Eva Mendes has signed on to play a Spanish drug lord in the upcoming drama Queen of the South

Eva Mendes went to rehab for research?

The move has sparked rumors that Eva Mendes checking herself into celebrity rehab center Utah's Cirque Lodge in January, was research. At the time, her rep said that the 30-year-old actress was "proactively attending to some personal issues."

Hollywood acting coach John Kirby tells Star that he wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. "It's not unusual at all for an actor or actress to go to the extreme of checking into rehab to prepare for a character," says Kirby. "In fact, I would encourage that for my students, because you want to fully immerse yourself in that role."

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