Eva Longoria has a new rom com with Matt Walsh coming out called Unplugging. I thought it was going to be the typical canned script about the technology addict having their phone taken away only to discover their heart. But the trailer goes in so many wild directions, I want to check this out! Like, the whole finding their heart thing is there, but it’s wrapped in an apocalyptic blackout with drone invaders, Lea Thompson as a vigilante, Nicole Byer as a cop and Keith David as the advisor – yes please.
Anyway, because the film is about trying to disconnect from gadgets so you can reconnect with those around you, that’s what Eva talked about with Entertainment Tonight. Even though she plays a device-dependent businesswoman in the film, Eva said it’s no problem putting her phone down at the end of the day. As a matter of fact, she values her time away so much, she mutes her phone from all sounds because she doesn’t want to be notified of anyone’s “stuff.” I’m with Eva on this.
Eva Longoria and José Bastón’s relationship — and time away from phones — thrives on wine! Longoria, who is the star of the upcoming comedy, Unplugging, shared how she and her real-life husband disconnect at the end of the day.
“We have dinner every night,” the 47-year-old actress tells ET about the couple’s routine.
“I make dinner almost every night and we have a glass of wine all the time. I mean, yes, to conversation but the wine is important. We make it a big priority to connect every day. Plus, we are so busy in our day that at night we’re like, ‘Oh my god.’ And we’re so excited about what we did and what we produced and how productive we were.”
She adds, “And we have so much to talk about, that we actually love unplugging and just talking at the end of each night.”
When it comes to the person who is the most connected, Longoria says Bastón’s got her beat.
“He would argue,” she says. “He thinks, because I’m very efficient with my time. I’m like, ‘I schedule my time.’ And I’m going to answer emails during this time. I’m going to do my social media. I’m going to do Instagram at this time.”
She continued, “He’s just always like, ‘bing,’ and he has to get it. I actually turn off the sounds, I don’t like the sounds, I don’t like being notified. Stop notifying me about your stuff.”
I knew a family who had a drawer for phones and there was some time frame that all the phones had to go in the drawer. I think it worked on an “out of sight, out of mind” principle. My husband and I are similar to Eva and José. As soon as my husband’s phone bings or vibrates, it’s in his hand. But he has notifications for everything. I admit I also look when my phone vibrates, but I only have work emails, texts and my volunteer Slack channel on for notifications. But that’s what I think Eva means. I got a notification the other night from Slack that one of my dog adopters was pulling out of their adoption. There wasn’t a thing I could do about it, but it ruined my evening.
I really like Eva’s idea of scheduling screen time for herself with emails and social media. I might try that for my weekends.
Eva said her son, Santiago, isn’t too into screens yet. He’s only three, but he’s just discovered YouTube, so that might change. But it will be on his downtime. Eva and José are giving him a different option by sitting down and talking each night. Kids model what they see. If he’s used to people putting down a phone to hold a conversation, that’s what he’ll do.
Here’s the Unplugging trailer:
Photo credit: Avalon Red, Backgrid, Getty Images, YouTube and Instagram
I have to say, I agree with her. I have my phone set so it goes “quiet” for certain hours, and the ONLY calls that can come through are immediate family & the family doctor (as I have an elderly dad). No one/nothing else. Certainly NO app notifications! Makes for a really nice meal time and evening!
And I have to say, I SLEEP better as well, not being screen focused in the hours before bed.
(On another note: that vid of Oliver Hudson’s “make over” by his 8 yr old is adorable!)
I don’t have any notifications on my cellphone except IMessage and phone calls. I removed Messenger notifications and FB. At night I turn off my phone and leave it in the kitchen, no cellphone in my bed! It’s much more healthy for me.
I havent had sound (or vibrate) on, on my phone since 2009 lol But im from a scandinavian country and most people would say its rude to have your phone sound on in the public, so i just keep it on silent all the time.
Ofcourse the screen lights up so i can see if i have my phone on me ( wich is most of the time lets be real haha)
I find it very irritating if I’m having a conversation with someone at a restaurant or bar (or at home) and they keep responding to their phone. I am not above leaving the table to do something else. Lol.
I find that irritating no matter what the venue for the conversation is. It’s irritating, rude, and insulting. To me it feels as though they’re saying no matter what this is, it’s more important to me than talking with you. And I really don’t like that.
The movie looks good! I love Eva!!
She is a great comedic actress!
Totally agree. The only apps for which I turn on notifications are messages, and postal tracking. Everything else drives me nuts, especially social media. I’ll check in once or twice a day, but don’t need the distraction of notifications when I’m already so easily distracted.
I agree, I have all my notifications turned off, and separate ringtones and bells for my family and partner.
Everyone and everything else can wait until I open the app myself.
And it makes me really angry how people expect me to answer right away just because – that’s the reason why I have “see if the message was read” turned off everywhere.
Ps. Work stuff is different, obviously, but you get the point.
I completely agree. I was on a group text with a bunch of coworkers. During lockdown, I realized that it was stressing me out to see those notifications of texts complaining about work while I’m trying to relax. So I turned off the notifications, which lead to me not participating in the group text (with Android, I can’t just opt out of the group chat). That made my evenings so much better.
Both my personal phone & work phone have only email & text notifications, and ring tones, that’s it. At night, I turn the sound off. Sometimes I forget to turn the sound back on in the morning, and…it’s fine. People who know me know I’ll get back to them when I can, which is not necessarily immediately. People who don’t know me? They’ll learn.
I cannot stand notifications—mine or anyone else’s within earshot. I can’t control other people’s notifications, but I can control my own. I’ve turned off all but a few notifications, and I keep my phone silenced 24/7 unless I’m expecting a call. I really resent this default expectation that people should be instantly reachable and responsive at all times, and I’m doing everything I can to resist it. And miraculously, my interpersonal relationships haven’t suffered for it!
I don’t like being told it’s ‘hi-ah-loo-ron-ick’ like I can’t hear at normal speed.
I do love that checked jumpsuit though!