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She grew up thinking she wasn't pretty yet nothing could be further from the truth.
Eva Longoria isn't just one of the most beautiful women in showbiz, she's also a successful actress, producer, director, businesswoman and beauty ambassador.
Yet it would take overcoming her childhood issues for her confidence to grow.
Eva (48) was born with dark features – her hair, eyes, and skin tone were darker than that of her siblings – and she was mercilessly mocked for her appearance.
"All my sisters were blonde and I grew up as la prieta fea, which means the ugly, dark one," she told Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast host Amanda Hirshe.
"I kind of developed a skill because I didn't have anything superficial to depend on."
That skill was humour, and it worked wonders for her portrayal as Gabrielle Solis, a former model that becomes a housewife in Desperate Housewives.
The show played for eight seasons from 2004 to 2012 and was such a hit that she was named the highest-earning TV actress in Hollywood in 2011.
But it was just the beginning for the actress. Eva went on to bag roles in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Overboard, Dora and the Lost City of Gods, and The Sentinel, among other projects, before branching out into producing and directing.
READ MORE| Eva Longoria says style sister Victoria Beckham will dress her for Brooklyn’s wedding
Earlier this year, she launched a culinary show alongside CNN called Searching for Mexico where she explores the different flavours that cities in Mexico have to offer.
In addition to hosting the show, she was also a producer, which she admits wasn't always easy.
"The industry's definitely wary of an actor coming in to produce or direct so I had to overcome that."
She's never been as comfortable in her skin as she is now and she's thrilled to show her fans her heritage.
"I'm so excited for viewers to tune in and see firsthand what I love so much about Mexico – the food, people, the cultures," she said in a statement released by CNN.
"The journey allowed me to further appreciate and fall in love with my roots."
SOURCES: PEOPLE.COM, DAILYMAIL.CO.UK, FORBES.COM, STANDARD.CO.UK, WOMENSHEALTHMAG.COM, JACARANDA.COM,HUFFPOST.COM
