Eva Mendes Gives Up Dream of Being a Nun

Fri, 17 December 2010 03:33:03 ET

'The Other Guys' beauty reveals she wanted to join a convent when she was a child, but changed her mind after discovering she wouldn't be able to buy her mother a house because nuns didn't get paid.

Eva Mendes gave up her dream of being a nun so she could fulfill her promise to buy her mother a house. The star of "The Other Guys" wanted to join a convent and devote her life to the Catholic Church when she was a child but changed her mind when she discovered nuns didn't get paid.

"We didn't grow up with a lot of money so I would always tell my mom, 'Mommy I am going to buy you a big house when I grow up, and a car,' " she said. "And my sister said to me one day when I was ten, 'How are you going to buy mom all these things? You are going to be a nun and nuns don't get paid. I said, 'What?'and that was it, my convent dreams were over."

After finding success and fame as an actress, Eva admits it was a very "proud moment" when she was able to make good on her promise to buy her mother, who raised her single-handedly after splitting from Eva's husband, a new home in 2002. The 36-year-old screen beauty, who has Cuban heritage, is also keen to give as much as she can to help the community she is from.

She added, "I feel I have so much to be thankful for, and it means nothing if I can't give back. I do it within my own family and I do it with certain charities, particularly the art of the Elysium, which helps children in hospital heal themselves through art therapy."

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