Eva Longoria has opened up about the challenges she faced during her marriage to former NBA star Tony Parker, revealing how uncomfortable she felt being labeled a “WAG” — an acronym for “wives and girlfriends” of athletes.
The 50-year-old actress, who was married to Parker from 2007 to 2011, spoke candidly about the experience in Victoria Beckham’s new Netflix documentary. Beckham, who herself was once called a WAG during her husband David Beckham’s football career, featured several women sharing their perspectives on the term and the culture around it.
“I didn’t know what a ‘WAG’ was,” Longoria admitted. “I remember seeing in a press clipping that I was a WAG and I was like, ‘What the f*** is that?’” The Desperate Housewives star said it was difficult to be in a relationship where the public focus was almost entirely on her husband. “It’s hard when you’re married to an athlete because the world idolises them,” she explained.
Longoria added that she struggled with the assumptions people made about women married to athletes. “There’s an assumption that goes with being a wife or a girlfriend is that you’re a gold digger, you don’t have a job, you just want to look pretty and spend money,” she said. “It was like, ‘Ugh, how can you have a job? Your job is to support your husband.’”
The actress and producer said she often felt misunderstood, as she was always focused on building her own career. Longoria went on to produce and direct several films and television projects after her acting breakthrough in Desperate Housewives, earning recognition for her work both in front of and behind the camera.
Since her divorce from Parker, Longoria has found stability and happiness with her current husband, media executive José Bastón, whom she married in 2016. Together they share a son, Santiago.
Reflecting on her success, Longoria said she takes pride in the career longevity she has built through determination and hard work. “When I look at the longevity I’ve had in this industry, it makes sense to me,” she told Byrdie magazine. “I knew I’d be successful because I was surrounded by successful women.”
Longoria’s remarks shed light on the double standards many women face when their partners are in the spotlight. Her comments also highlight how she has worked to define herself on her own terms — not as a WAG, but as a self-made actress, producer, and advocate for women’s empowerment.