Eva Longoria is Maxim's Woman of the Year

Eva Longoria is ready to take over 2014 - starting with the cover of Maxim magazine.

The 38-year-old actress has been selected as Maxim's Woman of the Year, and while the magazine doesn't explicitly say why we don't have a hard time guessing.

Longoria kept a lower profile on the acting front during 2013, but that was probably because she was wielding her steadily growing influence elsewhere. Formerly known as just one of the "Desperate Housewives," Longoria has spun her fame into taking on the restaurant industry, political activism and TV production.

She helped launch a new primetime soap, "Devious Maids," last year, in addition to the dating competition, "Ready for Love." Somehow, she also found time to complete a Master's in Chicano Studies while gaining a political reputation strong enough that some have suggested she should transition to D.C.'s machine full-time.

But, thankfully for those of us who are entertained by her commitment to story-telling, that's not where Longoria's interest lies.

"I don't need to be appointed or elected," she told the New York Times last June. "You think Hollywood is nasty? Try D.C."

Instead, she's chasing more creative pursuits both behind and in front of the camera. This year, she's working on a documentary, a new TV series and three new theatrical dramas, two of which are scheduled to arrive during 2014.