Eva Longoria has said she believes she’s a naturally cheerful person because her family are such positive people.

She told Parade magazine recently: “I’ve learned there’s no better medicine than laughing.”

“[My sister] Liza is mentally challenged. She was my hero growing up. It was a blessing to watch her overcome every obstacle – tying her shoes, putting on a shirt, getting out the front door. And yet she still had a job and would come home on the bus by herself and help with dinner. You could only imagine the hurdles she encountered every minute of the day.”

“Liza was a role model to get me ready for life in Hollywood. [She taught me] you don’t take health for granted. You don’t take life for granted. It seems so insignificant to go, ‘Darn it, I didn’t get that movie role,’ or, ‘Darn it, so-and-so is wearing the same dress as me to the Emmys.’”

And her mother was a positive influence too: “My mother is the most non-judgmental person in the world. When I said, ‘I’m going to L.A. to be an actress,’ she told me, ‘All right. I hope that makes you happy.’”

And it has made her happy. She added: “I love my husband [Tony Parker] with all my heart. I love my family. And I love my girlfriends. And I live my job. And I love my dogs. I love life, in general.”