Salma Hayek


Salma Hayek Pinault is a Mexican and American film actress and producer. She began her career in Mexico starring in the telenovela Teresa and starred in the film El Callejón de los Milagros for which she was nominated for an Ariel Award. In 1991, Hayek moved to Hollywood and came to prominence with roles in films such as Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, Wild Wild West, and Dogma.
Her breakthrough role was in the 2002 film Frida, as Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, for which she was nominated for Best Actress for the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award, and which she also produced. This movie received widespread attention and was a critical and commercial success.
She won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Children/Youth/Family Special for The Maldonado Miracle in 2004, and received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series after guest-starring in the ABC television comedy-drama Ugly Betty in 2007. She also guest-starred on the NBC comedy series 30 Rock from 2009 to 2013. In 2017, she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her role in Beatriz at Dinner.
Hayek's recent films include Grown Ups, Puss in Boots, Grown Ups 2, Tale of Tales, The Hitman's Bodyguard and Like a Boss.

Early life

Salma Hayek Jiménez was born in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico. Her father, Sami Hayek Domínguez, is Lebanese Mexican, hailing from the city of Baabdat, Lebanon, a city Salma and her father visited in 2015 to promote her movie Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet. He owns an industrial-equipment firm and is an oil company executive in Mexico, who once ran for mayor of Coatzacoalcos. Her mother, Diana Jiménez Medina, is an opera singer and talent scout, and is Mexican of Spanish descent. In an interview in 2015 with Un Nuevo Día while visiting Madrid, Hayek described herself as fifty-percent Lebanese and fifty-percent Spanish, stating that her grandmother/maternal great-grandparents were from Spain. Her younger brother, Sami, is a furniture designer.
Hayek was raised in a wealthy, devout Roman Catholic family, and at age 12 was sent to the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. In school, she was diagnosed with dyslexia. She attended university at the Universidad Iberoamericana where she studied International Relations. In a 2011 interview with V magazine, Hayek mentioned that she was once an illegal immigrant in the United States, although it was not for a long period of time.

Career

Mexico

At the age of 23, Hayek landed the title role in Teresa, a successful Mexican telenovela that made her a star in Mexico. In 1994, Hayek starred in the film El Callejón de los Milagros, which has won more awards than any other movie in the history of Mexican cinema. For her performance, Hayek was nominated for an Ariel Award.

Early Hollywood acting work

Hayek moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1991 to study acting under Stella Adler. She had limited fluency in English, and dyslexia. Robert Rodriguez, and his producer and then-wife, Elizabeth Avellan, soon gave Hayek a starring role opposite Antonio Banderas in 1995's Desperado. She followed her role in Desperado with a brief role as a vampire queen in From Dusk till Dawn, in which she performed an erotic table-top snake dance.
Hayek had a starring role opposite Matthew Perry in the 1997 romantic comedy Fools Rush In. In 1999, she co-starred in Will Smith's Wild Wild West. She also played a supporting role in Kevin Smith's Dogma film as Serendipity. In 2000, Hayek had an uncredited acting part opposite Benicio del Toro in Traffic. In 2003, she reprised her role from Desperado by appearing in Once Upon a Time in Mexico, the final film of the Mariachi Trilogy.

Director, producer and actress

Around 2000, Hayek founded film production company Ventanarosa, through which she produces film and television projects. Her first feature as a producer was 1999's El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba, Mexico's official selection for submission for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars.
Frida, co-produced by Hayek, was released in 2002. Starring Hayek as Frida Kahlo, and Alfred Molina as her unfaithful husband, Diego Rivera, the film was directed by Julie Taymor and featured an entourage of stars in supporting and minor roles and cameos. She earned a Best Actress Academy Award nomination for her performance.
In the Time of the Butterflies is a 2001 feature film based on the Julia Álvarez book of the same name, covering the lives of the Mirabal sisters. In the movie, Salma Hayek plays one of the sisters, Minerva, and Edward James Olmos plays the Dominican dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo whom the sisters opposed.
at the Puss in Boots premiere in 2011
In 2003, Hayek produced and directed The Maldonado Miracle, a Showtime movie based on the book of the same name, winning her a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Children/Youth/Family Special. In December 2005, she directed a music video for Prince, titled "Te Amo Corazon" that featured Mía Maestro.
Hayek was an executive producer of Ugly Betty, a television series that aired around the world from 2006 to 2010. Hayek adapted the series for American television with Ben Silverman, who acquired the rights and scripts from the Colombian telenovela Yo Soy Betty La Fea in 2001. Originally intended as a half-hour sitcom for NBC in 2004, the project would later be picked up by ABC for the 2006–2007 season with Silvio Horta also producing. Hayek guest-starred on Ugly Betty as Sofia Reyes, a magazine editor. She also had a cameo playing an actress in the telenovela within the show. The show won a Golden Globe Award for Best Comedy Series in 2007. Hayek's performance as Sofia resulted in a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards.
In April 2007, Hayek finalized negotiations with MGM to become the CEO of her own Latin-themed film production company, Ventanarosa. The following month, she signed a two-year deal with ABC for Ventanarosa to develop projects for the network.
Hayek played the wife of Adam Sandler's character in the buddy comedy Grown Ups, which also co-starred Chris Rock and Kevin James. At his insistence, Hayek co-starred with Antonio Banderas in the Shrek spin-off film Puss in Boots as the voice of the character Kitty Softpaws, who serves as Puss in Boots's female counterpart and love interest. In 2012, Hayek directed Jada Pinkett Smith in the music video "Nada Se Compara." She reprised her role in Grown Ups 2, which was released in July 2013.
At the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con it was announced that she will star as Ajak in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film The Eternals, directed by Chloé Zhao and scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on February 12, 2021.

Promotional work

Hayek has been a spokeswoman for Avon cosmetics since February 2004. She was a spokeswoman for Revlon in 1998. In 2001, she modeled for Chopard and was featured in 2006 Campari ads, photographed by Mario Testino. On April 3, 2009, she helped introduce La Doña, a watch by Cartier inspired by fellow Mexican actress María Félix.
Hayek has worked with the Procter & Gamble Company and UNICEF to promote the funding of vaccines against maternal and neonatal tetanus. She is a global spokesperson for the Pampers/UNICEF "partnership" 1 Pack = 1 Vaccine to help raise awareness of the program. This "partnership" involves Procter & Gamble donating the cost of one tetanus vaccination for every pack of Pampers sold.
In 2008, Hayek co-founded Juice Generation's juice delivery program Cooler Cleanse. In 2017, she and Juice Generation founder Eric Helms launched the beauty subscription delivery service Blend It Yourself, based on Hayek's personal beauty elixirs. It supplies subscribers with the prepared organic frozen smoothie and acai bowl ingredients, some of which can also be applied as face masks. She also wrote the foreword to Helms' 2014 book The Juice Generation: 100 Recipes for Fresh Juices and Superfood Smoothies.
In 2011, Hayek launched her own line of cosmetics, skincare, and haircare products called Nuance by Salma Hayek, to be sold at CVS stores in North America. Hayek was also featured in a series of Spanish language commercials for Lincoln cars.

Art

In spring 2006, the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center in San Antonio, Texas displayed sixteen portrait paintings by muralist George Yepes and filmmaker Robert Rodriguez of Hayek as Aztec goddess Itzpapalotl.

Personal life

Hayek is a naturalized United States citizen. She studied at Ramtha's School of Enlightenment and is a practitioner of yoga. Hayek, who was raised Catholic, has said she is not very devout anymore and does not believe in the institution, but still believes in Jesus Christ and God.
On March 9, 2007, Hayek confirmed her engagement to French billionaire and Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault as well as her pregnancy. She gave birth to her daughter Valentina Paloma Pinault in September 2007 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. They were married on Valentine's Day 2009 in Paris. On April 25, 2009, they had a second ceremony in Venice.
On December 13, 2017, Hayek published an op-ed in The New York Times stating that she had been harassed and abused by Harvey Weinstein during the production of Frida.
In 2019, the Pinault family pledged US$113 million to support the reconstruction efforts of the burned Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France.

Activism

Hayek's charitable work includes increasing awareness on violence against women and discrimination against immigrants. On July 19, 2005, Hayek testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary supporting reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. In February 2006, she donated $25,000 to a Coatzacoalcos, Mexico, shelter for battered women and another $50,000 to Monterrey based anti-domestic violence groups. Hayek is a board member of V-Day, the charity founded by playwright Eve Ensler. Nonetheless, Hayek has stated that she is not a feminist. She later revised her stance on this, stating: "I am a feminist because a lot of amazing women have made me who I am today. But – it should not be just because I am a woman".
Hayek also advocates breastfeeding. During a UNICEF fact-finding trip to Sierra Leone, she breastfed a hungry week-old baby whose mother could not produce milk. She said she did it to reduce the stigma associated with breastfeeding and to encourage infant nutrition.
In 2010, Hayek's humanitarian work earned her a nomination for the VH1 Do Something Awards. In 2013, Hayek launched with Beyoncé and Frida Giannini a Gucci campaign, "Chime for Change", that aims to spread female empowerment.
For International Women's Day 2014 Hayek was one of the artist signatories of Amnesty International's letter, to then British Prime Minister David Cameron, campaigning for women's rights in Afghanistan. Following her visit to Lebanon in 2015, Hayek criticized the discrimination against women there.
In 2020, Hayek raised awareness for the disappearance of Vanessa Guillen through her Instagram.

Honors and awards

In July 2007, The Hollywood Reporter ranked Hayek fourth in their inaugural Latino Power 50, a list of the most powerful members of the Hollywood Latino community. That same month, a poll found Hayek to be the "sexiest celebrity" out of a field of 3,000 celebrities ; according to the poll, "65 percent of the U.S. population would use the term 'sexy' to describe her". In 2008, she was awarded the Women in Film Lucy Award in recognition of her excellence and innovation in her creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television. In December of that year, Entertainment Weekly ranked Hayek number 17 in their list of the "25 Smartest People in TV."
She was one of fifteen women selected to appear on the cover of the September 2019 issue of British Vogue, by guest editor Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

Filmography

Film

YearFilmRoleNotes
1993Mi Vida LocaGata
1994RoadracersDonna
1995El Callejón de los MilagrosAlma' Spanish-language
Nominated–Ariel Award for Best Actress
1995DesperadoCarolinaNominated–Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated–MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss
Also sang Quedate Aquí in film
1995Fair GameRita
1995Four RoomsTV Dancing Girl
1996From Dusk till DawnSantanico Pandemonium
1996Follow Me HomeBetty
1996FledCora
1997Fools Rush InIsabel FuentesNominated–ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film
1997Breaking UpMonica
1997Sistole DiastoleCarmelita
199854AnitaNominated–ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film
1998The Velocity of GaryMary Carmen
1998The FacultyNurse Harper
1999DogmaSerendipityNominated–Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress
1999El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le EscribaJulia' Spanish-language
1999Wild Wild WestRita EscobarBlockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress – Action
Nominated–ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film
Nominated–Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress
2000TimecodeRose
2000Living It UpLola
2000Chain of FoolsSergeant Meredith Kolko
2000TrafficRosarioUncredited
2001HotelCharlee Boux
2001In the Time of the ButterfliesMinerva MirabalAlso executive producer
ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor/Actress in a Made for Television Movie or Miniseries
Nominated–Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress in a Picture Made for Television
2002FridaFrida KahloAlso producer
Golden Camera for Best International Actress
Imagen Award for Best Actress – Film
Nominated–Academy Award for Best Actress
Nominated–BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role
Nominated–Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress
Nominated–Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress
Nominated–Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress
Nominated–Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Nominated–Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama
Nominated–Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role
Also sang La Bruja, a Mexican folk song, with band Los Vega
2003'Francesca Giggles
2003Once Upon a Time in MexicoCarolinaAlso sang Siente mi Amor which played over end credits
2003'Herself
2004After the SunsetLola Cirillo
2006Ask the DustCamilla Lopez
2006BandidasSara Sandoval
2006Lonely HeartsMartha BeckNominated–San Sebastián International Film Festival Award for Best Actress
2007Across the UniverseBang Bang Shoot Shoot NursesAlso sang a cover of Beatles song "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" on the soundtrack as duet partner of Joe Anderson
2009Madame Truska
2010Grown UpsRoxanne
2011Puss in BootsKitty Softpaws Nominated–Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress: Action
2011AmericanoLolaNominated–San Sebastián International Film Festival Award for Best Actress
2011La chispa de la vidaLuisaNominated–Goya Award for Best Actress
2012The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!Cutlass Liz
2012SavagesElena
2012Here Comes the BoomBella Flores
2013Grown Ups 2Roxanne Chase-FederNominated–Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress
2014Muppets Most WantedHerself
2014Kahlil Gibran's The ProphetKamila Also producer
2014EverlyEverlyDirect-to-video
2014Some Kind of BeautifulOliviaDirect-to-video
2015Tale of TalesQueen of Longtrellis
2015Septembers of ShirazFarnezAlso executive producer, direct-to-video
2016Sausage PartyTheresa Taco
2017Beatriz at DinnerBeatrizNominated–Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead
2017How to Be a Latin LoverSara
2017The Hitman's BodyguardSonia Kincaid
2018The Hummingbird ProjectEva Torres
2019Drunk ParentsNancy
2020Like a BossClaire Luna
2020The Roads Not TakenDolores
2021The EternalsAjakPost-production
2021The Hitman's Wife's BodyguardSonia KincaidPost-production
BlissIsabelPost-production

Television

Event appearances