People: Ryan Gosling loves ‘fiercely independent’ but ‘challenging’ Eva Mendes

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I’ve sort of given up on the idea that we’ll ever see Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes walk the red carpet together again. They even avoid being photographed together in casual sightings nowadays too. I’ve made my peace with the fact that I’ll just always have to use these old photos from their first few years of dating whenever I write about them. Yes, I’m also trying to put this negative energy out there as a way to encourage their contrarian natures, and then maybe they’ll turn up at the Golden Globes together. But they probably won’t – that’s not their vibe anymore. Their vibe is all about privacy and don’t-look-at-us, and they really mean it. Which makes it difficult to figure out what’s really going on with them these days. Every time I’ve thought that they were on the verge of splitting, it turned out that they were just fine. So this People Mag story is interesting:

Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes are one of Hollywood’s most mysterious A-list couples — and they want to keep it that way. The 37-year-old actor is back in the spotlight with his highly anticipated movie First Man opening Friday. But while he’s been busy promoting the Neil Armstrong biopic, his longtime love Mendes, 44, is unlikely to be joining him at any major appearances. The couple of seven years is still exceptionally private about their love—which seems to work perfectly for them.

“They love and respect each other and try to give the other space to pursue what they love,” an entertainment source tells PEOPLE in the latest issue, adding that Gosling loves how “fiercely independent” Mendes is, though it can sometimes be “challenging.”

But, a Miami source adds, they spend every second they can with their two daughters — Esmeralda Amada, 4, and Amada Lee, 2.

“They are both in love with being parents, and can’t get enough of it,” the source says. “Neither wants to slow down on work interests but every day is a juggling act to be with their daughters.”

Echoes the entertainment source: “Like any couple they have disagreements. Now the children come first, and they share a love for them which neither had experienced before.”

[From People]

Gosling loves how “fiercely independent” Mendes is, though it can sometimes be “challenging.” That line sticks, doesn’t it? This is how I interpret it: Ryan loves that Eva has pretty much abandoned the Hollywood scene and that she’s just absorbed in their family life and motherhood. Her “independence” is about how she truly doesn’t want to play the Hollywood game anymore, and he finds that challenging because he’d like her to be his date to events and help him campaign a little bit? I mean, that’s just one interpretation. I really don’t have any idea. But I do think that if they ever split, we’ll be seeing these quotes again. It’s almost like they’re laying the groundwork for the arguments they’ll be using in case of a split.

Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes, who are reported to be expecting a child together, are seen out for a stroll in 2012

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid and WENN.

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26 Responses to “People: Ryan Gosling loves ‘fiercely independent’ but ‘challenging’ Eva Mendes”

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  1. Caitlin Bruce says:

    Very very weird. But you never know with these two, the break up rumours we’re getting out of control but it turned out she was pregnant with their first so who knows what to believe? Maybe they have a third on its way.

  2. tealily says:

    That sounds like a positive spin on bickering, to me.

  3. MavenTheFirst says:

    But they won’t marry? Even with children?

    • RedTop says:

      Why is marriage necessary if they don’t want to? Even with children.

      • MavenTheFirst says:

        It’s a public commitment that carries personal, social and emotional weight. That’s why. I also think the kiddies would feel more secure with it. But hey, personal freedom is all, right?

      • tealily says:

        Sounds like marriage is important to you, @MavenTheFirst. That’s great, but it doesn’t make it necessary to someone else and it does not equate to the security of children.

      • K says:

        Well said @REDTOP and @TEAlILY

    • Sash says:

      Eva has always been very loud about not being interested in marriage so that’s probably why they’re not married.

    • vesper says:

      Maybe if they get married they will finally break up…LOL!

  4. Kerfuffle says:

    So what they’re saying is that they’re a couple who loves each other but occasionally disagrees? Like pretty much every couple?

    However, I think it’s kind of sad that they take so much effort to never be photographed together. It’s their life and their choice, but I couldn’t imagine structuring all of my outings with my partner so we’re not potentially photographed or seen together. That’s genuinely sad. And it also means that they can’t support each other’s professional events or things like that. Not even about campaigning, I would just imagine that it’s nice to bring your significant other as a date to stuff occasionally.

  5. BB says:

    What a weird article. It does seem like they’re laying groundwork for a split. I hope not, I like them.

  6. Appalachian says:

    Is this a response to InTouch magazine putting out a story about trouble in paradise with them?
    Saying crap like she nags, they’re never together, she doesn’t support him, that he never goes to her fashion shows…..blah blah.

  7. Mara says:

    Maybe it was meant to just be a puff piece but Ryan’s publicist is annoyed that Eva won’t play the adoring wife in award season so threw that line in out of bitterness?

    • Sash says:

      This reads to me Ryan wants some sort of official commitment, marriage or red carpet-wise, and Eva’s resisting so Ryan is adding some public pressure.

      Regardless, this is definitely Ryan’s PR team’s doing. Even the criticism is soft- she’s challenging but he loves her independence. It’s like a spouse gently criticizing their partner. Hmm.

      • Mara says:

        Pressuring your partner to marry you through People magazine? My opinion of Ryan Gosling would fall monumentally if this was true.

  8. Digital Unicorn says:

    I don’t really know much about her career so I don’t know if she ‘willingly’ walked away from it to focus on her family or the roles dried up/she was fed up with the roles she was being offered.

    She’s a stunning woman but that last photo’s i saw of her it looked like she’d been messing with her face – i did not recognise her.

    I hope that this is just ‘fake news’ as they have young children and seemed like a good couple. Neither seemed to be into the HW lifestyle.

  9. Lala11_7 says:

    All I know is that I finally got to see Ryan in “Drive” this weekend…and OMG I GET IT!!!!!

    I have always ADORED Ryan as an actor…”Lars in the Real Girl” is one of my favorite movies…and I love the trajectory that he took regarding his movie career…there was a moment when I thought he would veer off to “Douchbro” heaven…right alongside Matt and Ben…but I think the “Hey Girl” infamous memes saved him from that! (LOL!)

    But I NEVA looked at him…as Hawt…until Saturday night when we put “Drive” in the DVR….

    Seriously…that movie was like getting into a time machine…and heading back to 1983…Friday night, 9:00 p.m. CST, where I would was GLUED in front of the television watching “Miami Vice”…from a style standpoint….and his character? I want to see a prequel…a sequel…heck…a SERIES ON HIM!!!!

    • Caitlin Bruce says:

      Drive is the hottest he’s looked to me. He looks kinda off lately? Don’t know if it’s the haircut of just aging

    • skipper says:

      Drive is one of my favorite movies! The colors, the soundtrack….everything!

  10. Sash says:

    I definitely don’t think this is laying the groundwork for a split. The “entertainment source” sounds like Gosling’s PR person and there’s nothing about being unhappy or breaking up. I think he either wants to get married and is getting irked she is digging her heels because she’s always been against marriage or he wants her to be red carpet official and she’s digging her heels because she’s over Hollywood. Regardless, it sounds like Ryan wants public commitment somewhere.

  11. jambie says:

    I still don’t get them together.

    • Mara says:

      When you think about it she’s completely his type, a little bit older, seemingly grounded and self assured (see also Sandra Bullock and Rachel McAdams)

  12. FF says:

    It would be funny if the truth was the opposite: she wanted to get married and he didn’t. Cue tabloid role reversal so she can’t say anything to the effect of it’s him dragging his feet now.

    Anyway, best of luck to them whichever it is.

  13. Hmmm says:

    I stopped believing people mag sources. They get more and more usweekly like every week

  14. Jo says:

    Eva is stunning.

  15. Meg says:

    Im not sure eva would be very likeable as ryans girlfriend if they went to events together. Remember when they were promoting the film they met on? The look on her face on the red carpet was smug-ryan is very likeable and tries to be but she doesnt seem to want to be likeable which would make them not popular together.