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Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling have kept their relationship of over 10 years largely private. As both actors do press this April though, they’ve opened up a bit about their deep admiration for each other and why their partnership works so well, especially as they parent their two daughters, 9-year-old Esmerelda Amada and 8-year-old Amada Lee.

Mendes spoke first, telling People that choosing to put her acting career on pause after welcoming her and Gosling’s children “was the easiest decision I’ve ever made. I was older, and I knew that my kids are going to be little once, and whatever I do or don’t do right now is going to affect them the rest of their life.”

“Your career comes and goes, but kids, yeah, that was easy for me,” she continued. “They’re just formative years. I wanted to be there for all of it.”

Mendes added that Gosling supports her “in all the ways I need to be supported. He’s got me in all the ways.” One example is with cooking.

“I’m not a cook so my man cooks, and I clean, so it’s a nice even. I can’t cook. You don’t want me to cook,” she joked. “My girls, they’re so cute but they’re like, ‘Did you make these eggs, mama?’ I’m like, ‘They’re eggs, yes. They’re just regular eggs.’ Who messes up eggs?”

Following Mendes’ interview with People, Gosling spoke about his partner at the L.A. premiere of The Fall Guy with Extra. Mendes was featured in People’s Beautiful issue, so he started by praising his wife’s looks.

“It should just be her in the issue, basically, but I understand they have to have other people in there,” Gosling quipped.

Gosling also spoke about Mendes’ new children’s book, Desi, Mami, and the Never-Ending Worries. Earlier on his The Fall Guy press tour, he wore a T-shirt with the book’s title on it during his Hits Radio interview.

He praised her book further to Extra, saying, “It’s a wonderful book. It’s also in Spanish. I highly recommend it.” When asked if he believes that the book is a tribute to him and their family, he replied, “I’ll let [Eva] speak for it. It’s such a beautiful book, it’s been a few years in the making. We read a lot of kids’ books, and it’s one of the best I have read. It’s really about something and beautiful.”

Of Mendes, Gosling said, “She is with the girls, and when she works, I stay home with the girls, too. I couldn’t be here without her.” She also helps him with work, he added: “She’s also like my acting coach. She has really become the best acting coach I have ever had. It’s endless how much she helps me.”