Eva Mendes Tears Up as She Says Her Mom Is 'Not Doing Too Well Right Now'

"She's a survivor in every way," Eva Mendes said of her mother while on Today with Hoda & Jenna on Friday

Eva Mendes became emotional as she shared news about her mother's health Friday.

Appearing on a special Mother's Day episode of Today With Hoda & Jenna, the Hitch actress, 48, teared up as co-host Hoda Kotb wished the actress' mom, Eva Pere Suarez, a Happy Mother's Day.

"She's not doing too well right now, so, means a lot to me," Mendes said of Kotb's special message.

She added, "She's a survivor in every way, thank you," before she and Kotb, 57, shared an embrace.

During the sit-down, the mom of two opened up about her motherhood journey. Mendes shares daughters Esmeralda, 7, and Amada, 6, with longtime partner Ryan Gosling.

"Something really crazy happened," Mendes told Kotb of having children in her 40s as she joked, "I met Ryan Gosling, I fell in love with Ryan Gosling, and then I was like 'Oh right. I want your babies.' "

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Angela Weiss/Getty

Added Mendes: "But really consciously I did want to wait until I was a bit older. I just didn't feel -- really it wasn't until I met Ryan and fell in love. But also as a woman, I just wasn't ready. It's such a personal choice for a woman, obviously. Then you run the risk of... you're always running a risk. When I was pregnant there was always something to worry about. But thankfully I had really healthy pregnancies and I was happy I waited."

The Girl in Progress star isn't shy about showing love to Gosling, who she first met while on set for the drama The Place Beyond the Pines in 2012.

Eva Mendes, Ryan Gosling
Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling. Sonia Recchia/Getty

In 2020, she first shared how meeting Gosling changed her desire to have children. During an interview with Nova 96.9's Fitzy & Wippa, she didn't plan on being a mom until she "fell in love" with the actor.

When asked if she was ready to return to acting following a six-year hiatus at the time, Mendes told the Australian radio show, "I am now that [my kids] getting a bit older, but I really feel like I never want to send the wrong message to young women out there. It's not an either/or situation."

RELATED VIDEO: Eva Mendes Calls Parenting Her Two Daughters 'Beautiful and Maddening'

"I was lucky enough to work my bum off for 20 years," she continued.

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"I never wanted babies before until I fell in love with Ryan, and it kind of worked out to where I was 40 and having my first baby. I think I was 42 for the second one, so it worked out in that way that I had a career and then I change my focus to my family."

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