Salma Hayek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Salma Hayek
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Hayek in 2024
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Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez
September 2, 1966 Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico
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| Years active | 1988–present |
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Full list |
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François-Henri Pinault
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| Children | 1 |
Salma Valgarma Hayek Pinault (born September 2, 1966) is a famous actress and film producer from Mexico and the United States. She started her acting journey in Mexico. She became well-known for her roles in TV shows like Teresa and the movie Midaq Alley.
Salma Hayek then moved to Hollywood and starred in many popular films. These include Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, and Wild Wild West. She played the famous painter Frida Kahlo in the movie Frida. This role was very important because it made her the first Mexican actress to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Besides acting, Salma Hayek is also a successful producer. She has worked on action movies like Once Upon a Time in Mexico and comedies such as Grown Ups and Grown Ups 2. She also lent her voice to animated films like Puss in Boots and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. In 2021, she joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ajak in the movie Eternals.
Salma Hayek has also worked a lot in television. She won a Daytime Emmy Award for directing The Maldonado Miracle. She was also an executive producer for the popular TV show Ugly Betty. Many people see her as one of the most powerful and influential Latina actresses in Hollywood. In 2021, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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Early life and education
Salma Hayek was born in Coatzacoalcos, a city in Veracruz, Mexico. Her father, Sami Hayek Domínguez, has family roots in Lebanon. Her mother, Diana Jiménez Medina, is an opera singer and talent scout with Spanish heritage. Salma has a younger brother named Sami, who designs furniture.
Salma grew up in a Catholic family. When she was 12, she went to study at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Louisiana, USA. During her school years, she learned that she had dyslexia, which means she sometimes had difficulty with reading. Later, she studied international relations at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City.
Career highlights
Starting out in Mexico (1988–1994)
Salma Hayek began her acting career on Mexican television. Her first appearance was in the TV series Un Nuevo Amanecer in 1988. She quickly became a big star in Mexico when she played the main character in the successful telenovela Teresa. This show ran for two years and made her very popular.
After Teresa finished, Salma decided to move to Los Angeles in 1991 to pursue a film career in Hollywood. At first, she faced challenges because her English wasn't perfect, and she had dyslexia. She took English lessons and acting classes to improve her skills. It was hard to find roles for Latina women at that time. However, she got some guest roles in TV shows and supporting parts in movies. One of her early film collaborations was with director Robert Rodriguez in Roadracers.
In 1994, Salma starred in the Mexican drama El callejón de los milagros (Miracle Alley). This film was highly praised and won many awards in Mexican cinema. Salma's performance earned her a nomination for the Ariel Award for Best Actress.
Becoming a Hollywood star (1995–2001)
In 1995, Salma Hayek got her big break in Hollywood. Director Robert Rodriguez cast her alongside Antonio Banderas in the action film Desperado. This movie was a commercial success and helped her become widely known. After Desperado, she had a brief role in Rodriguez's horror film From Dusk till Dawn in 1996. She also appeared in romantic comedies like Fools Rush In with Matthew Perry, which critics enjoyed.
In 1999, Salma played Serendipity, a Muse, in Kevin Smith's movie Dogma. She also starred with Will Smith in the Western film Wild Wild West.
Salma Hayek started her own production company called Ventanarosa in 1999. This company helps her create film and television projects. Her first movie as a producer was El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba. In 2001, she produced and starred in the TV film In the Time of the Butterflies, where she played Minerva Mirabal, a real-life hero who fought against a dictator.
Global recognition (2002–2009)
Salma Hayek achieved worldwide fame for her role as the artist Frida Kahlo in the 2002 biographical film Frida. She also produced this movie. Salma had been interested in playing Frida for many years, feeling a strong connection to the artist's strength and passion. Her performance was highly praised by critics. It led to her becoming the first Mexican actress to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. She also received nominations for the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and British Academy Film Award.
In 2003, Salma directed The Maldonado Miracle, a TV film for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award. She also reunited with Robert Rodriguez for Once Upon a Time in Mexico. In 2006, she starred with her friend Penélope Cruz in the Western comedy Bandidas, playing two women who become bank robbers.
Salma Hayek was also an executive producer for the American TV series Ugly Betty (2006–2010). She helped bring the story from a Colombian telenovela to American television. She even made guest appearances on the show as a magazine editor. Ugly Betty was very successful and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Comedy Series.
Continued success (2010–present)
In 2010, Salma Hayek starred in the comedy Grown Ups with Adam Sandler. This movie was a big hit around the world. She also voiced the character of Kitty Softpaws, a clever cat, in the animated film Puss in Boots. This movie was a spin-off from the Shrek series and was nominated for an Academy Award. She returned for the sequel, Grown Ups 2, in 2013.
Salma also produced and voiced a character in the animated film The Prophet, based on a famous book. She described this film as a "love letter to my heritage." In 2017, she starred in the action comedy The Hitman's Bodyguard with Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson, which was very popular.
In 2021, Salma Hayek joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ajak in the movie Eternals. She was excited to play a superhero, especially as a Mexican woman in her 50s. This role made her the first Arab actress with a main role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She also appeared in the drama House of Gucci in 2021. In 2022, she reprised her role as Kitty Softpaws in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which was also nominated for an Academy Award.
In 2023, she appeared as herself in the episode "Joan Is Awful" of the Netflix show Black Mirror.
Other activities
Advocacy and charity work
Salma Hayek is known for her charitable work. She helps raise awareness about violence against women and supports immigrants. In 2005, she spoke to the U.S. Senate to support a law that helps women who have experienced violence. She has also donated money to shelters for women. Salma is a board member of V-Day, a charity that works to end violence against women and girls.
She also supports breastfeeding. During a trip to Sierra Leone with UNICEF in 2009, she breastfed a hungry baby to help reduce the stigma around breastfeeding and encourage good nutrition for infants. In 2013, she launched "Chime for Change" with Beyoncé and Frida Giannini. This Gucci campaign aims to empower women around the world. She has also spoken out about challenges she faced in the film industry.
Business ventures
Salma Hayek has also worked as a spokeswoman for several well-known brands, including Revlon and Avon cosmetics. She has appeared in commercials for Lincoln cars and Campari. In 2009, she helped introduce a watch by Cartier.
She has partnered with Procter & Gamble and UNICEF to help fund vaccines for mothers and babies. She is a global spokesperson for the Pampers/UNICEF partnership, which helps raise money for tetanus vaccinations.
In 2008, Salma co-founded a juice delivery program called Cooler Cleanse. She also launched her own line of beauty products, including cosmetics, skincare, and haircare, called Nuance by Salma Hayek. These products are sold in CVS stores.
Personal life
Salma Hayek is a naturalized citizen of the United States. She practices yoga.
On March 9, 2007, Salma Hayek announced her engagement to French businessman François-Henri Pinault. She gave birth to their daughter on September 21, 2007. They got married on Valentine's Day in 2009 in Paris, France. They later renewed their vows in Venice, Italy.
Filmography and awards
Some of Salma Hayek's most successful films at the box office include:
- Wild Wild West (1999)
- Frida (2002)
- Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003)
- Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)
- Grown Ups (2010)
- Puss in Boots (2011)
- The Pirates! (2012)
- Savages (2012)
- Grown Ups 2 (2013)
- Sausage Party (2016)
- How to Be a Latin Lover (2017)
- The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017)
- Eternals (2021)
- House of Gucci (2021)
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
Her role as Frida Kahlo in Frida (2002) earned her nominations for Best Actress at the 75th Academy Awards, the 61st Golden Globe Awards, and the 9th Screen Actors Guild Awards. She won a Daytime Emmy Award for directing The Maldonado Miracle (2004). She also received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her work on Ugly Betty (2006–10). In 2011, Salma Hayek was honored with the Knight (Chevalier) of the National Order of the Legion of Honour, which is a very high award in France. In 2021, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: Salma Hayek para niños
