Salma Hayek is unarguably one of Hollywood’s most successful and recognizable Latinx actresses. Hayek is a Mexican-American actress born Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez, in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico, on September 2, 1966. Before becoming one of Hollywood’s sought-after Latinx actresses, Hayek had appeared in several successful shows in Mexico.
Salma Hayek Has long proved her talents are much more than being a sensation on screen, as she’s also credited as a producer and director. Beyond the confines of the film industry, Hayek is recognized for her philanthropic work. In 2010, Hayek teamed up with Adam Sandler for the comedy Grown Ups and its 2013 sequel. For more about the actress, here are 10 things you didn’t know about Salma Hayek.
1. The Movies You Know Salma Hayek From
With an acting career of over 34 years, Salma Hayek Has starred in several Box Office hits in the last four decades. Mexican telenovela audiences from the late 80s to early 90s would remember Hayek’s role as Teresa in the telenovela Teresa (1989–1991). Hayek portrayed Frida Kahlo in the 2002 biographical drama Frida. In the last two decades, Hayek has starred in several successful movies like Grown Ups (2010), The Hitman’s Bodyguard (2017), Drunk Parents (2019), and Eternals (2021).
2. Salma Hayek’s Acting Career In Mexico
Salma Hayek began her acting career in Mexico at the age of 22. She made her television debut in 1988, playing Fabiola in the Spanish-language telenovela Un Nuevo Amanecer. The next year, she got the role of Teresa Martinez in Teresa, which made her a popular face on Mexican television. In recognition of her performance in the show, Hayek earned the TVyNovelas Award for Best Female Revelation in 1990.
3. Salma Hayek Studied Under Stella Adler
Hayek had always dreamt of working in Hollywood. With her success in Mexico, in 1991, Hayek decided to move to Los Angeles. Things did not immediately go according to plan as she struggled to land any role in Hollywood. A major limiting factor was her limited fluency in the English language.
To help improve her fluency and acting skills, Hayek enrolled and studied under Stella Adler in her Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Adler was one of Hollywood’s renowned acting teachers, with several popular students passing through her school. Two notable examples other than Hayek were Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando.
4. Salma Hayek’s Breakout Role
Salma Hayek might have achieved relative fame and success in Mexico, but it took her years to achieve the same in Hollywood. Four years after moving to Los Angeles, Hayek was cast to play Carolina in Robert Rodriguez’s neo-Western action movie Desperado. Starring alongside Antonio Banderas, the movie became Hayek’s Hollywood breakout role in film. With a $7 million budget, it earned $58 million at the Box Office.
5. Salma Hayek’s Highest-Grossing Movie
Hayek’s highest-grossing movie is the 2011 DreamWorks Animation adventure comedy Puss in Boots. Hayek voiced the character of the street-savvy Tuxedo cat, Kitty Softpaws. The movie earned $555 million at the Box Office with a budget of $130 million.
With such success, it’s no surprise its 2022 sequel sits in second place as Hayek’s second highest-grossing movie earning $475.4 million. Besides animation, Hayek’s MCU role debut came in 2021 when she played Ajak in Eternals. Not a huge success when compared to other MCU productions, but the movie still earned $402.1 million at the Box Office.
6. Salma Hayek Has Received A Star On The Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hayek received her star from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce on November 19, 2021. The actress was awarded the 2,709th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She was awarded in the Motion Pictures category with her star place on 6901 Hollywood Boulevard, right in front of the Chinese Theatre Box Office.
7. Other Movies Salma Hayek Has Starred In
Hayek’s film debut was in 1993 when she played Gata in the American drama Mi Vida Loca. Hayek played Santanico Pandemonium in the 1996 action horror From Dusk till Dawn. She played the role of Serendipity in Dogma (1999) and Rita Escobar in Wild Wild West (1999) alongside Will Smith. Other appearances include Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003), Bandidas (2006), Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant (2009), The Hummingbird Project (2018), and Magic Mike’s Last Dance (2023).
8. The Nominations & Awards Salma Hayek Has Received
Salma Hayek has received nominations across prestigious award associations. Hayek won her first major award in 1996 at the Saturn Awards for Best Supporting Actress. She has received nominations at MTV Movie Awards, ALMA Awards, Critics’ Choice Awards, Academy Awards, BAFTA Awards, Golden Globe Awards, SAG Awards, Daytime Emmy Awards, and Primetime Emmy Awards. However, Hayek is yet to win a nomination from any prestigious award association.
9. Salma Hayek Has Appeared In Several Movies With Antonio Banderas
Occasionally, movie actors share the screen with particular actors or actresses. One such working relationship in Hollywood is that of Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas. The first time Hayek starred alongside Banderas was in Desperado (1995). Although uncredited, Hayek appeared as a girl dancing on TV in Four Rooms (1995), another movie with Banderas.
In 2003, they appeared together in Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over. They starred together in Once Upon a Time in Mexico the same year. Other movies include Frida (2002), Puss in Boots (2011) and its sequel in 2022, and Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard (2021).
10. Salma Hayek Has A Film Production Company
Salma Hayek’s film and television production company is Ventanarosa, a Spanish word translated as “pink window.” The company was established in 1999. That same year, it released its first film, El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba (No One Writes to the Colonel), a Spanish-language movie. Salma Hayek‘s company produced Frida, The Maldonado Miracle, Ugly Betty (in partnership with Reveille Productions), and Monarca.
Follow Us
