Why Eva Mendes kept Ryan Gosling marriage secret for years after 'very boring' milestone confession

Eva Mendes, 49, shocked fans when she hinted she had been married to Ryan Gosling, 43, for "years," but why did the actress keep the exciting news secret?

The couple's love story began back in 2011 when they filmed A Place Beyond the Pines together. They have since become doting parents to two daughters: Esmerelda, eight, and Amada, six, but they have kept the details of their relationship and home life away from the public eye, including rarely sharing photos of their family.

"As far as Ryan, I'll only post flashbacks of things that are already 'out there' (like pics from movies we did or stuff like that)," the Ghost Rider actress explained to Instragam fans in 2020. "My man and kids are private. That's important to me, so thanks for getting that."

While it's highly unlikely that fans are going to be treated to any wedding photos, Eva did refer to Barbie star Ryan as her "husband" in 2022. During an interview on Australia's Channel Nine's Today, Eva said: "Everyone is so welcoming here and my husband Ryan is here, and we are having the best time." 

When the subject of marriage later came up during her appearance on Kyle and Jackie O Show, Eva – who got a "de Gosling" wrist tattoo "years ago" – explained: "But who says we weren't [married] already? I like to keep it all mysterious. I'm a very mysterious woman." 

This comes after Eva suggested she wasn't sure she wanted to ever walk down the aisle or start a family. Back in 2011, the same year she met Ryan, she described marriage as unnecessary and "very boring," explaining she is "anti-establishment."

"I just don’t think marriage is necessary, as necessary as society makes it," the Hitched star told Hollywood Life. "And I don’t have a negative point of view on it. I just think it’s a very old tradition and if you look back to what marriage symbolizes in the first place…it has nothing to do with why we get married today.”

She continued: "I don’t know if I want children, but the idea of marriage sounds very boring to me. I have to be honest.

"I am extremely romantic but I think there is that little rebel inside me that is anti-establishment. It’s just one more fun thing I can rebel against."

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