Salma Hayek Pinault ( , ; born Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez; September 2, 1966) is a Mexican and American actress and film producer. She began her career in Mexico with starring roles in the

telenovela A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") and ''novela'' (meaning "novel"). Similar drama genres around the world include '' teleserye'' ...

Teresa Teresa (also Theresa, Therese; french: Thérèse) is a feminine given name. It originates in the Iberian Peninsula in late antiquity. Its derivation is uncertain, it may be derived from Greek θερίζω (''therízō'') "to harvest or re ...

'' (1989–1991) as well as the romantic drama '' El Callejón de los Milagros'' (1995), for which she received an

Ariel Award The Ariel Award ( es, Premio Ariel) is an award that recognizes the best of Mexican cinema. Given annually, since 1946, by the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences (AMACC), the award recognizes artistical and technical excel ...

nomination. She soon established herself in Hollywood with appearances in films such as ''

Desperado Desperado may refer to: * Outlaw, particularly in the American Old West Books * ''Desperadoes'' (comics), a comic book series * ''Desperadoes'' (novel), a 1979 novel by Ron Hansen * Desperado Publishing, an American independent comic book publ ...

'' (1995), ''

From Dusk till Dawn ''From Dusk till Dawn'' is a 1996 American action horror film directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Quentin Tarantino from a concept and story by Robert Kurtzman. Starring Harvey Keitel, George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Ernest Liu, and ...

'' (1996), ''

Wild Wild West ''Wild Wild West'' is a 1999 American steampunk Western film co-produced and directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and written by S. S. Wilson and Brent Maddock alongside Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman, from a story penned by brothers Jim and John ...

'' (1999), and ''

Dogma Dogma is a belief or set of beliefs that is accepted by the members of a group without being questioned or doubted. It may be in the form of an official system of principles or doctrines of a religion, such as Roman Catholicism, Judaism, Isla ...

'' (1999). Hayek's portrayal of painter Frida Kahlo in the biographical film ''

Frida ''Frida'' is a 2002 American biographical drama film directed by Julie Taymor which depicts the professional and private life of the surrealist Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Starring Salma Hayek in an Academy Award–nominated portrayal as K ...

'' (2002), which she also produced, made her the first Mexican actress to be nominated for the

Academy Award for Best Actress The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role in a film released that year ...

and additionally earned her Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and

British Academy Film Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...

nominations. In subsequent years, Hayek focused more on producing while starring in the action-centered pictures ''

Once Upon a Time in Mexico ''Once Upon a Time in Mexico'' (also known as ''Desperado 2'') is a 2003 American neo-Western action film written, directed, produced, photographed, scored, and edited by Robert Rodriguez. It is the third and final film in Rodriguez's '' Mexico ...

'' (2003), ''

After the Sunset ''After the Sunset'' is a 2004 American heist action comedy film directed by Brett Ratner and starring Pierce Brosnan as Max Burdett, a master thief caught in a pursuit with FBI agent Stan Lloyd, played by Woody Harrelson. It was shot in the Bah ...

'' (2004) and ''

Bandidas ''Bandidas'' is a 2006 Western action comedy film starring Salma Hayek and Penélope Cruz directed by Norwegian directors Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg and produced and written by Luc Besson. It tells the tale of two very different women in ...

'' (2006). She achieved further commercial success with the comedies '' Grown Ups'' (2010), '' Grown Ups 2'' (2013) and ''

The Hitman's Bodyguard ''The Hitman's Bodyguard'' is a 2017 American action comedy film directed by Patrick Hughes and starring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Oldman, and Salma Hayek. The film follows a bodyguard (Reynolds) who must protect a convicted hitman ...

'' (2017); lent her voice for the animated ''

Puss in Boots "Puss in Boots" ( it, Il gatto con gli stivali) is an Italian fairy tale, later spread throughout the rest of Europe, about an anthropomorphic cat who uses trickery and deceit to gain power, wealth, and the hand of a princess in marriage for ...

'' (2011), ''

The Pirates! ''The Pirates!'' is a series of five comedy books following a group of pirates on their adventures. It is written by British author Gideon Defoe and was published starting in 2004 by Weidenfeld & Nicolson. The fifth book, ''The Pirates! in an A ...

'' (2012) and ''

Sausage Party ''Sausage Party'' is a 2016 adult computer-animated comedy film directed by Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan and written by Kyle Hunter, Ariel Shaffir, Seth Rogen, and Evan Goldberg from a story by Rogen, Goldberg, and Jonah Hill. The film follo ...

'' (2016); and received critical acclaim for her performances in the dramas '' Tale of Tales'' (2015), ''

Beatriz at Dinner ''Beatriz at Dinner'' is a 2017 comedy-drama film directed by Miguel Arteta from a screenplay by Mike White. The film stars Salma Hayek, John Lithgow, Connie Britton, Jay Duplass, Amy Landecker, Chloë Sevigny, and David Warshofsky. ''Beat ...

'' (2017) and ''

House of Gucci ''House of Gucci'' is a 2021 American biographical crime drama film directed by Ridley Scott, based on the 2001 book ''The House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed'' by Sara Gay Forden. The film follows Patri ...

'' (2021). She played

Ajak Ajak is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, Ajak first appeared in ''The Eternals'' #2 (August 1976), he was created by Jack Kirby. The character is usually depicted as a mem ...

in the

Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by ...

film '' Eternals'' (2021), which emerged as her highest-grossing

live action Live action (or live-action) is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live-action with animation to create a live-action animated film. Live-action is used to define film, video ...

film. Hayek's directing, producing and acting work on television has earned her four Emmy Awards nominations. She won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Children Special for ''The Maldonado Miracle'' (2004) and received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations, one for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series and the other for Outstanding Comedy Series, for her work on the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

television comedy-drama ''

Ugly Betty ''Ugly Betty'' is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which was originally broadcast on ABC. It premiered on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombi ...

'' (2006–10). She also produced and played Minerva Mirabal in the

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...

film ''

In the Time of the Butterflies ''In the Time of the Butterflies'' is a historical fiction novel by Julia Alvarez, relating a fictionalized account of the Mirabal sisters during the time of the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. The book is written in the firs ...

'' (2001) and guest-starred on the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

comedy series '' 30 Rock'' (2009–2013). As a public figure, Hayek has been cited as one of Hollywood's most powerful and influential Latina actresses as well as one of the world's most beautiful women by various media outlets. She is married to business magnate

François-Henri Pinault François-Henri Pinault (; born ) is a French businessman, the chairman and CEO of Kering since 2005, and president of Groupe Artémis since 2003. Under his leadership, the retail conglomerate PPR was transformed into the luxury fashion group Ker ...

, with whom she has a daughter.

Early life

Salma Hayek Jiménez was born in

Coatzacoalcos Coatzacoalcos () is a major port city in the southern part of the Mexican state of Veracruz, mostly on the western side of the Coatzacoalcos River estuary, on the Bay of Campeche, on the southern Gulf of Mexico coast. The city serves as the municip ...

Veracruz Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...

, Mexico. Her father, Sami Hayek Domínguez, is of Lebanese descent. His ancestors hail from the city of

Baabdat Baabdat ( ar, بعبدات) is a town located in the Matn District of Mount Lebanon, 22 km from Beirut at an altitude ranging between 600 and 1100 meters above sea level. The lush pine forests that surround the town make it a very popular s ...

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...

, 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; he once ran for mayor of Coatzacoalcos. Her mother, Diana Jiménez Medina, is an opera singer and talent scout; she is of Spanish descent. While visiting

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the Largest cities of the Europ ...

in an interview in 2015 with ''

Un Nuevo Día ''Un Nuevo Día'' (''A New Day'') is an American television morning show which aired on Telemundo from 2008 to 2021. It originally premiered in 2008 as ''¡Levántate!'' (''Get Up!''), which was produced from Telemundo's studios in Puerto Rico ...

'', Hayek described herself as fifty-percent Lebanese and fifty-percent Spanish saying that her grandmother/maternal great-grandparents were from Spain. Her younger brother, Sami, is a furniture designer. Hayek was raised in a wealthy, devout

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

family, and at age 12 opted to study at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in

Grand Coteau, Louisiana Grand Coteau is a town in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 947 at the 2010 census. Grand Coteau is on Interstate 49 south of Opelousas and is part of the Opelousas– Eunice Micropolitan Statistical Area. Th ...

. In school, she was diagnosed with dyslexia. She attended university at the

Universidad Iberoamericana The Ibero-American University ( es, Universidad Iberoamericana), also referred to by its acronym ''UIA'' but commonly known as ''Ibero'' or ''La Ibero'') is a private, Catholic, Mexican higher education institution, sponsored by the Mexican provi ...

studying

international relations International relations (IR), sometimes referred to as international studies and international affairs, is the scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. In a broader sense, it concerns all activities between states—such a ...

. 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

Early roles in Mexico (1988–1994)

Hayek's first screen appearance was in the television series in ''Un Nuevo Amanecer'' (1988), which earned her the

TVyNovelas Award The Premios TVyNovelas are presented annually by Televisa and the magazine TVyNovelas to honor the best Mexican television productions, including telenovelas. Instituted in 1983, the award ceremony rotates between Mexico City and Acapulco. The ...

for Best Debut Actress.

Televisa Grupo Televisa is a Mexican multimedia mass media company. A major Latin American mass media corporation, it often presents itself as the largest producer of Spanish-language content. In April 2021, Televisa and Univision Communications announce ...

subsequently selected Hayek, who was 23 at the time, to play the title role in ''

'' (1989–1991), a successful Mexican

that made her a star in Mexico. The series ran for two years and 125 episodes, and earned her the 1990

TVyNovelas Award for Best Female Revelation These women won the ''TVyNovelas Award'' for executing the best performance by a woman in her debut telenovela. Winners and nominees 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s Records * Most nominated actress: Angélica Rivera with 2 nominations ...

. Determined to pursue a film career in Hollywood, Hayek moved to Los Angeles in 1991 following the conclusion of ''Teresa''. With limited fluency in English and dyslexia, she soon enrolled in English lessons and studied acting under

Stella Adler Stella Adler (February 10, 1901 – December 21, 1992) was an American actress and acting teacher.
''

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

women", and was once even told that her accent would "make moviegoers think of housekeepers". During this period, she secured guest-spots in television series such as '' Dream On'' (1992) and ''

The Sinbad Show ''The Sinbad Show'' is an American sitcom starring comedian David "Sinbad" Adkins that was premiered on September 16 of 1993 on Fox. The show's main plot is about a bachelor taking in two orphaned children. Chuck Brown performed this sitcom's th ...

'' (1993) as well as supporting roles in the drama ''

Mi Vida Loca ''Mi Vida Loca'' (also known as ''My Crazy Life'') is a 1993 American drama film directed and written by Allison Anders. It centers on the plight of cholas (the female counterparts to cholos) growing up in the Echo Park section of Los Angeles, w ...

'' (1993), and the made-for-

thriller '' Roadracers'' (1994), her first collaboration with director

Robert Rodriguez Robert Anthony Rodriguez (; born June 20, 1968) is an American filmmaker, composer, and visual effects supervisor. He shoots, edits, produces, and scores many of his films in Mexico and in his home state of Texas. Rodriguez directed the 1992 ac ...

. In 1994, Hayek was cast as Alma, a poverty-stricken young woman who becomes a

sex worker A sex worker is a person who provides sex work, either on a regular or occasional basis. The term is used in reference to those who work in all areas of the sex industry.Oxford English Dictionary, "sex worker" According to one view, sex work i ...

, in

Jorge Fons Jorge Fons Pérez (23 April 1939 – 22 September 2022) was a Mexican film director. He belonged to the first generation of film directors of the UNAM. His short film, ''Caridad'' (1973), is still considered one of the best films in Mexican c ...

's drama '' El Callejón de los Milagros'' (''Miracle Alley''), which was based on the 1940s eponymous novel by Egyptian

Naguib Mahfouz Naguib Mahfouz Abdelaziz Ibrahim Ahmed Al-Basha ( arz, نجيب محفوظ عبد العزيز ابراهيم احمد الباشا, ; 11 December 1911 – 30 August 2006) was an Egyptian writer who won the 1988 Nobel Prize in Literature. M ...

and translated from

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the Capital city, capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, List of ...

Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital city, capital and primate city, largest city of Mexico, and the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North Amer ...

. The film was the subject of critical acclaim, reportedly won more awards than any other movie in the history of

Mexican cinema Mexican cinema dates to the late nineteenth century during the rule of President Porfirio Díaz. Seeing a demonstration of short films in 1896, Díaz immediately saw the importance of documenting his presidency in order to present an ideal ...

, and earned Hayek a nomination for the Ariel Award for Best Actress.

Hollywood breakthrough (1995–2001)

Robert Rodriguez and his co-producer and then-wife, Elizabeth Avellan, cast Hayek in the starring role of the self-confident and feisty Carolina, opposite Antonio Banderas, in ''

'' (1995), widely considered her breakout film. Describing film's process as "grueling", Hayek had to audition several times for Rodriguez before landing the part and a love scene in the script proved particularly difficult for her to film, because she did not want to be nude on camera. She once remarked: "It took eight hours o filminstead of an hour". Budgeted at $7 million, ''Desperado'' was a commercial success, grossing $25.4 million in the United States. She followed it with a brief role as a

vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deat ...

queen in Rodriguez's cult horror film ''

'' (1996), in which she performed an erotic table-top snake dance. In 1996, she also appeared in the drama '' Follow Me Home'' and the cop comedy ''

Fled ''Fled'' is a 1996 American buddy action comedy film directed by Kevin Hooks. It stars Laurence Fishburne and Stephen Baldwin as two prisoners chained together who flee during an escape attempt gone bad. Plot An interrogator prepares a man to ...

''. Hayek starred as a photographer and the on-and-off girlfriend of a New York City architect, opposite

Matthew Perry Matthew Langford Perry (born August 19, 1969) is an American-Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom ''Friends'' (1994–2004). As well as starring in the short-lived television series '' St ...

, in the romantic comedy '' Fools Rush In'' (1997). Film critic Roger Ebert gave the film 3 stars out of a possible 4 and described it as "a sweet, entertaining retread of an ancient formula", elevated by good performances (particularly Hayek) and an insightful "level of observation and human comedy". ''Fool's Rush In'' was a moderate commercial success and earned Hayek an

ALMA Award The American Latino Media Arts Award or ALMA Award, formerly known as Latin Oscars Award, is an award highlighting the best American Latino contributions to music, television, and film. The awards promote fair and accurate portrayals of Latino ...

nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film. In another romantic comedy, '' Breaking Up'' (also 1997), she and Russell Crowe portrayed a couple whose relationship leads to an out-of-the-blue marriage. Ken Eisner of ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' magazine wrote: "Russell Crowe and Salma Hayek make attractive leads, but they have neither the marquee power nor the requisite chemistry to keep ''Breaking Up'' from getting left at the altar of general distribution." Indeed, the film was distributed for selected markets in the United States only. In 1998, Hayek played an aspiring singer in the 1970s NYC's night scene in Mark Christopher's drama '' 54'', a doughnut shop waitress in

Dan Ireland Daniel Frederick Ireland (May 11, 1949 – April 14, 2016) was an American-Canadian film producer and director.''. In: cinemawithoutborders.com, July 5, 2012 He was the co-founder of the Seattle International Film Festival. Biography Ireland was b ...

's dramedy ''

The Velocity of Gary ''The Velocity of Gary'', also known as ''The Velocity of Gary* *(Not His Real Name)'', is a 1998 American drama film directed by Dan Ireland and written by James Still, based on his homonymous play. It stars Thomas Jane in the title role, along w ...

'' and a nurse in Rodriguez's supernatural horror film ''

The Faculty ''The Faculty'' is a 1998 American science fiction horror film directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Kevin Williamson. It stars Jordana Brewster, Clea DuVall, Laura Harris, Josh Hartnett, Shawn Hatosy, Famke Janssen, Piper Laurie, B ...

''. In 1999, Hayek was unorthodoxly cast as Serendipity, "the

use Use may refer to: * Use (law), an obligation on a person to whom property has been conveyed * Use (liturgy), a special form of Roman Catholic ritual adopted for use in a particular diocese * Use–mention distinction, the distinction between using ...

who throughout history inspired all the geniuses of art and music, like Mozart and Michelangelo, and never got any of the credit", with

Ben Affleck Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor and filmmaker. His accolades include two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and a Volpi Cup. Affleck began his career as a child when he starred in the PBS education ...

and

Matt Damon Matthew Paige Damon (; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. Ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars, the films in which he has appeared have collectively earned over $3.88 billion at the North Ameri ...

, in

Kevin Smith Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American filmmaker, actor, comedian, comic book writer, author, YouTuber, and podcaster. He came to prominence with the low-budget comedy buddy film '' Clerks'' (1994), which he wrote, directed, ...

's religious satire ''

'', and portrayed the alleged daughter of a kidnapped scientist, alongside

Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his acting career starring as a fictionalized version of himself on the NBC sitcom '' The Fresh ...

, in the Western ''

''. ''Dogma'' was well received by critics and audiences, while ''Wild Wild West'' proved a commercial failure despite being one of most expensive films ever made when adjusting for inflation at the time of its release. Hayek founded her production company,

Ventanarosa Ventanarosa is a production company formally founded by Salma Hayek in 1999. Its Spanish language translation literally means "rose-colored window" or "pink window." Ventanarosa's first feature film was '' El Coronel No Tiene Quien le Escriba'' b ...

, in 1999 through which she produces film and television projects. Her first feature as a producer was '' El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba'' (1999), Mexico's official selection for submission for Best Foreign Film at the

Oscars The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

. In 2000, Hayek had an uncredited role opposite

Benicio del Toro Benicio Monserrate Rafael del Toro Sánchez (born February 19, 1967) is a Puerto Rican actor and producer. He has garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, two Screen ...

in ''

Traffic Traffic comprises pedestrians, vehicles, ridden or herded animals, trains, and other conveyances that use public ways (roads) for travel and transportation. Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include traffi ...

'', and played an aspiring actress in the

experimental film Experimental film or avant-garde cinema is a mode of filmmaking that rigorously re-evaluates cinematic conventions and explores non-narrative forms or alternatives to traditional narratives or methods of working. Many experimental films, parti ...

Timecode A timecode (alternatively, time code) is a sequence of numeric codes generated at regular intervals by a timing synchronization system. Timecode is used in video production, show control and other applications which require temporal coordinatio ...

'', a waitress in the Spanish drama ''

Living It Up ''Living It Up'' is a 1954 American comedy film starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis which was released by Paramount Pictures. The film was directed by Norman Taurog and produced by Paul Jones. The screenplay by Jack Rose and Melville Shavels ...

'', and a cop and

Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...

model in the heist comedy ''

Chain of Fools "Chain of Fools" is a song written by Don Covay. Aretha Franklin first released the song as a single in 1967 and subsequently it appeared on many of her albums. It hit number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot Rhythm & Blues chart and number two on ...

''. She produced and starred in the television film ''

'' (2001), based on the Julia Álvarez book of the same name which covers the lives of the Mirabal sisters. Hayek played one of the sisters, Minerva, and

Edward James Olmos Edward James Olmos (born February 24, 1947) is an American actor, director, producer, and activist. He is best known for his roles as Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo in ''Miami Vice'' (1984–1989), ''American Me'' (1992) (which he also dir ...

played the Dominican dictator

Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina ( , ; 24 October 189130 May 1961), nicknamed ''El Jefe'' (, "The Chief" or "The Boss"), was a Dominican dictator who ruled the Dominican Republic from February 1930 until his assassination in May 1961. He ser ...

, whom the sisters opposed.

Worldwide recognition (2002–2009)

Julie Taymor Julie Taymor (born December 15, 1952) is an American director and writer of theater, opera and film. Her stage adaptation of ''The Lion King'' debuted in 1997, and received eleven Tony Award nominations, with Taymor receiving Tony Awards for Best ...

's biographical film ''

'' (2002), Hayek served as a producer and starred as

surrealist Surrealism is a cultural movement that developed in Europe in the aftermath of World War I in which artists depicted unnerving, illogical scenes and developed techniques to allow the unconscious mind to express itself. Its aim was, according to ...

painter Frida Kahlo. She became interested in the role several years prior to commencing production for the film, having "been fascinated by Kahlo's work from the time she was 13 or 14", although not immediately a fan: "At that age I did not like her work ..I found it ugly and grotesque. But something intrigued me, and the more I learned, the more I started to appreciate her work. There was a lot of passion and depth. Some people see only pain, but I also see irony and humor. I think what draws me to her is what usbandDiego saw in her. She was a fighter. Many things could have diminished her spirit, like the accident or Diego's infidelities. But she wasn't crushed by anything". She was so determined to play the role that she sought out Dolores Olmedo Patino, longtime-lover of Diego Rivera, and, after his death, administrator to the rights of Frida and Rivera's art, which Rivera had "willed ..to the Mexican people", bequeathing the trust to Olmedo. Hayek personally secured access to Kahlo's paintings from Kahlo and began to assemble a supporting cast, approaching

Alfred Molina Alfred Molina (born Alfredo Molina; 24 May 1953) is a British-American actor known for his work on the stage and screen. He first rose to prominence in the West End, earning a nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Newcomer in a Pla ...

for the role of Rivera in 1998. Upon its release, ''Frida'' was a critical darling and an arthouse success. In his review for the film, David Denby of ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...

'' concluded: "Smart, willful, and perverse, this Frida is nobody's servant, and the tiny Hayek plays her with head held high". Her portrayal of Kahlo made her the first Mexican actress to be nominated for the

and earned her Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and

nominations for Best Actress. In 2003, Hayek produced and directed ''The Maldonado Miracle'', a Showtime film based on the book of the same name, for which she won the

Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...

for Outstanding Directing in a Children Special, reunited with Robert Rodriguez for '' Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over'' and ''

'', and made an appearance in the documentary '' V-Day: Until the Violence Stops''. ''Once Upon a Time in Mexico'', which made $98.2 million worldwide, was the final film of the '' Mariachi Trilogy'' and featured Hayek reprising her role from ''Desperado''. Salma Hayek 2004

Brett Ratner Brett Ratner (born March 28, 1969) is an American film director and producer. He directed the ''Rush Hour'' film series, '' The Family Man'', '' Red Dragon'', '' X-Men: The Last Stand'', and ''Tower Heist''. He is also a producer of several film ...

's action comedy ''

'' (2004), Hayek starred as the girlfriend of a master thief, with Pierce Brosnan. A box office flop, the film received largely negative reviews from critics.

James Berardinelli James Berardinelli (born September 25, 1967) is an American film critic and former engineer. His reviews are mainly published on his blog ''ReelViews.'' Approved as a critic by the aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, he has published two collections of r ...

found the film to be "a mess, but t'sa fun, breezy mess", criticizing the overall heist and weak characterization but gave praise to the quick pacing chemistry between Brosnan and Hayek. In 2005, she served as a member of the 58th Cannes Film Festival jury, co-hosted the annual

Nobel Peace Prize Concert The Nobel Peace Prize Concert ( Norwegian and Swedish: '')'' has been held annually since 1994 on 11 December, to honour the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The award ceremony on 10 December takes place in Oslo City Hall, while the concert has bee ...

with

Julianne Moore Julie Anne Smith (born December 3, 1960), known professionally as Julianne Moore, is an American actress. Prolific in film since the early 1990s, she is particularly known for her portrayals of emotionally troubled women in independent films, ...

in Oslo, Norway, and directed a music video for

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...

, titled " Te Amo Corazon" ("I love you, sweetheart") that featured

Mía Maestro Mía Maestro (born 19 June 1978) is an Argentine actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Nora Martinez in '' The Strain'', Nadia Santos in the television drama '' Alias'', as Christina Kahlo in ''Frida'', as Carmen in '' The Twilight ...

. Hayek appeared alongside her good friend

Penélope Cruz Penélope Cruz Sánchez (; ; born 28 April 1974) is a Spanish actress. Known for her roles in films of several genres, particularly those in the Spanish language, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award and a British ...

in the 2006

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

comedy ''

'', portraying two women who become a bank robbing duo in an effort to combat a ruthless enforcer terrorizing their town. Randy Cordova of the ''

Arizona Republic ''The Arizona Republic'' is an American daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. Copies are sold at $2 daily or at $3 ...

'' said the film "sports" Hayek and her co-star Penélope Cruz as the "lusty dream team" and that they were the "marketing fantasy" for the film. ''Bandidas'' was followed by ''

Ask the Dust ''Ask the Dust'' is the most popular novel of Italian-American author John Fante, first published in 1939 and set during the Great Depression era in Los Angeles. It is one of a series of novels featuring the character Arturo Bandini as Fante's al ...

'', a period romance set in Los Angeles based on a John Fante novel and co-starring

Colin Farrell Colin James Farrell (; born 31 May 1976) is an Irish actor. A leading man in projects across various genres in both blockbuster and independent films since the 2000s, he has received numerous accolades including a Golden Globe Award. ''The ...

. Peter Bradshaw of ''The Guardian'' found "something a little forced in both lead performances", and with a limited theatrical release, the film was not a financial success. Her last film of 2006 was '' Lonely Hearts'', a neo-noir crime drama chronicling the notorious "lonely hearts killers" of the 1940s,

Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck Raymond Martinez Fernandez (December 17, 1914 – March 8, 1951) and Martha Jule Beck (May 6, 1920 – March 8, 1951) were an American serial killer couple. They were convicted of one murder, are known to have committed two more, and wer ...

, in which Hayek played Beck, with Jared Leto taking on the role of Fernandez. The film received mixed reviews from critics, but the cast garnered praise.

Peter Travers Peter Joseph Travers (born ) is an American film critic, journalist, and television presenter. He reviews films for ABC News and previously served as a movie critic for ''People'' and ''Rolling Stone''. Travers also hosts the film interview prog ...

of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'' stated: "When Hayek and Leto are onscreen, you do not look away." Hayek served as an executive producer for the American television series ''

'' (2006–2010), after adapting the story for American television with Ben Silverman, who acquired the rights and scripts from the Colombian

'' 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

for the 2006–2007 season with

Silvio Horta Silvio Horta (August 14, 1974 – January 7, 2020) was an American screenwriter and television producer widely noted for adapting the hit Colombian telenovela ''Yo soy Betty, la fea'' into the ABC series ''Ugly Betty''. Horta served as head wr ...

also producing. She guest-starred on the series as

Sofia Reyes Sofia ( ; bg, София, Sofiya, ) is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and h ...

, a magazine editor. ''Ugly Betty'' was a success with critics and audiences, won a Golden Globe Award for Best Comedy Series in 2007, and earned Hayek nominations for both Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Comedy Series at the

59th Primetime Emmy Awards The 59th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on Sunday, September 16, 2007, honoring the best in U.S. prime time television programming at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. The ceremony was televised live on Fox at 8:00 p.m. ...

. After finalizing negotiations with

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...

to become the CEO of her own Latin-themed film production company, Ventanarosa, in 2007, Hayek signed a two-year deal with ABC for Ventanarosa to develop projects for the network. In 2007, Hayek made a cameo appearance, as a nurse singing a cover of

The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...

song "

Happiness Is A Warm Gun "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 album ''The Beatles'' (also known as "the White Album"). It was written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song was co ...

", in Julie Taymor's jukebox musical romantic drama '' Across the Universe''. The role of Madame Truska, a woman who can grow an indestructible beard, in '' Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant'' (2009), was Hayek's first acting project following the birth of her daughter. She characterized the film, which was an adaptation of the book series ''

The Saga of Darren Shan ''The Saga of Darren Shan'' (known as ''Cirque Du Freak: The Saga of Darren Shan'' in the United States) is a young adult 12-part book series written by Darren O'Shaughnessy about the struggle of Darren Shan, a boy who has become involved in ...

'' by author

Darren Shan Darren O'Shaughnessy (; born 2 July 1972), is an Irish writer and novelist. He is best known for his young adult fiction series '' The Saga of Darren Shan'', ''The Demonata'', and ''Zom-B'', published under the pseudonym Darren Shan. The former ...

, as "a little bit of hard work. But it's not like I have to be emotionally devastated for months". The film was a critical and commercial failure. Screen Rant felt that Hayek is "fun as the bearded lady Madame Truska but ..is unable to single-handedly elevate the material".

Continued commercial success (2010–2017)

In 2010, Hayek played a fashion designer and the wife of a Hollywood talent agent ( Adam Sandler) in the comedy '' Grown Ups'' which, despite a negative critical reception, made $271.4 million globally. She is the voice of Kitty Softpaws, a street-savvy

Tuxedo cat Black tie is a semi-formal Western dress code for evening events, originating in British and American conventions for attire in the 19th century. In British English, the dress code is often referred to synecdochically by its principal element ...

, alongside Antonio Banderas in ''

'' (2011). A spin-off of the ''Shrek'' franchise, ''Puss in Boots'' received positive reviews from critics, grossed $554.9 million at the box office, and was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the

84th Academy Awards The 84th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2011 in the United States and took place on February 26, 2012, at the Hollywood and Highland Center Theatre in H ...

. In 2011, she also obtained

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

roles in two international productions —a dancer in the French drama '' Americano'' and the wife of a former advertising executive in the Spanish ''

As Luck Would Have It ''As Luck Would Have It'' ( es, La chispa de la vida, links=no) is a 2011 Spanish drama film directed by Álex de la Iglesia. It stars José Sánchez Mota and Salma Hayek. Mota plays an unemployed advertising executive who has a potentially life-t ...

''— which earned her nominations for the

San Sebastián International Film Festival The San Sebastián International Film Festival ( SSIFF; es, Festival Internacional de San Sebastián, eu, Donostia Zinemaldia) is an annual FIAPF A category film festival held in the Spanish city of Donostia-San Sebastián in September, in ...

Award for Best Actress and the

Goya Award for Best Actress The Goya Award for Best Actress (Spanish: ''Premio Goya a la mejor interpretación femenina protagonista'') is one of the Goya Awards, Spain's principal national film awards. Since its inception, the award has been given to 26 actresses. At the 1s ...

, respectively. Salma Hayek Deauville 2012

In 2012, Hayek directed

Jada Pinkett Smith Jada Koren Pinkett Smith (; née Pinkett; born September 18, 1971) is an American actress and talk show host. She is co-host of the Facebook Watch talk show '' Red Table Talk'', for which she has received a Daytime Emmy Award. ''Time'' name ...

in the music video "Nada Se Compara", lent her voice for

Peter Lord Peter Lord CBE (born 1953) is an English animator, director, producer and co-founder of the Academy Award-winning Aardman Animations studio, an animation firm best known for its clay-animated films and shorts, particularly those featuring p ...

's animated film '' The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!'', and played a cartel leader in Oliver Stone's action film '' Savages'' and a school nurse in

Frank Coraci Frank Coraci (born February 3, 1966) is an American film director and screenwriter best known for his work with actor Adam Sandler. Biography Coraci was born in Shirley, New York. In 1984 he graduated from William Floyd High School, where he ...

's comedy '' Here Comes the Boom''. She reprised her role in '' Grown Ups 2'' (2013) which, like the first film, was a commercial success despite a negative critical response. Hayek served as a producer and provided her voice for the character of Kamila, a widowed mother, in '' The Prophet'' (2014), adapted from the 1923 book by

Kahlil Gibran Gibran Khalil Gibran ( ar, جُبْرَان خَلِيل جُبْرَان, , , or , ; January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931), usually referred to in English as Kahlil Gibran (pronounced ), was a Lebanese-American writer, poet and visual artist ...

. Describing the film as a "love letter to my heritage", Hayek said it helped her explore her relationship with her late grandfather, who was a fan of the book, and remarked: "Between all the connections of our ancestors and the memories of the ones that are no longer with us, I hope they are proud of this film because I did it also for them". In 2014, she made a brief appearance in

James Bobin James Bobin is a British filmmaker. He worked as a director and writer on ''Da Ali G Show'' and helped create the characters of Ali G, Borat, and Brüno. With Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement, he co-created '' Flight of the Conchords''. He ...

’s comedy sequel ''

Muppets Most Wanted ''Muppets Most Wanted'' is a 2014 American musical crime comedy film and the eighth theatrical film featuring the Muppets. Directed by James Bobin and written by Bobin and Nicholas Stoller, the film is a sequel to ''The Muppets'' (2011) and sta ...

'', starred as a woman forced into sexual slavery in Joe Lynch's action drama '' Everly'', and reunited with Pierce Brosnam to play his love interest in Tom Vaughan's romantic comedy ''

Some Kind of Beautiful ''Some Kind of Beautiful'' (Canadian title: ''How to Make Love Like an Englishman'', UK title: ''Lessons in Love'', European title: '' Teach Me Love'') is a 2014 American romantic comedy film written by Matthew Newman, directed by Tom Vaughan, a ...

''. ''Everly'' and ''Some Kind of Beautiful '' were both distributed for online markets and poorly received; while critics noted that the former "benefits from Joe Lynch's stylish direction and Salma Hayek's starring work, but it's too thinly written and sleazily violent to fully recommend",

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

gave the latter a 6% rating based on 34 reviews. In '' Tale of Tales'' (2015), a European fantasy film directed and written by

Matteo Garrone Matteo Garrone (born 15 October 1968) is an Italian filmmaker. Born in Rome, the son of a theatre critic, Nico Garrone and a photographer, in 1996 Garrone won the ''Sacher d'Oro'', an award sponsored by Nanni Moretti, with the short film ''Silho ...

, Hayek appeared as the 17th-century Queen of Longtrellis. A screen adaptation based on collections of tales by

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

poet and courtier

Giambattista Basile Giambattista Basile (February 1566 – February 1632) was an Italian poet, courtier, and fairy tale collector. His collections include the oldest recorded forms of many well-known (and more obscure) European fairy tales. He is chiefly remembere ...

, the film competed for the

Palme d'Or The Palme d'Or (; en, Golden Palm) is the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festival's highest prize was the Grand Prix du Fe ...

at the

68th Cannes Film Festival The 68th Cannes Film Festival was held from 13 to 24 May 2015. Joel and Ethan Coen were the Presidents of the Jury for the main competition. It was the first time that two people chaired the jury. Since the Coen brothers each received a separat ...

. In 2016, Hayek voiced the role of Teresa del Taco in ''

'', an adult animated film she described as "the naughtiest thing I've ever done. I never thought I'd ever say some of those things out loud. But, I had a lot of fun ..It's a different kind of crazy". The highest grossing R-rated animated film of all time, ''Sausage Party'' grossed $140.4 million worldwide. Hayek took on the role of a holistic medicine practitioner who attends a wealthy client's dinner party in Miguel Arteta's drama ''

'' (2017), which Owen Gleiberman of ''

'' called a "small-scale but elegantly deft squirmfest that features a luminous performance” by the actress. That role earned Hayek an Independent Spirit Film Award nomination for Best Female Lead. The comedy ''

How to Be a Latin Lover ''How to Be a Latin Lover'' is a 2017 American comedy film directed by Ken Marino, written by Chris Spain and Jon Zack and stars Eugenio Derbez, Salma Hayek, Raphael Alejandro, Raquel Welch, Rob Riggle, Rob Huebel, Rob Corddry, Renée Taylor, Li ...

'' (2017) was a

sleeper hit In the entertainment industry, a sleeper hit is a film, television series, music release, video game, or some other entertainment product that was initially unsuccessful on release but became a success later on. A sleeper hit may have little prom ...

upon its release and featured Hayek as the estranged sister of a man who has made a career of seducing rich older women. Her last film outing of 2017 was Patrick Hughes's action comedy ''

'', in which she starred as the wife of a convicted hitman, opposite

Ryan Reynolds Ryan Rodney Reynolds (born October 23, 1976) is a Canadian-American actor. He is one of the highest-grossing film actors of all time, with a worldwide box-office gross of over billion. He began his career starring in the Canadian teen ...

and

Samuel L. Jackson Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American actor and producer. One of the most widely recognized actors of his generation, the films in which he has appeared have collectively grossed over $27 billion worldwide, making him ...

. The film made an impressive $176.6 million globally.

Recent roles (2018–present)

Hayek was cast as Eva Torres, a high-frequency trading executive, alongside

Jesse Eisenberg Jesse Adam Eisenberg (; born October 5, 1983) is an American actor, writer, and director. He has received various accolades, including nominations for an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. ...

and

Alexander Skarsgård Alexander Johan Hjalmar Skarsgård (; born August 25, 1976) is a Swedish actor. Born in Stockholm, he began acting at age seven but quit at 13. After serving in the Swedish military, Skarsgård returned to acting and gained his first role in th ...

, in

Kim Nguyen Kim Nguyen is a Canadian film director and screenwriter, best known for his 2012 film '' War Witch (Rebelle)''. The film was the top winner at the 1st Canadian Screen Awards;The Hummingbird Project ''The Hummingbird Project'' is a 2018 thriller drama film about high-frequency trading and ultra-low latency direct market access, written and directed by Kim Nguyen produced by Pierre Even at Item 7. It stars Jesse Eisenberg, Alexander Skars ...

'' (2018), and as Nancy Teagarten, one half of a couple experiencing a series of financial crises, with Alec Baldwin, in Fred Wolf's comedy '' Drunk Parents'' (2019). In 2020, Hayek appeared as a cosmetics mogul in Miguel Arteta's comedy '' Like a Boss'', with

Rose Byrne Mary Rose Byrne (born 24 July 1979) is an Australian actress. She made her screen debut in the film ''Dallas Doll'' (1994), and continued to act in Australian film and television throughout the 1990s. She obtained her first leading film role i ...

and

Tiffany Haddish Tiffany Sara Cornilia Haddish (born December 3, 1979) is an American stand-up comedian and actress. After guest-starring on several television series and lead role on a cable drama, Haddish gained prominence for her role as Nekeisha Williams on ...

, and the alternative wife of a man in

Sally Potter Charlotte Sally Potter (born 19 September 1949) is an English film director and screenwriter. She is known for directing ''Orlando'' (1992), which won the audience prize for Best Film at the Venice Film Festival. Early life Potter was born an ...

’s drama '' The Roads Not Taken'', with

Javier Bardem Javier Ángel Encinas Bardem (; born 1 March 1969) is a Spanish actor. Known for his roles in blockbusters and foreign films, he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the psychopathic assassin Anton Chigurh in ...

and

Elle Fanning Mary Elle Fanning (born April 9, 1998) is an American actress. She made her film debut as the younger version of her sister Dakota Fanning's character in the drama film '' I Am Sam'' (2001). As a child actress, she appeared in several films, i ...

The drama ''

Bliss BLISS is a system programming language developed at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) by W. A. Wulf, D. B. Russell, and A. N. Habermann around 1970. It was perhaps the best known system language until C debuted a few years later. Since then, C b ...

'' (2021), which starred Hayek as a homeless woman befriending a recently divorced man (

Owen Wilson Owen Cunningham Wilson (born November 18, 1968) is an American actor. He has had a long association with filmmaker Wes Anderson with whom he shared writing and acting credits for '' Bottle Rocket'' (1996), '' Rushmore'' (1998), and '' The Royal ...

), was released on Amazon Prime Video. She next reunited with director Patrick Hughes and actors Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson in ''

Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard ''Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard'' is a 2021 American action comedy film directed by Patrick Hughes and written by Tom O'Connor and Brandon and Phillip Murphy. The film is a sequel to the 2017 film ''The Hitman's Bodyguard'' and features Ryan Reynold ...

'', the sequel for the 2017 film ''The Hitman’s Bodyguard'', which was released on June 16, 2021, to mediocre reviews. John Defore of ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly larg ...

'', however, praised Hayek’s "foul-mouthed" portrayal, writing: "The one smart thing the film does is promote Salma Hayek, as the eponymous spouse of Samuel L. Jackson’s hitman, from the small but scene-stealing role she played in the first film. ��At least we can appreciate Hayek’s enthusiasm for the over-the-top role". Unlike the first film, ''Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard'' had lackluster box office returns. Hayek portrayed

, the wise and spiritual leader of the titular group, in the

picture '' Eternals'', directed by Chloé Zhao, who "personally selected" her for the role. Initially surprised by

Marvel Marvel may refer to: Business * Marvel Entertainment, an American entertainment company ** Marvel Comics, the primary imprint of Marvel Entertainment ** Marvel Universe, a fictional shared universe ** Marvel Music, an imprint of Marvel Comics * ...

's interest on her casting, Hayek described her involvement in the film as "empowering" and recalled getting "emotional" upon seeing her character's superhero costume, stating: "It was because it means so much to so many people that, to think that for a Mexican girl —a Mexican woman in her 50s— was able to be a superhero. I felt a lot of pride to have my superhero outfit on. It meant something". The film, released in the United States on November 5, 2021, generated a divergent critical response and made $401 million worldwide, becoming the tenth highest-grossing film of 2021. She has since signed a deal to star in multiple

projects. Her last film of 2021 was Ridley Scott's biographical crime drama ''

'', in which she played the friend and confidante of

Patrizia Reggiani Patrizia Reggiani (; Martinelli; born 2 December 1948) is an Italian convicted criminal and former socialite. She was convicted in a highly publicized trial of hiring a hitman to kill her ex-husband, Maurizio Gucci. Early life and marriage t ...

, Giuseppina “Pina” Auriemma, alongside

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...

as Reggiani,

Adam Driver Adam Douglas Driver (born November 19, 1983) is an American actor. He is the recipient of various accolades, including nominations for two Academy Awards, four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Tony Award; making him one of few performers nominated ...

, and her ''Lonely Hearts'' co-star Jared Leto. In June 2022, Hayek was cast in

Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie (; born Angelina Jolie Voight; June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, humanitarian and former Special Envoy to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award ...

’s upcoming film, ''Without Blood'', based on the bestselling Italian novel by

Alessandro Baricco Alessandro Baricco (; born 25 January 1958) is an Italian writer, director and performer. His novels have been translated into a wide number of languages. Early life, family and education Baricco was born in Turin, Italy. He has earned degre ...

. It was filmed in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, Apulia, and Basilicata. Hayek will star in the film alongside

Demián Bichir Demián Bichir Nájera (; born 1 August 1963) is a Mexican actor. After starring in telenovelas, he began to appear in Hollywood films. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in '' A Better Life''. Personal life Bic ...

Other ventures

Advocacy

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 The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

Committee on the Judiciary supporting reauthorizing the

Violence Against Women Act The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) is a United States federal law (Title IV of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, ) signed by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994. The Act provided $1.6 billion toward investi ...

. 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. She is a board member of V-Day, the charity founded by playwright Eve Ensler. While Hayek previously stated that she is not a feminist, she later revised her stance, 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 Breastfeeding, or nursing, is the process by which human breast milk is fed to a child. Breast milk may be from the breast, or may be expressed by hand or pumped and fed to the infant. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that br ...

. During a 2009 UNICEF fact-finding trip to

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierr ...

, for instance, wet nurse, 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 Gucci (, ; ) is an Italian high-end luxury fashion house based in Florence, Italy. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and home decoration; and it licenses its name and branding to Coty, Inc. for fragran ...

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 Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

. Following her visit to

in 2015, Hayek criticized the discrimination against women there. On December 13, 2017, Hayek published an op-ed in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' stating that she had been harassed and abused by film producer

Harvey Weinstein Harvey Weinstein (; born March 19, 1952) is an American former film producer and convicted sex offender. He and his brother, Bob Weinstein, co-founded the entertainment company Miramax, which produced several successful independent films includ ...

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 Notre-Dame de Paris (; meaning "Our Lady of Paris"), referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité (an island in the Seine River), in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. The cathedral, dedicated to the ...

in Paris. In 2020, Hayek raised awareness through her Instagram for the

disappearance of Vanessa Guillen Disappearance may refer to: * Forced disappearance, when an organization forces a person to vanish from public view Books * ''Disappearance'' (Trifonov novel), published posthumously 1987 *''Disappearance'', novel by Guyanese writer David Dab ...

Endorsements

Hayek was a spokeswoman for

Revlon Revlon, Inc. is an American multinational company dealing in cosmetics, skin care, fragrance, and personal care. The headquarters of Revlon was established in New York City on March 1, 1932, where it still remains. Revlon was founded by brother ...

in 1998 and has been a spokeswoman for Avon cosmetics since February 2004. She modeled for

Chopard Le Petit-Fils de L.-U. Chopard & Cie S.A., commonly known as Chopard, is a Swiss manufacturer and retailer of luxury watches, jewellery and accessories. Founded in 1860 by Louis-Ulysse Chopard in Sonvilier, Switzerland, Chopard has been owned by ...

in 2001, was featured in a series of Spanish language commercials for Lincoln cars in 2002, and in

Campari Campari () is an Italian alcoholic liqueur, considered an apéritif (20.5%, 21%, 24%, 25%, or 28.5% ABV, depending on the country where it is sold), obtained from the infusion of herbs and fruit (including chinotto and cascarilla) in alcohol a ...

ads, photographed by

Mario Testino Mario Eduardo Testino Silva OBE HonFRPS (born 30 October 1954) is a Peruvian fashion and portrait photographer. His work has featured internationally in magazines such as ''Vogue, V Magazine,'' ''Vanity Fair'' and '' GQ.'' He has also crea ...

, in 2006. On April 3, 2009, she helped introduce La Doña, a watch by Cartier inspired by fellow Mexican actress

María Félix María de los Ángeles Félix Güereña (; 8 April 1914 – 8 April 2002) was a Mexican actress and singer. Along with Pedro Armendáriz and Dolores del Río, she was one of the most successful figures of Latin American cinema in the 1940s and ...

. Hayek has worked with the

Procter & Gamble The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/consumer he ...

Company and

UNICEF UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to ...

to promote the funding (through disposable diaper sales) of vaccines against maternal and

neonatal tetanus Neonatal tetanus (''trismus nascentium'') is a form of generalised tetanus that occurs in newborns. Infants who have not acquired passive immunity from an immunized mother are at risk. It usually occurs through infection of the unhealed umbilical ...

. She is a global spokesperson for the Pampers/UNICEF partnership to help raise awareness of the program. The partnership involves Procter & Gamble donating the cost of one tetanus vaccination (approximately 24 cents) for every pack of Pampers sold. In 2008, Hayek co-founded Juice Generation's juice delivery program Cooler Cleanse.Catherine Kast
"We Tried It: Getting an Edible Facial (Seriously!) From Salma Hayek,"
''

People A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...

'', June 27, 2017. After writing the foreword to Juice Generation founder Eric Helms' 2014 book ''The Juice Generation: 100 Recipes for Fresh Juices and Superfood Smoothies'', she and Helms launched the beauty subscription delivery service Blend It Yourself in 2017, based on Hayek's personal beauty elixirs, which supplies subscribers with the prepared organic frozen smoothie and acai bowl ingredients. 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.

Public image

Hayek's public and professional profiles have been strongly tied to her perceived beauty and sex appeal. It has been noted, for instance, that most of her early films, such as the action-oriented ''Desperado'', ''From Dusk Till Dawn'' and ''Fled'', "predominantly featured her in racy sex symbol type of roles" and ultimately made Hayek a familiar face with mainstream audiences. Various media publications have cited her as one of Hollywood's most beautiful actresses. ''

'' named her one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world in 1996, 2003 and 2008,, ''

Maxim Maxim or Maksim may refer to: Entertainment * ''Maxim'' (magazine), an international men's magazine ** ''Maxim'' (Australia), the Australian edition ** ''Maxim'' (India), the Indian edition *Maxim Radio, ''Maxim'' magazine's radio channel on Sir ...

'' ranked her 34th and 90th on their Hot 100 list in 2005 and 2007, respectively, and ''

FHM ''FHM'' (For Him Magazine) is a British multinational men's lifestyle magazine that was published in several countries. Its master edition contained features such as the ''FHM'' 100 Sexiest Women in the World, which has featured models, actres ...

'' included her on their 100 Sexiest Women in the World list in 2005 and 2006. A July 2007 poll by E-Poll Market Research found Hayek to be the "sexiest celebrity" among a group of 3,000 public figures, with 65 percent of respondents using the term "sexy" to describe her. The

Armani Giorgio Armani S.p.A. (), commonly known as Armani, is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in Milan by Giorgio Armani which designs, manufactures, distributes and retails haute couture, ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes, accessories, and ...

dress Hayek wore to the 1997 Academy Awards was voted by

E! Entertainment E! (an initialism for Entertainment Television) is an American basic cable channel which primarily focuses on pop culture, celebrity focused reality shows, and movies, owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of NBCUnive ...

as one of the five most memorable in Oscar history. From April 7 to June 18, 2006, the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center in

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

, Texas hosted an exhibition called "Solamente Salma" (Spanish for "Only Salma"), consisting of 16 portrait paintings by

muralist A mural is any piece of Graphic arts, graphic artwork that is painted or applied directly to a wall, ceiling or other permanent substrate. Mural techniques include fresco, mosaic, graffiti and marouflage. Word mural in art The word ''mural'' ...

George Yepes and filmmaker

of Hayek as the

Aztec The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl ...

goddess Itzpapalotl. In July 2007, ''

'' ranked Hayek 4th in their Latino Power 50, a list of the most powerful Latin members of Hollywood. In 2008, she was awarded the Women in Film Lucy Award, in recognition of her creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television, and ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...

'' ranked her 17th in their list of the 25 Smartest People in TV. Throughout her career, Hayek has graced the covers of numerous international magazines, including North America's ''

InStyle ''InStyle'' was an American monthly women's fashion magazine founded in 1994. It was published in the United States by Dotdash Meredith. In February 2022, it was announced that InStyle would cease print publications and move to a digital-only f ...

'', ''

Elle ''Elle'' (stylized ''ELLE'') is a worldwide women's magazine of French origin that offers a mix of fashion and beauty content, together with culture, society and lifestyle. The title means "she" or "her" in French. ''Elle'' is considered the w ...

'', '' Premiere'', '' Glamour'' and ''

''; Britain's ''

'', '' Marie Claire'' and ''

Total Film ''Total Film'' is a British film magazine published 13 times a year (published monthly and a summer issue is added every year since issue 91, 2004, which is published between July and August issue) by Future Publishing. The magazine was launched ...

''; and France's ''Entrevue'' and ''

Madame Figaro ''Madame Figaro'' is a French magazine supplement to the Saturday edition of the daily newspaper ''Le Figaro'', focusing on and catering to women. History and profile The first edition was published in 1980. ''Madame Figaro'' was spearheaded by ...

''. She was one of fifteen women selected to appear on the cover of the September 2019 issue of ''

British Vogue British ''Vogue'' is a British fashion magazine published based in London since autumn 1916. It is the British edition of the American magazine ''Vogue'' and is owned and distributed by Condé Montrose Nast. British ''Vogue'' editor in 2012 c ...

'', by guest editor Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

Personal life

Hayek is a naturalized

United States citizen Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constituti ...

. She has studied at Ramtha's School of Enlightenment and practices

yoga Yoga (; sa, योग, lit=yoke' or 'union ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which originated in ancient India and aim to control (yoke) and still the mind, recognizing a detached witness-consci ...

. Hayek, who was raised

, stated in a 2007 interview that she was no longer devout and did not believe in the Church, in part because she disagreed with practices such as its campaign against condoms in Africa, where she said AIDS and

overpopulation Overpopulation or overabundance is a phenomenon in which a species' population becomes larger than the carrying capacity of its environment. This may be caused by increased birth rates, lowered mortality rates, reduced predation or large scal ...

were rampant, though she clarified that she still believed in

Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

and God. On March 9, 2007, Hayek confirmed her engagement to French billionaire and

Kering Kering () is a French-based multinational corporation specializing in luxury goods. It owns the brands Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Yves Saint Laurent. The timber-trading company Pinault S.A. was founded in 1963, by ...

CEO

as well as her pregnancy. She gave birth to their daughter on September 21, 2007, at

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a nonprofit, tertiary, 886-bed teaching hospital and multi-specialty academic health science center located in Los Angeles, California. Part of the Cedars-Sinai Health System, the hospital employs a staff of over 2 ...

in Los Angeles, CA. They were married on

Valentine's Day Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, thr ...

2009 in Paris. On April 25, 2009, they renewed their vows in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...

, Italy.

Filmography and accolades

Hayek's films that have earned the most at the box office, , include: Hayek's performance as Frida Kahlo in ''Frida'' (2002) garnered her nominations for Best Actress at the

75th Academy Awards The 75th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) took place on March 23, 2003, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards (commonly ...

, the

61st Golden Globe Awards The 61st Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and television for 2003, were held on January 25, 2004 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. The nominations were announced on December 18, 2003. '' The Lord of the Rin ...

, the 53rd British Academy Television Awards and the

9th Screen Actors Guild Awards The 9th Screen Actors Guild Awards, honoring the best achievements in film and television performances for the year 2002, took place on March 9, 2003. The ceremony was held at the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles, California, and was tele ...

. She won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Children Special for ''The Maldonado Miracle'' (2004) and received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations, one for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series and the other for Outstanding Comedy Series as an executive producer, for her work on ''

'' (2006–10). In 2011, Hayek was appointed Knight (Chevalier) of the

National Order of the Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon B ...

, the highest French order of merit, and in 2021, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Notes

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hayek, Salma 1966 births 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Activists from California Actresses from Veracruz American cosmetics businesspeople American film actresses American health activists American humanitarians Women humanitarians American people of Arab descent American people of Lebanese descent American people of Spanish descent American actresses of Mexican descent American women in business Belly dancers Breastfeeding activists Businesspeople from Los Angeles Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur Daytime Emmy Award winners Hispanic and Latino American actresses Living people Mexican health activists Mexican emigrants to the United States Mexican film actresses Mexican humanitarians Mexican people of Arab descent Mexican people of Lebanese descent Mexican people of Spanish descent Mexican telenovela actresses Mexican television producers People from Coatzacoalcos People with acquired American citizenship Pinault family Schools of the Sacred Heart alumni Sexual abuse victim advocates Stella Adler Studio of Acting alumni Television producers from California Universidad Iberoamericana alumni American women television producers Naturalized citizens of the United States United Service Organizations entertainers Actors with dyslexia