Eva Longoria is known for her acting and producing career, but it turns out her savvy investment in the John Wick franchise was a game-changer that continues to pay off. 

Longoria recently shared how her unexpected role in the film's success has led to ongoing financial gains, even though she initially didn’t realize the impact of her decision.

In a recent interview with Business Insider, Longoria revealed how she came to invest in the first John Wick movie, which became a major hit upon its release in 2014. The film, starring Keanu Reeves and directed by Chad Stahelski, was in danger of being halted before production even began due to a budget shortfall.

Co-directors Stahelski and David Leitch, along with producer Basil Iwanyk, had already invested their own money, and Iwanyk even maxed out three credit cards to keep the project going.

When the film’s financing was on the line, John Wick co-directors and talent agents reached out to potential investors, including Longoria. Although she wasn’t an expert in film production or investment at the time, she agreed to step in and provide the crucial “gap financing” just in time.

“I had no idea what I was doing,” Longoria confessed. “I would love to say I was an investment genius and just knew and calculated my risk. No, none of that.”

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Longoria admitted that the agent who reached out to her was not even her own, but a colleague who believed in the potential of the film. She was unfamiliar with the concept of "gap financing" but decided to take the plunge anyway.

Looking back, Longoria realizes that her decision to invest in John Wick ignited a passion for film production. 

“I didn’t even know how a movie was made,” she laughed. But the experience sparked her interest in the industry, and she’s since gone on to produce several other projects.

Despite not being directly involved in the film’s creative process, Longoria’s financial support was instrumental in getting the movie off the ground. Fast forward to today, and she’s still benefiting from her initial investment.

In a lighthearted moment, Longoria shared, “My husband is friends with the head of Lionsgate, and he’ll say to him sometimes, ‘I see we wrote a check to Eva this week.’” 

She humbly credits the true genius behind John Wick to the filmmakers and cast: “The geniuses were Chad and David and the star that was Keanu. I just wrote the check.”