Eva Longoria is Finally Getting Recognized as a Hollywood Force

Mexican-American filmmaker Eva Longoria is committed to crafting authentic narratives that amplify and broaden Latino experiences on screen.
In her directorial debut, Flamin’ Hot, she adapted the real-life story of Richard Montañez, the janitor-turned-inventor of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos—and made him an American hero.

“When Latinos and immigrants aren’t accurately or positively represented in entertainment, it means we’re not telling our own stories,” she says at LA Collab, “and that leaves a vacuum that allows others to control the narrative.”

Longoria grew up in Texas. They only had three TV channels, so her parents told stories instead. When she moved to Los Angeles, she took those stories with her.

Eva Longoria (sourced from Instagram)

From Desperate Housewives to Frontera to Lowriders, she successfully navigated an acting career for two decades. Between projects, she directed TV episodes and short films.

When Longoria first read the Flamin’ Hot script, she cried four times.

“I grew up with Flamin Hot Cheetos and I didn’t know there was a regular Cheeto. Like, the first time I ate a regular Cheeto, I was like, ah, I got a bad bag, something’s wrong with my bag,” she tells IMDb. “I was like, how do I not know this story? I’m Mexican-American! This guy’s a hero from my community.”

She related so deeply with the protagonist, she knew she was the only one who could direct the film, do the story justice. So, she fought for the chance to spearhead it.

(sourced from Instagram)

Since its initial release in March 2023, the film opened the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival and won Best Feature Film at the 38th Imagen Awards.

“I was Richard Montañez. I am Richard Montañez. I’ve had people tell me no. ‘Ideas don’t come from people like you. No, that opportunity is not for somebody who looks like you,’” she says. “That’s what makes the movie so universal and relatable, because everybody can relate to those struggles in…life.”

For too long, Hollywood’s hero journeys have neglected immigrant stories and excluded people of color. But for even longer, immigrants and people of color have been real-life heroes in our communities off-screen.

This imbalance isn’t an accident.

By nature, entertainment executives gatekeep opportunities from outsiders trying to break in. As a result, there is an undeniable cultural disparity among the filmmakers developing the contemporary face of American cinema.

Longoria has paved a way inside and she is not shy about speaking up.

“Diversity in this country is our strength,” she says. “The best ideas are crafted when people from every walk of life have a voice, when they listen to one another and they are empowered to collaborate.”

We all love or know someone who loves Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. The film sheds light on this legendary Latino contribution to American culture. So, for Longoria, Flamin Hot’s popularity is not just a professional win. The story will help to fight negative cultural stigma about Latinos and hopefully dismantle stereotypes across the country.