Eva Mendes Reflects on 2016: Grief, Secret Pregnancy, and Healing

The actress took to Instagram, where she shared a string of images from a decade ago. She mentioned the year 2016 was also marked by personal tragedy with the passing of her brother, John, a loss that deeply affected the family.

Dropping a string of images, the actress showcased pictures of her hidden bump, her late brother and the achievements she made. She also shared that the birth of her youngest child brought much-needed strength and healing at a time when they were struggling to cope.

For the caption, she wrote: "2016 - I was hiding my second pregnancy from the public, made some pretty cool biz moves, and heartbreakingly, my brother John passed. Thank God my youngest was born and saved the family."

Looking back, she also recalls a moment close to her heart, seeing her father proudly hold her Latina magazine cover.

She added: "And also shoutout to my proud Papi holding my Latina magazine cover."

Mendes, who is married to actor Ryan Gosling, began her career in the late 1990s with a series of roles in films such as Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror and Urban Legends: Final Cut.

Mendes's performance in Training Day marked a turning point in her career and led to roles in commercially successful films such as All About the Benjamins, 2 Fast 2 Furious and Hitch.

She went on to star in Ghost Rider and The Spirit, both comic book adaptations, and was later seen in dramatic roles in films including We Own the Night, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, Last Night and The Place Beyond the Pines. Her other notable films include Out of Time, The Women, The Other Guys and Girl in Progress.

- IANS