Salma Hayek was born in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico on September 2, 1966. She is the daughter of opera singer and talent scout Diana Jimenez and oil company executive Sami Hayek. She dropped out of the Universidad in Mexico City to pursue an acting career. At the age of 23, she made a success in Mexico as she landed the title role in Teresa. In 1991, she moved to Los Angeles to study acting under Stella Adler. She then landed a starring role opposite Antonio Banderas in Desperado. Besides acting, Hayek is an executive producer for the hit TV sitcom Ugly Betty.
Hayek is also an Avon spokesperson. She supported the Violence Against Women Act by testifying before the U.S. Senate Committee. She donated $25,000 to a Coatzacoalcos, Mexico woman shelter and another $50,000 to anti- domestic violence groups in Monterrey. She is also part of the Aldo campaign to fight against AIDS.
Hayek has a daughter, Valentina Paloma Pinault, with fiancée Francois-Henri Pinault.
Did you know…
- Salma was ranked #18 in FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World of 2007.
- Salma started her smoking habit on the set of the movie Frida, to have a better understanding of her character and got hooked. She quit smoking when she discovered she was pregnant. She also decided that she should gain some weight to look a little bit "meaty” for her role. She hasn't been able to lose all of it.
- When Salma was younger, the nuns asked her not to come back to her Catholic boarding school, because she hired a maid to clean her room.
- She has her own production company, Ventanarosa.
- Salma did gymnastics when she was a child.
- Salma has appeared in magazine ads for GAP clothing. Salma has appeared in magazines ads for Revlon cosmetics.
- Salma received an Oscar nomination for Frida.
- Salma is able to speak in English, Arabic, Spanish, and Portuguese.
- Salma is Hollywood's highest paid Latina actress at $20 million in contracts.