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Actress Eva Longoria and businessman José Bastón, known to family and friends as Pepe, have been together for 10 years—after the Desperate Housewives star tried marriage with actor Tyler Christopher and then NBA player Tony Parker. She and Bastón have made things work far longer than those previous connections, and the TV star has said it’s because she actually took some time to be alone before they got together.
“I learned to be content on my own,” she told People. “I think I needed that to be ready for what I have with Pepe.”
Here’s the journey of their love story from meeting to marriage to sharing a child.
2013
The couple met twice before they sparked a romantic interest in one another. Longoria told People in 2017 of the first time they met, “I was getting out of a bad relationship, and he was getting out of a relationship, so there wasn’t a connection. So, we had a pleasant conversation, but there was no real connection.”
Six months later, they met again through the same mutual friend who introduced them the first time.
“It was like the cliché angels singing, and there was a glow around him, and it was immediate chemistry,” she said. “He was the most handsome man I’d ever seen. He was so charismatic, charming, sweet, and funny. I thought, ‘Who is this guy?!’”
She continued, “I want to yell from the highest mountaintop about everything that goes on with us because I’m so happy and excited to be with a person as kind as Pepe is. He is probably one of the first men I’ve dated that has been older and established and, basically, a grown-up.”
The day after their second meetup, they went on a four-hour lunch date.
November 2013
They made their red carpet debut on November 15, 2013, at the Museo Jumex Opening dinner.
March 2014
Longoria gushed about her boyfriend of a year in an interview with Parade, saying, “I’m attracted to humor and intellect in a man. Let me tell you, I’m very lucky in my life.”
May 2015
The couple attend Cannes Film Festival together.
December 2015
While visiting Dubai, Bastón asked Longoria to marry him. She posted about their engagement on December 13, 2015, showing off her ring. It was a ruby set in a ring of diamonds.
“Ummmm so this happened….#Engaged #Dubai #Happiness,” Longoria captioned the shot of the couple kissing on the gorgeous sand dunes.
January 2016
While on an episode of Today, Longoria shared how wedding planning was going.
“We haven’t even discussed it,” Longoria said. “I mean, I’m still in the glow of the engagement, and it was such a surprise … so we’re still absorbing that moment.”
She added, “He’s amazing, he’s gorgeous and really the kindest human being I’ve ever met. He’s really private, so I never talk about him!”
But she did shared some details about the engagement, saying, “It was such a surprise. It was in Dubai, and it was in the desert. We’re still absorbing that moment. I’m still applauding him for how beautiful and amazing it was, then we’ll talk about the big fat Mexican wedding.”
May 2016
The couple tied the knot on May 21, 2016, at Bastón’s home in Valle de Bravo, Mexico. For the event, Longoria wore a dress designed by Victoria Beckham, who was also serving as a bridesmaid.
Longoria shared a photo of their wedding rings and described the ceremony in a brief Instagram post.
“In our garden, surrounded by a small gathering of people we love, Pepe and I tied the knot! #TalkAboutBlessed #ImStillFloating #OmgMyFeetHurt,” she captioned it.
Celebrity attendees included Ricky Martin, Mario Lopez, Melanie Griffith, and David Beckham alongside his wife.
June 2016
While promoting her movie Lowriders, Longoria shared more details of the wedding with reporters.
“There were so many memorable moments,” she said. “Then the tequila kind of blurred it all! But [Pepe] surprised me throughout the night—a surprise singer, a surprise video, a surprise this. So every half hour there was another surprise that I was like, ‘I can’t handle any more! My heart is going to explode!’”
She added, “My cheeks hurt from laughing and smiling so much. It was great.”
October 2016
Almost six months after her marriage and three years after meeting, Longoria says she’s still floating on air over her man.
“People ask us how it is being married now, but we were always married in our hearts and our souls, so the wedding was just a beautiful party to celebrate with everyone, but marriage-wise, we just are still floating from three years of being together,” the actress said. “It’s amazing. Our wedding didn’t change our relationship.”
May 2017
Around their one-year anniversary, Longoria told People a bit about married life.
“My husband is the best part of life,” she said. “Like, people get really annoyed with us because we love each other so much! People always ask, ‘Do you like being married?’ It’s not that I like marriage—I like being married to him. He’s the one that makes it all special and worth it.”
She added that they manage to keep things fresh and feel like they’ve known one another forever at the same time.
“Some days it feels like we’ve been together 40 years and other days it feels like we just met,” Longoria explained. “We’re just so compatible. He’s like, ‘Let’s go paddle boarding,’ and I’m like, ‘Great!’ I’ll say, ‘Let’s have sushi,’ and he goes, ‘Sure.’ We love the same things—family, friends and traveling—so there’s not a lot we’ve learned separately about each other, but there’s a lot we learned together about life.”
December 2017
On December 19, 2017, the couple confirmed via their reps that they were expecting their first child together, a baby boy. A source told People, “She loves kids, but it’s not something she focused on. Meeting Pepe and becoming a stepmom made her more open to the idea… She loves his kids and now they’re really excited to be expanding the family.”
January 2018
To celebrate the new year, Longoria posted a shot of her baby bump on New Year’s day on Instagram, wearing a plaid pajama set and being held by her family.
“New year, new adventures! I’m so grateful to my beautiful family for giving this new baby so much love already! 🙏🏻#HappyNewYear #2018,” she wrote in the caption.
June 2018
On June 19, 2018, Longoria and Bastón welcomed their son, Santiago Enrique.
She shared several photos of little Santi in his first weeks, like this one of him in a soccer jersey.
And another thanking the staff that helped during her delivery.
June 2019
Longoria celebrated Bastón on Father’s Day 2019, sharing a rare family photo where they’re standing in front of the Brooklyn Bridge together.
“Happy Father’s Day to this incredible human that God put in my path,” she wrote. “I can’t even remember the days before our beautiful Santi arrived. You have been an amazing father to your 3 children before Santi, and to see how much more your heart grew when he arrived has left me in awe. Of all the things I hope Santi gets from you it would be your kindness, your compassion, your big heart and of course your good looks 🥰 I am a better woman because you’re in my life and If Santi becomes half the man you are, then we are in good shape 🤞🏼😉 Happy Father’s Day Amor de mi Vida! ❤️❤️❤️.”
April 2022
Longoria celebrated her husband’s birthday on Instagram, writing, “Happy birthday to the best human being on this earth! You fill this family with love and support and you deserve to be celebrated each and everyday! Happy birthday to the best husband, father, son, friend, partner, soulmate ever! 💕 Te amo mi vida!!!!”
August 2022
On her podcast Connections, Longoria talked about why her marriage with Bastón works: aging.
“I think that’s why with my second marriage… no wait, my third,” Longoria said. “But I do think finding love at 40—I found Pepe when I was 40 and he was 50—It was just like, ‘Can we just enjoy this life together?’ I mean, I do yell at him for the toothbrush or something like that still.”
November 2023
On November 4, Longoria attended the 2023 LACMA Art + Film gala, and shared that the iconic LACMA Lights were meaningful to her and Bastón while speaking with reporters at Hello Magazine.
“We love this place very much, it’s very special to us,” she said. “My favorite moment here is [when] I met my husband here, here at LACMA in these lights…He got my phone number at the end at the edge of this exhibit.”
Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.