Eva Longoria has expressed her affection for best friend Victoria Beckham, wishing the fashion designer had joined her at the Cannes Film Festival for the Global Gift Gala. The Desperate Housewives star, 51, told the Mirror, 'I love Victoria, and would have loved for her to be here tonight in Cannes - but she always comes to our London gala, which always means the world to me. I would love for her to become an ambassador.'
A Sisterly Bond
Longoria, godmother to Beckham's daughter Harper, 14, has been close friends with the Spice Girl-turned-designer since the mid-2000s, when the Beckham family relocated to Los Angeles for David Beckham's stint with LA Galaxy. She describes Victoria as the 'funniest woman' she knows. The pair often refer to each other as sisters, enjoying sleepovers and sharing photos of pyjama parties. In 2023, Longoria said, 'We are inseparable. We have sleepovers all the time, mostly at their farmhouse or in London. We usually just blab all night. She's extremely loyal. There's never a moment I can't call her, that she's not available, that she's not flying to see me, or I'm flying to see her. Or I'm raiding her closet. She gives me motherly advice and business advice.' Beckham famously designed Longoria's civil ceremony outfit, wedding dress, and after-party gowns for her 2016 marriage to José Antonio Bastón.
Global Gift Gala: A Life's Mission
Longoria is passionate about chairing the Global Gift Gala, benefiting the Global Gift Foundation, which raises funds for vulnerable children, women, and families worldwide. At the event, she wore a shimmering custom two-tone monochrome gown by designer Cong Tri. She said, 'It's always a fun one, because so many people are in town and it's a really fabulous party. This charity is my life's work, helping women and children all over the world. The Global Gift Gala is a platform that connects foundations and the entertainment world and brings awareness to people who need to raise funds, raise awareness, make a difference, make an impact. We're in 10 different countries. Cannes is a lovely, fun one because everybody's here and it's easy to put on - and Cannes is a very generous community because everybody really wants to participate. We get to take the funds from tonight and go all over the world to make a difference.'
Surviving Cannes
Amid the glitzy film festival events, Longoria shared her tips for surviving Cannes: 'Oh gosh, number one is don't drink too much - because every day is an early day for me. I'm always working. Yeah, getting over the jet lag, getting sleep and having a lot of café noisette. A lot of espresso!'
New Netflix Comedy: The Fifth Wheel
Longoria is also in Cannes to promote her latest directorial project, The Fifth Wheel, a Netflix comedy starring Kim Kardashian, Nikki Glaser, Fortune Feimster, Will Ferrell, and Kristen Wiig. The film follows a group of high school best friends attempting to reconnect during a weekend in Vegas, but things go awry when a hot outsider crashes their trip, forcing them to confront messy lives and unraveling friendships. Longoria said, 'I just finished directing The Fifth Wheel with Kim Kardashian and Nikki Glaser. It's with Fortune Feimster, Will Ferrell, and Kristen Wiig. It's a really big female comedy, and it's going to be a lot of fun.'
From Desperate Housewives to Director
Longoria rose to global fame as Gabrielle Solis on Desperate Housewives (2004-2012), earning two Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Golden Globe nomination. She transitioned to directing after learning production on the show, debuting with the critically acclaimed 2023 biographical comedy-drama Flamin' Hot.
For more on the Global Gift Gala, visit www.globalgiftgala.com.
