Eva Longoria explains how 'Desperate Housewives' role became ‘big deal’ for Latino stars

Eva Longoria has recently explained how her role in Desperate Housewives would be a “big deal” for Latino celebrities.

In an exclusive clip obtained by PEOPLE from the upcoming primetime special Latinos in Hollywood: Owning Our Destiny, Eva said, “I didn’t know it was a big deal.”

“People kept telling me, ‘This is a big deal.’ I was a Mexican woman with a white gardener,” stated the 49-year-old.

The host of the primetime special Jack Rico revealed that Eva also offered a “complex, nuanced and layered” performance in the hit show.

Jack pointed out that Eva was also a top-earning TV actress at the time.

“She was breaking ceilings, and there was nothing that was going to stop her,” added the host.

Earlier in June, Eva mentioned that the show “changed everything for her during an appearance on Today with Hoda and Jenna.

“It was a decade of my life and it was the No. 1 show in the world, so I just remember the first time I went to London,” continued the actress.

Eva told the host, “I had never been to London before, and there was a big crowd of people outside the hotel. And I was like, ‘Gosh, who’s here? Is Bono here? Somebody important must be here!’ And the driver was like, 'You…’ And I was like, ‘No, somebody like, big. Like a big deal!”