Almost 20 years have passed since October 3, 2004, and a lot has happened in Eva Longoria's life. That day marked the premiere of Desperate Housewives, the show that marked a turning point in her career. And with this change came further major changes on a professional, emotional and personal level. From taking on more challenges behind the scenes and focusing on producing and directing films, as well as continuing to act, to enjoying the best role of her life as a mother to her five-year-old son, Santi.

"I am very happy when I am in Spain, I love this country. I met Marbella 20 years ago and it was love at first sight. I started thinking about buying a house here five years ago, and I've been looking for it all along."

Together with Melanie Griffith and her close friend María Bravo, they created the Global Gift Foundation, of which Eva is the honorary president. This is how Eva Longoria's love affair with Marbella began, also 20 years ago. Since then, he returns to the beaches of the Costa del Sol every summer. Then came the charity galas and she created Casa Ángeles to help especially needy children, a project that is particularly close to her heart.

Eva Longoria is now "returning" to her Spanish roots through the front door... to her new home in Marbella, which she shows us for the first time in a rare report. At the beginning of the year, the "Shadow of Suspicion" star bought the property in Vasari Alzambra, a luxury area near Puerto Banús, which he renovated and furnished with the help of his friend, interior designer Nicolás Escanez, and used it for the first time this summer.

-We have a feeling that you are spending more and more time in Spain, is that true?

- Yes - he laughed - I'm always in Spain. I also shot the series Tierra de mujeres here with Carmen Maura and many incredible Spanish actors and I really enjoyed that time. I discovered Marbella 20 years ago and have been coming back every summer since then. My best friend, María Bravo, is my son's godmother, who is like my sister. He discovered its beauty for me, and that's why we came every year, first for a week, then for two, then for a month... and then for three months," he laughs.

- It's like a second home.

-Yes, my home is Mexico, because I live there more than in Los Angeles, and it is between Spain.

-Do you feel that your Spanish roots are becoming more and more important?

-Yes, last year I received the title of lady of the noble body of my native land, Asturias, and it was an honor for me. My father was also knighted, but he couldn't travel, so I went to take it for him. Asturias is the cradle of Spain, so there I felt a special connection with the country's history and fell in love with it even more. I visited the town of Longoria, I got to see my ancestral house… and I was totally blown away.

It was an honor to learn about my family's history in Spain and to connect with those roots, which are very strong. You can find exactly where my family lived, my uncles, where the village was, what they worked in, how many children they had... History is so well documented that it feels great to know everything about it and make it our own.

-And have you ever thought about staying here?

-Yes, I often think that I want to live in Europe, especially in Spain, because I love the country and feel at home. I love Asturias and the Basque Country, it was great when I was in Catalonia, I love Andalucia, I love Madrid too, I can't wait to go to Galicia…..

Eva Longoria relied on her good friend, interior decorator Nicolás Escanez, to find, renovate and furnish her home. I didn't do anything, I didn't even choose a color. I told Nico, who is an architect and interior designer and always knows the real estate market very well: "If you see a house that you think is for me, let me know." During this time he showed me a few, but I didn't like any of them because they weren't in the "golden triangle", or because they weren't close to the beach, or because they were too expensive... Until finally I came across this house, next to which I decided to buy it .

-Did you see it and make a quick decision?

-Nico called me and said, “Oh my God, I found the perfect house. It needs to be renovated, but the location and size was just what I was looking for. So, taking advantage of the fact that I was filming the series in Barcelona, ​​I came to Marbella, looked at the house and bought it the same day. Nico immediately got to work converting it to make all the changes I wanted.

-Did you have a say in the decoration, or did you leave it to him? What is your style when decorating your houses?

-You know what? I didn't do anything, I didn't even choose a color. Nico has incredible taste and knows me very well. He knew that the kitchen should be open, that we play a lot of cards and backgammon, that we grill a lot, so we needed an outdoor kitchen as well as a dining room... I wanted the interior to be open to the exterior, because I love it. But I didn't choose a single thing.

He showed me the "moodboard" and said, "This should be the mood. It will create a feeling of spaciousness and comfort, with beautiful colors, beige, cream and white”. I gave him some ideas about the kitchen and that was it. We didn't speak for four months and he didn't want to show anything until he was completely done. He wanted to surprise me… and it was a wonderful surprise. She has fabulous taste and I knew I didn't have to worry about a thing, I knew this would be my dream house and it is.

- Will the kitchen always be a meeting place for you?

-Always. Each of my houses has a kitchen with a very large island where you can cook while everyone can sit around and have a glass of wine and a bite to eat. I love the kitchen, it's always the heart of the house.

- Do you have another favorite place?

My dressing room, he laughs. I thought I didn't want anything big, I thought: "If I don't need anything, I'll just have swimsuits and kaftans...". And no, no, nothing like that, it's a wonderful wardrobe! It's very big, with lots of space. Now all my clothes are in it.

-Of course, social life is lively in Marbella.

-Yes, there is always a new fashion store opening, a restaurant... They always open something! -Name.

-Did you have the opportunity to enjoy it with your family?

-Yes, we opened the house for the first time this summer, did everyone come, my friends, my family? It wasn't completely finished yet, but there were only small things left: the sofa cushions weren't ready, or the sunbeds weren't there, for example, the rest of the house was perfect.

-Would you say this is your oasis?

- Yes, of course, this is my oasis, my paradise.

-And if you are not in your paradise, you don't stop working either. Maybe we have a bad view of the glitz and Hollywood life. What is it really like to be a Hollywood star?

"When I'm in Los Angeles, I'm always working and I'm very busy, it's not very glamorous," he laughs. I'm either on a shoot, or in a meeting, or stuck in traffic... There's so much traffic. Living in Los Angeles is very different to living in Marbella, although both are close to the sea and have wonderful weather all year round. I couldn't live in a cold place like New York or London.

-And what are the values ​​that guide your life, Éva?

- My life is guided by what I feel good about and what I can fulfill myself in. That's what I choose based on what I'm going to do, who I'm going to work with... If I'm not going to have a good time, I'd rather be with my son and my family. I live by the example of the poet Maya Angelou, who said: "People forget what you said, they forget what you did. What they will never forget is the way you made them feel”. So my life's journey is to make others feel good when they cross our paths, when I meet them or when we work together, to encourage and inspire them. In short, to enjoy being around me. This goal is to be a light in the lives of others.

The full interview can be read in the original language here