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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 ''
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 Classical Greek, Greek θερίζω (''therízō'') " ...
'' (1989–1991) as well as the romantic drama '' El Callejón de los Milagros'' (1995), for which she received an Ariel Award nomination. She soon established herself in Hollywood with appearances in films such as '' Desperado'' (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, a ...
'' (1996), '' Wild Wild West'' (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, Islam ...
'' (1999). Hayek's portrayal of painter Frida Kahlo in the biographical film '' Frida'' (2002), which she also produced, made her the first Mexican actress to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and additionally earned her Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and British Academy Film Award nominations. In subsequent years, Hayek focused more on producing while starring in the action-centered pictures '' Once Upon a Time in Mexico'' (2003), '' After the Sunset'' (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 ...
'' (2006). She achieved further commercial success with the comedies '' Grown Ups'' (2010), '' Grown Ups 2'' (2013) and '' The Hitman's Bodyguard'' (2017); lent her voice for the animated '' Puss in Boots'' (2011), '' The Pirates!'' (2012) and '' Sausage Party'' (2016); and received critical acclaim for her performances in the dramas '' Tale of Tales'' (2015), '' Beatriz at Dinner'' (2017) and '' House of Gucci'' (2021). She played Ajak in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film '' Eternals'' (2021), which emerged as her highest-grossing live action 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 television comedy-drama '' Ugly Betty'' (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 ...
film '' In the Time of the Butterflies'' (2001) and guest-starred on the NBC 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, with whom she has a daughter.


Early life

Salma Hayek Jiménez was born in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico. Her father, Sami Hayek Domínguez, is of
Lebanese Lebanese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Lebanese Republic * Lebanese people The Lebanese people ( ar, الشعب اللبناني / ALA-LC: ', ) are the people inhabiting or originating from Lebanon. The term may al ...
descent. His ancestors hail from the city of Baabdat,
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 ''The Prophet'' (full title ''Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet'') is a 2014 animated drama film adapted from Kahlil Gibran's 1923 book of the same name. Produced by Salma Hayek, whose voice is also present, the production consisted of different direc ...
''. 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 metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), an ...
in an interview in 2015 with '' Un Nuevo Día'', 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 List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
family, and at age 12 opted to study at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. In school, she was diagnosed with dyslexia. She attended university at the Universidad Iberoamericana studying
international relations International relations (IR), sometimes referred to as international studies and international affairs, is the Scientific method, scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. In a broader sense, it concerns all activities betwe ...
. 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 for Best Debut Actress. Televisa subsequently selected Hayek, who was 23 at the time, to play the title role in ''
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 Classical Greek, Greek θερίζω (''therízō'') " ...
'' (1989–1991), a successful Mexican telenovela 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. 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. Hayek initially struggled with the lack of acting job offers after moving to the United States, recalling that "there was no industry or parts for
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 ...
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'' (1993) as well as supporting roles in the drama '' Mi Vida Loca'' (1993), and the made-for-
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 ...
thriller ''
Roadracers Road racing is a form of motorsport racing held on a paved road surface. The races can be held either on a closed circuit or on a street circuit utilizing temporarily closed public roads. Originally, road races were held almost entirely on p ...
'' (1994), her first collaboration with director Robert Rodriguez. In 1994, Hayek was cast as Alma, a poverty-stricken young woman who becomes a sex worker, in Jorge Fons's drama '' El Callejón de los Milagros'' (''Miracle Alley''), which was based on the 1940s eponymous novel by Egyptian Naguib Mahfouz and translated from
Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo met ...
to
Mexico City Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley of ...
. The film was the subject of critical acclaim, reportedly won more awards than any other movie in the history of Mexican cinema, and earned Hayek a nomination for the
Ariel Award for Best Actress The Ariel Award for Best Actress (Spanish: Premio Ariel a Mejor Actriz) is an award presented by the Academia Mexicana de Artes y Ciencias Cinematográficas (AMACC) in Mexico. It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding pe ...
.


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 '' Desperado'' (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 film O, or o, is the fifteenth letter and the fourth vowel letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''o'' (pronounced ), plu ...
instead 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 queen in Rodriguez's cult horror film ''
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, a ...
'' (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''. Hayek starred as a photographer and the on-and-off girlfriend of a New York City architect, opposite Matthew Perry, 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 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'' 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's dramedy '' The Velocity of Gary'' 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, ...
''. In 1999, Hayek was unorthodoxly cast as Serendipity, "the usewho throughout history inspired all the geniuses of art and music, like Mozart and Michelangelo, and never got any of the credit", with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, in Kevin Smith's religious satire ''
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, Islam ...
'', and portrayed the alleged daughter of a kidnapped scientist, alongside Will Smith, in the Western '' Wild Wild West''. ''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, in 1999 through which she produces film and television projects. Her first feature as a producer was ''
El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba ''No One Writes to the Colonel'' ( es, El coronel no tiene quien le escriba, links=no) is a novella written by the Colombian writer Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It also gives its name to a short story collection. García Márquez considered it his ...
'' (1999), Mexico's official selection for submission for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars. In 2000, Hayek had an uncredited role opposite Benicio del Toro in '' Traffic'', and played an aspiring actress in the experimental film '' Timecode'', a waitress in the Spanish drama '' Living It Up'', and a cop and
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's 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 Hefner's mother. K ...
model in the heist comedy '' Chain of Fools''. She produced and starred in the television film '' In the Time of the Butterflies'' (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 played the Dominican dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo, whom the sisters opposed.


Worldwide recognition (2002–2009)

In Julie Taymor's biographical film '' Frida'' (2002), Hayek served as a producer and starred as surrealist 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 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 issue ...
'' 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 Academy Award for Best Actress and earned her Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and British Academy Film Award 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 for Outstanding Directing in a Children Special, reunited with Robert Rodriguez for '' Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over'' and '' Once Upon a Time in Mexico'', 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 The ''Mexico Trilogy'' (also known as the ''Desperado Trilogy'' on some released DVD products) is a series of American/Mexican contemporary western action films written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. The series' plot tells the continuing story ...
'' and featured Hayek reprising her role from ''Desperado''. In Brett Ratner's action comedy '' After the Sunset'' (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 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 with Julianne Moore in Oslo, Norway, and directed a music video for
Prince A prince is a Monarch, 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 title, hereditary, in s ...
, 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 Penelope Cruz in the 2006 Western comedy ''
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 ...
'', 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'' said the film "sports" Hayek and her co-star Penelope Cruz as the "lusty dream team" and that they were the "marketing fantasy" for the film. ''Bandidas'' was followed by '' Ask the Dust'', a period romance set in Los Angeles based on a John Fante novel and co-starring Colin Farrell. 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, in which Hayek played Beck, with
Jared Leto Jared Joseph Leto ( ; born December 26, 1971) is an American actor and musician. Known for his method acting in a variety of roles, he has received numerous accolades over a career spanning three decades, including an Academy Award and a Gol ...
taking on the role of Fernandez. The film received mixed reviews from critics, but the cast garnered praise. Peter Travers 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 co ...
'' stated: "When Hayek and Leto are onscreen, you do not look away." Hayek served as an executive producer for the American television series '' Ugly Betty'' (2006–2010), after adapting the story 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 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 ...
also producing. She guest-starred on the series as Sofia Reyes, 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. After finalizing negotiations with MGM 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 developm ...
song " Happiness Is A Warm Gun", 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'' by author Darren Shan, 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, alongside Antonio Banderas in '' Puss in Boots'' (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 This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
at the 84th Academy Awards. 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 for ...
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''— which earned her nominations for the San Sebastián International Film Festival Award for Best Actress and the Goya Award for Best Actress, respectively. In 2012, Hayek directed Jada Pinkett Smith in the music video "Nada Se Compara", lent her voice for Peter Lord's animated film ''
The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! ''The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists!'' (released in North America, Australia and New Zealand as ''The Pirates! Band of Misfits'') is a 2012 3D stop-motion animated swashbuckler comedy film produced by the British studio Aardman Ani ...
'', and played a cartel leader in Oliver Stone's action film ''
Savages Savages may refer to: Films * Savages (1972 film), ''Savages'' (1972 film), by James Ivory * Savages (1974 film), ''Savages'' (1974 film), an American TV film * The Savages (film), ''The Savages'' (film), a 2007 film by Tamara Jenkins * Savage ...
'' and a school nurse in Frank Coraci'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 A prophet is a person who is believed to speak through divine inspiration. Prophet or The Prophet may also refer to: People People referred to as "The Prophet" as a title * The Prophet (musician) (born 1968), Dutch gabber and hardstyle DJ ...
'' (2014), adapted from the 1923 book by Kahlil Gibran. 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’s comedy sequel '' Muppets Most Wanted'', starred as a woman forced into sexual slavery in Joe Lynch's action drama ''
Everly Everly may refer to: People * Don and Phil Everly, singers known as The Everly Brothers * Jack Everly, American conductor and music arranger Places * Everly, Iowa Everly is a city in Clay County, Iowa, United States. The population was 575 ...
'', and reunited with Pierce Brosnam to play his love interest in Tom Vaughan's romantic comedy '' Some Kind of Beautiful''. ''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 Wan ...
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, Hayek appeared as the 17th-century Queen of Longtrellis. A screen adaptation based on collections of tales by Italian poet and courtier Giambattista Basile, the film competed for the Palme d'Or at the 68th Cannes Film Festival. In 2016, Hayek voiced the role of Teresa del Taco in '' Sausage Party'', 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 Miguel Arteta (born 1965) is a Puerto Rican director of film and television, known for his independent film ''Chuck & Buck'' (2000), for which he received the Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award, and for the films ''The Good Girl'' (2002) ...
's drama '' Beatriz at Dinner'' (2017), which Owen Gleiberman of '' Variety'' 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 The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glas ...
nomination for Best Female Lead. The comedy '' How to Be a Latin Lover'' (2017) was a sleeper hit 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 '' The Hitman's Bodyguard'', in which she starred as the wife of a convicted hitman, opposite Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson. 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 and Alexander Skarsgård, in Kim Nguyen's tech drama '' The Hummingbird Project'' (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 ''Drunk Parents'' is a 2019 American comedy film directed by Fred Wolf and written by Peter Gaulke and Fred Wolf. The film stars Alec Baldwin, Salma Hayek, Joe Manganiello, Natalia Cigliuti, Jim Gaffigan and Ben Platt. The film was release ...
'' (2019). In 2020, Hayek appeared as a cosmetics mogul in Miguel Arteta's comedy '' Like a Boss'', with Rose Byrne and Tiffany Haddish, and the alternative wife of a man in Sally Potter’s drama ''
The Roads Not Taken ''The Roads Not Taken'' is a 2020 drama film written and directed by Sally Potter. The film stars Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning, Salma Hayek and Laura Linney. ''The Roads Not Taken'' had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festiva ...
'', with Javier Bardem and Elle Fanning. The drama '' Bliss'' (2021), which starred Hayek as a homeless woman befriending a recently divorced man ( Owen Wilson), 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 Reyn ...
'', 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 large ...
'', 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 Ajak, the wise and spiritual leader of the titular group, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe picture '' Eternals'', directed by Chloé Zhao, who "personally selected" her for the role. Initially surprised by Marvel'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 Marvel Cinematic Universe projects. Her last film of 2021 was Ridley Scott's biographical crime drama '' House of Gucci'', in which she played the friend and confidante of Patrizia Reggiani, 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, and her ''Lonely Hearts'' co-star Jared Leto. In June 2022, Hayek was cast in Angelina Jolie’s upcoming film, ''Without Blood'', based on the bestselling Italian novel by Alessandro Baricco. 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 ...
, Puglia and Basilicata. Hayek will star in the film alongside Demián Bichi.


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 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 Monterrey ( , ) is the capital and largest city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León, Mexico, and the third largest city in Mexico behind Guadalajara and Mexico City. Located at the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental, the city is ancho ...
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 bre ...
. 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 , Sierra ...
, 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 goods, 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., ...
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 David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016. He previously served as Leader o ...
, 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 bord ...
. Following her visit to
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 ...
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 ...
'' stating that she had been harassed and abused by film producer Harvey Weinstein during the production of ''Frida''. In 2019, the Pinault family pledged US$113 million to support the reconstruction efforts of the
burned Burned or burnt may refer to: * Anything which has undergone combustion * Burned (image), quality of an image transformed with loss of detail in all portions lighter than some limit, and/or those darker than some limit * ''Burnt'' (film), a 2015 ...
Notre Dame Cathedral 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 Da ...
.


Endorsements

Hayek was a spokeswoman for Revlon 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 Lincoln Motor Company, or simply Lincoln, is the luxury vehicle division of American automobile manufacturer Ford. Marketed among the top luxury vehicle brands in the United States, Lincoln was positioned closely against its General Motors ...
in 2002, and in Campari ads, photographed by Mario Testino, in 2006. 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 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 to promote the funding (through disposable diaper sales) of vaccines against maternal and neonatal tetanus. 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 proper ...
'', 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 CVS may refer to: Organizations * CVS Health, a US pharmacy chain ** CVS Pharmacy ** CVS Caremark, a prescription benefit management subsidiary * Council for Voluntary Service, England * Cable Video Store, former US pay-per-view service * CVS F ...
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. ''
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 proper ...
'' named her one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world in 1996, 2003 and 2008,, '' Maxim'' ranked her 34th and 90th on their Hot 100 list in 2005 and 2007, respectively, and '' FHM'' 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 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 NBCUnivers ...
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 George Yepes and filmmaker Robert Rodriguez 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, ''
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 large ...
'' 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 cult ...
'' 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'', '' Elle'', '' Premiere'', ''
Glamour Glamour may refer to: Arts Film * ''Glamour'' (1931 film), a British film * ''Glamour'' (1934 film), an American film * ''Glamour'' (2000 film), a Hungarian film Writing * ''Glamour'' (magazine), a magazine for women * ''The Glamour ...
'' and '' Variety''; Britain's '' Maxim'', '' Marie Claire'' and '' Total Film''; and France's ''Entrevue'' and '' Madame Figaro''. 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.


Personal life

Hayek is a naturalized United States citizen. She has studied at Ramtha's School of Enlightenment and practices yoga. Hayek, who was raised
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
, 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 were rampant, though she clarified that she still believed 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 their daughter on September 21, 2007, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA. They were married on Valentine's Day 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 Dolby Theatre, Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood, Los Angeles. During the ceremony, AM ...
, the 61st Golden Globe Awards, the 53rd British Academy Television Awards and the 9th Screen Actors Guild Awards. 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 '' Ugly Betty'' (2006–10). In 2011, Hayek was appointed Knight (Chevalier) of the National Order of the Legion of Honour, 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