Eva Longoria Took a ‘Gamble’ Investing in Keanu Reeves'John Wick. 10 Years Later, She’s Earned $12 Million and Counting

Mar. 15, 2025

Eva Longoria on Sept. 21 (left) and Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick.'.Photo:Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty; Chad Stahelski / David LeitchThunder Road Pictures/Lionsgate/87Eleven/Mjw Films/Summit Entertainment

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty; Chad Stahelski / David LeitchThunder Road Pictures/Lionsgate/87Eleven/Mjw Films/Summit Entertainment

Eva Longoriadoes not appear in the 2014 action hitJohn Wick. She didn’t write it or direct it, either.But the movie — starringKeanu Reeves,Willem DafoeandBridget Moynihan— has paid her handsomely over the past decade, thanks to a $6 million investment she was advised to make.The formerDesperate Housewivesstarrevealed toBusiness Insiderhow she came to put up a chunk of her own money to help make the movie, which was in danger of falling apart after directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch lost financing at the eleventh hour.“An agent, and he wasn’t even my agent, he called me and said, ‘You got money, you should put your money here.’ And I didn’t even know how a movie was made. I was like, ‘What do you mean gap financing?’” she told the outlet.Eva Longoria on Oct. 5.Lyvans Boolaky/GettyLongoria invested the money, the movie was completed, and it went on to make $86 million at the worldwide box office. In the years since, the former soap opera star has reaped the rewards of her investment, but she told the outlet she isn’t sure how much she’s made. There are, however, a lot of zeroes involved.“I would have to check. More than double, for sure,” she said.Longoria also confirmed she still receives checks from the movie to this day — but she’s annoyed at herself for not continuing her involvement in the franchise, which includes four films.“What I’m pissed off about is I wasn’t connected to the rest of them. This was a one-time thing. That was the gamble. But that was my only mistake, not being attached to all of the films,” she said.Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick.'.David Lee/Thunder Road/Lionsgate/Mjw/Summit/Kobal/ShutterstockWhile Longoria doesn’t often think about her involvement in the movie — the directors never forgot what she did.“I remember last year at one of the Oscar dinners, I’m sitting at my table and across from me is David Leitch and his wife. And I didn’t recognize him at first. He goes, ‘Hello,’ and I go, ‘Hi.’ And he goes, ‘It’s David.’ And I’m like, ‘Hi?’ And he was like, ‘You changed my life,’ said Longoria.“Then I realized who it was. We hadn’t spoken in 10 years. I never saw them again, and I didn’t need to because I was getting the checks,” she said with a laugh. “ But it was such a serendipitous moment to sit with him and get the inside story of what happened. My husband was there and was like, ‘What did you do?’ I was like, ‘John Wick.’”Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick.'.David Lee/Thunder Road/Lionsgate/Mjw/Summit/Kobal/ShutterstockLongoria noted that herhusband José Bastónis friends with the head of Lionsgate, the studio behind the action series. “He’ll say to him sometimes, ‘I see we wrote a check to Eva this week.’ But the geniuses were Chad and David and the star that was Keanu. I just wrote the check,” she said.Since putting her own money inJohn Wick, Longoria has become a shrewd businesswoman, investing in sports teams and starting her own production company, Hyphenate Media Group.

Eva Longoriadoes not appear in the 2014 action hitJohn Wick. She didn’t write it or direct it, either.

But the movie — starringKeanu Reeves,Willem DafoeandBridget Moynihan— has paid her handsomely over the past decade, thanks to a $6 million investment she was advised to make.

The formerDesperate Housewivesstarrevealed toBusiness Insiderhow she came to put up a chunk of her own money to help make the movie, which was in danger of falling apart after directors Chad Stahelski and David Leitch lost financing at the eleventh hour.

“An agent, and he wasn’t even my agent, he called me and said, ‘You got money, you should put your money here.’ And I didn’t even know how a movie was made. I was like, ‘What do you mean gap financing?’” she told the outlet.

Eva Longoria on Oct. 5.Lyvans Boolaky/Getty

Lyvans Boolaky/Getty

Longoria invested the money, the movie was completed, and it went on to make $86 million at the worldwide box office. In the years since, the former soap opera star has reaped the rewards of her investment, but she told the outlet she isn’t sure how much she’s made. There are, however, a lot of zeroes involved.

“I would have to check. More than double, for sure,” she said.

Longoria also confirmed she still receives checks from the movie to this day — but she’s annoyed at herself for not continuing her involvement in the franchise, which includes four films.

“What I’m pissed off about is I wasn’t connected to the rest of them. This was a one-time thing. That was the gamble. But that was my only mistake, not being attached to all of the films,” she said.

Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick.'.David Lee/Thunder Road/Lionsgate/Mjw/Summit/Kobal/Shutterstock

David Lee/Thunder Road/Lionsgate/Mjw/Summit/Kobal/Shutterstock

While Longoria doesn’t often think about her involvement in the movie — the directors never forgot what she did.

“I remember last year at one of the Oscar dinners, I’m sitting at my table and across from me is David Leitch and his wife. And I didn’t recognize him at first. He goes, ‘Hello,’ and I go, ‘Hi.’ And he goes, ‘It’s David.’ And I’m like, ‘Hi?’ And he was like, ‘You changed my life,’ said Longoria.

“Then I realized who it was. We hadn’t spoken in 10 years. I never saw them again, and I didn’t need to because I was getting the checks,” she said with a laugh. “ But it was such a serendipitous moment to sit with him and get the inside story of what happened. My husband was there and was like, ‘What did you do?’ I was like, ‘John Wick.’”

Longoria noted that herhusband José Bastónis friends with the head of Lionsgate, the studio behind the action series. “He’ll say to him sometimes, ‘I see we wrote a check to Eva this week.’ But the geniuses were Chad and David and the star that was Keanu. I just wrote the check,” she said.

Since putting her own money inJohn Wick, Longoria has become a shrewd businesswoman, investing in sports teams and starting her own production company, Hyphenate Media Group.

source: people.com