On the 10th anniversary of the action hit, John Wick fans owe a special thank you to star Eva Longoria, as without her help, the movie would never have happened. The action film starring Keanu Reeves went from a little-known movie to a box office hit, launching a hugely successful film franchise where each subsequent entry has grossed more than the last, and with a television series and spin-off films now on the way. Yet it all might not exist without the help of one Desperate Housewives star.
Speaking with Business Insider, John Wick directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch revealed that Eva Longoria put up $6 million less than 24 hours before filming began following one of their investors being unable to secure the money in time. The filmmakers and Reeves had already put in their own money, and producer Basil Iwanyk had maxed out three of his credit cards to contribute to the budget, but they were still short. John Wick‘s final budget is reported to be somewhere between $20 to $30 million. Talent agency CAA was helping put John Wick‘s financing together and offered some of its clients an opportunity to invest in the film as a last attempt. It came under the wire, but in the end, Longoria stepped up. Stahelski explained:
“We were less than a week out and we lost almost $6 million on a gap financing. We were financing independently to get the bond, but one of the investors couldn’t raise the money in time. “[Eva] came to the rescue and she provided the gap financing, literally less than 24 hours before we had to lock the doors on the movie and walk away. Basil took us out to dinner [after filming], and we were laughing about all the bulls–t that happened, and he said, ‘By the way, funny story, you know who gap financed you? Eva Longoria.’ We were like, ‘What!’”
It Was Eva Longoria to the Rescue
To thank her for saving the film, Stahelski and Leitch later took Longoria to Hollywood’s famous Chateau Marmont for lunch. Leitch said that Longoria told them she didn’t know if the film would work, but she was happy about her investment. Longoria would also say that investing the money in John Wick was “the best money” she’d ever spent. Despite being so important to the legacy of John Wick, she has not starred in any entry in the franchise (yet). It appears that isn’t off the table, as Leitch said she wants to do action movies, and he would love to work with her on a film one day. Maybe Longoria will finally get a role in one of the planned John Wick spin-offs.
Longoria is known for starring in television shows like The Young and the Restless, Desperate Housewives, and recently, Land of Women, and recently made her feature film directorial debut with 2023’s Flamin’ Hot. Longoria has also been a savvy business investor for years, opening restaurants, launching a clothing line, and is even part of the ownership group of Angel City FC of the National Women’s Soccer League. This doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of her philanthropic ventures, with her charities, such as Eva’s Heroes and The Eva Longoria Foundation, helping young adults with developmental disabilities and providing Latinas with higher education and work opportunities. Longoria’s history of investing in many projects, charities, and individuals has even become a recurring joke in the newest season of Only Murders in the Building, where she plays a fictionalized version of herself.
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Longoria’s involvement in John Wick is one of those great pieces of news that adds more context to a now iconic film. The fact that it went unreported for so long is fascinating, as Longoria could have mentioned it at any time, but she chose not to. She was a silent partner, letting the movie speak for itself, which paid off both literally and figuratively. John Wick went on to gross $86 million worldwide, and the now four-film franchise has grossed $1 billion at the worldwide box office. That $6 million sure went a long way. Now, when fans watch John Wick, they can thank Eva Longoria for the pleasure.