eva Mendes doesn't post photos of her family.Sergi Alexander / Getty Images

After the actor shared a photo of one of her favorite paintings, one of her followers asked her why she never shares pictures of her family on social media.

"I have always had a clear boundary when it comes to my man and my kids. I'll talk about them of course, with limits, but I won't post pictures of our daily life. And since my children are still so little and don't understand what posting their image really means, I don't have their consent. And I won't post their image until they're old enough to give me consent," she replied.

The "Hitch" actor also said that she and Gosling have decided to keep their relationship between them, and in turn, off of social media.

"As far as Ryan and I, it just works for us this way, To stay private," she wrote.

May 2020: Mendes defends Gosling's parenting methods.

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Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes have two children.Angela Weiss / Getty Images; Christopher Polk/Getty Images

The actor said she was a "Tired Mama" after staying up late preparing for her daughter's birthday in an Instagram post.

At the end of her message, she wrote, "Here's to all you tired mamas...sending extra love."

Some of her followers criticized her, however, for seemingly assuming that women were children's caretakers rather than men.

Responding to one follower's comment, she explained, "Sorry, but it's mostly women who follow me on this page."

"I like to connect to the women. It's just my nature. I'm a girl's girl. Has absolutely nothing to do with 'stereotyping.' Sending love to you, to all the tired papas and all the tired caregivers from this tired mama," she wrote.

In another comment, she said, "So when I say I'm a 'tired mama' and want to connect to other 'tired mamas' it's not about excluding the fathers or other caregivers that do so much. It's just me connecting to other women but in no way does it de-value what papas do. And why I don't talk about Ryan and all the wonderful things he does as a father is because I keep that part private."

She went on to address people's remarks about Gosling after they said she seemed like a "single mother."

"I don't want to involve him or how he parents because I don't feel comfortable crossing that boundary that I have set for myself. I feel it's best that I continue to disclose what I'm comfortable with but not involve him or my kids too much," she said.

She added: "It's not about being cagey or weird, it's just about staying private in a public space. Does that make sense? Hope so. Because this is my honest answer and I really do love connecting to you women."

October 4, 2020: Mendes says she would "rather be home" with Gosling than be "anywhere else in the world."

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Eva Mendes is an actor.Ernesto S. Ruscio / Getty Images

The actor shared a black-and-white photo of herself running on the beach on her Instagram.

"Went for a run on the beach this morning," she captioned the picture, adding, "No I didn't. This picture was taken at least 15 years ago. Haven't seen a beach this year. Haven't been on a run this year."

According to Entertainment Tonight, one user commented, "You need to tell Ryan to get you out more."

Mendes responded, "No thank you, I'm good. Rather be home with my man than anywhere else in the world."

October 22, 2020: Mendes reiterates that she "never wanted babies" before she met her husband.

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Eva Mendes is an actor.Michael Tran / Getty Images

Mirroring her remarks during a 2019 interview with Women's Health, Mendes said that she "never wanted babies" before she "fell in love" with Gosling while discussing how having both a family and a career was "not an either/or situation" on Nova 96.9's "Fitzy & Wippa."

"It kind of worked out to where I was 40 and having my first baby. I think I was 42 for the second one, so it worked out in that way that I had a career and then I change my focus to my family," she explained.

And though she remains focused on parenting her and Gosling's two daughters, she said that "it's time" to return to acting after a six-year hiatus, now that her kids are "getting a bit older."

However, she pointed out that she won't accept just any role.

"I don't want to do anything violent. I don't want to do something risqué. I think the only thing that's left is Disney," she said.

October 8, 2021: Gosling opens up to GQ about his experience parenting with Mendes during quarantine.

Ryan Gosling in July 2022.
Ryan Gosling in July 2022.Chris Pizzello/AP

"Our kids are young, so it was a tough time for them to be separated from other kids and not being able to see family and whatnot," Gosling told the publication. "So, we did our best to entertain them. I think Eva and I did more acting in quarantine than we have in our whole careers."

September 2022: Mendes reveals a tattoo on her left wrist that reads "de Gosling."

Eva Mendes' "de Gosling" tattoo seen in a photo shared on Instagram in 2022.
Eva Mendes' "de Gosling" tattoo seen in a photo shared on Instagram in 2022.Eva Mendes/Instagram

To celebrate the first day of September, Mendes posted a photo of her hand holding an orange flower.

The tattoo, seemingly a tribute to Gosling, has since been seen in other images shared by the actor.

April 6, 2023: Mendes explains why she's not "comfortable" appearing on red carpets alongside Gosling.

Eva Mendes in February 2020.
Eva Mendes in February 2020.Phillip Faraone/Getty Images

Mendes acknowledged her and Gosling's relationship by posting footage from the movie "The Place Beyond the Pines" on Instagram with the caption: "Magic is Real. We did not meet on set. The magic started way before but here's a little magic captured on camera. Gracias to the increíble director Derek Cianfrance."

After a fan commented and expressed their hope to see Mendes alongside Gosling during the upcoming "Barbie" press tour, she said that they "don't do those things together."

"Like these photos I've been posting, Im only comfortable posting because it's already out there," she added.

"By 'not comfortable' I mean exposing our very private life that we value," Mendes clarified in another comment.

Regardless, Mendes said that she hoped to reunite on screen with Gosling.

"I'm still dying to do another movie with him though …♥️," she wrote.

May 15, 2023: Mendes shows support for Gosling's role as Ken in Greta Gerwig's movie "Barbie."

Ryan Gosling as Ken in a first-look image for "Barbie."
Ryan Gosling as Ken in a first-look image for "Barbie."Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros.

Mendes posted two photos of herself on Instagram, sporting a white T-shirt that featured Gosling as Ken.

"Got that real big Kenergy. Coz girls is players too," she captioned the post.

May 31, 2023: Gosling speaks to GQ about the moment he realized he wanted to have kids with Mendes.

Ryan Gosling in April 2023.
Ryan Gosling in April 2023.Chris Pizzello/AP

"I wasn't thinking about kids before I met her, but after I met Eva, I realized that I just didn't want to have kids without her," he told GQ in a cover story. "And there were moments on 'The Place Beyond the Pines' where we were pretending to be a family, and I didn't really want it to be pretend anymore. I realized that this would be a life I would be really lucky to have."

Gosling also said that when it comes to parenting, he leans on Mendes.

"She knows what's important, always," the actor said. "She just somehow knows. So if ever I'm in my head about it, I just ask her."

July 6, 2023: Mendes calls Gosling 'the greatest actor I've ever worked with'

Ryan Gosling in "The Place Beyond the Pines."
Ryan Gosling in "The Place Beyond the Pines."Focus Features

Mendes shared photos of her and Gosling from "The Place Beyond the Pines" and a quote from Greta Gerwig's Rolling Stone interview in which she called the "Barbie" star "some combination of Marlon Brando meets Gene Wilder meets John Barrymore meets John Travolta."

"Mi Hombre. Mi Vida…To say he's the greatest actor I've ever worked with is an understatement," Mendes captioned her Instagram post.

January 13, 2024: Gosling calls Mendes "the girl of my dreams."

Ryan Gosling speaks onstage while accepting award at Santa Barbara International Film Festival's Kirk Douglas Award Honoring Ryan Gosling at The Ritz Carlton Bacara on January 13, 2024 in Santa Barbara, California.
Ryan Gosling speaks onstage at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on January 13, 2024 in Santa Barbara, California.Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Gosling was honored with the Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film.

Per People magazine, the "Barbie" star expressed his gratitude for being able to play different parts through his acting roles.

"Most importantly, I got to meet the girl of my dreams, Eva Mendes, and have two dream children," he said.

"I dreamed of one day making movies, and now, movies have made my life a dream," Gosling added.

January 24, 2024: Mendes gushes about Gosling's performance in "Barbie" and calls out the naysayers.

Ryan Gosling is dressed as Ken in black sunglasses, a bandana, and a white fur coat as part of a scene of the "Barbie" movie.
Ryan Gosling as Ken in "Barbie."Warner Bros. Pictures

The day after Gosling earned an Oscar nomination for best actor for his performance as Ken, Mendes celebrated the recognition on Instagram and called out a Rolling Stone article from 2022 that called Gosling "cringe" in the role.

"So proud of my man," Mendes captioned her post. "So much hate when he took on this role. So many people trying to shame him for doing it. Despite all the #Notmyken ridicule and articles written about him, he created this completely original, hilarious, heartbreaking, now iconic character and took it all the way to Oscars."

"So beyond proud to be this Ken's Barbie," she concluded.

 

March 10, 2024: Mendes doesn't show her face at the Oscars, but supports Gosling backstage.

Ryan Gosling singing in a pink suit, holding up a Champagne glass, with dancers around him.
Ryan Gosling performing at the 2024 Oscars.Rich Polk/Getty Images

At the 2024 Academy Awards, Gosling performed his Oscar-nominated song "I'm Just Ken." Mendes posted a video of herself standing outside his dressing room with the caption, "Always by my man."

She also posted a photo of herself wearing Gosling's shades, bright-pink blazer, and black cowboy hat from the performance.

"You took Ken all the way to the Oscar's, RG," Mendes captioned the post. "Now come home, we need to put the kids to bed."

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