Photos That Beautifully Sum Up The Life Of Actress Salma Hayek
Born in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico, Salma Hayek is one of the most successful actresses in the world. She's shined in projects such as Desperado, 30 Rock, Grown Ups, and works as a producer, too. Fans will want to look through these gorgeous photos of Hayek both on and off-screen.
She Made Oscars History
One of the movies Salma Hayek is best known for is the titular role in 2002's Frida. Her stellar performance earned her a Best Actress Academy Award nomination.
Hayek was only the second Latina actress to receive this honor. She was nominated for several other awards for the role including a BAFTA, Golden Globe, and SAG Award.
She's A Mexican Soccer Fan
Hayek was born and raised in Mexico, so she still has interests that bring her back to her roots. During her free time, she loves to watch Mexican soccer matches.
Her husband is a huge soccer fan as well, so it's something the two of them are able to bond over.
She Was Expelled From Catholic School
While the star claims she has a good sense of humor, there were moments in her life where it got the better of her.
When she was 12-years-old, she attended a U.S. boarding school and was known to pull pranks. For example, she would set all the clocks back to mess with the other students. These types of pranks led to her expulsion from the school.
She Loves To Cook And Create Her Own Recipes
Not every celebrity has the time and energy to cook, but Salma Hayek absolutely loves it. During an interview with Good Housekeeping, she spoke about her cooking methods.
"I like to invent dishes all the time. I'm getting really creative with quinoa," said Hayek. She also mentioned that coconut water, chili sauce, and tortillas are always in her refrigerator.
She Loves Old Hollywood Films
While Salma Hayek is one of Hollywood's top leading ladies, she still loves to go back to the classics.
Some of her favorite vintage Hollywood films include Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, The Graduate, and It Happened One Night. It's only fitting that she gets some inspiration from some of Hollywood's most famous works.
She Started A Production Company
Salma Hayek was always looking for the best parts and got used to not getting the offers she wanted. She decided it was time to take matters into her own hands.
In 1999, she founded her own film production company called Ventanarosa, which specializes in film and television projects. Her first film as a producer was nominated for an Oscar.
Stepping Into Showbusiness
Fans of Hayek often want to know how she got started in showbusiness. During an interview with W magazine, she talked about her very first audition.
When she was 18-years-old, she auditioned for the role of Jasmine in a local production of Aladdin and won the part. She was extremely nervous throughout the entire process and didn't enjoy the experience.
Her First Celebrity Crush
Hayek came of age during the late '70s and early '80s, so her first celebrity crush was one of the biggest heartthrobs of that era.
In an interview, she revealed that her very first celebrity crush, like many, was Scott Baio, aka Chachi Arcola on Happy Days.
She Adopted An Owl
Hayek and her husband Francois-Henri Pinault like to keep things interesting. When Hayek saw an ad for an owl, she knew it would be the perfect gift for him.
She gave the owl to him on Valentine's Day and the couple named it after Pinault's luxury goods brand called Kering.
She Has A Secret Talent
When Hayek became a new mother, and had a young child to take care of, she looked for something to keep her mind sharp.
She soon discovered the game of Sudoku and ended up becoming pretty good at it. "I can do it sometimes in four minutes. The machine tells me I'm good at Sudoku, that's how I found out," she said to W magazine.
She Has Tons Of Pets
Not only did Selma Hayek adopt an owl for her husband, but she is also the owner of dozens of other pets.
She has an animal sanctuary with most of the pets being homeless rescues she found on the street. Some of the pets include dogs, horses, alpacas, bunnies, and chickens.
Her Parents Didn't Shy Away From Fame
While Salma Hayek has an impressive film and producing career, her parents were also pretty well-known.
Her father, Sami Hayek Domínguez, was a successful businessman who ran for mayor of her hometown of Coatzacoalcos, Mexico. Her mother, Diana Jiménez Medina, was an opera singer and talent scout who encouraged her daughter to become an actress.
Her Grandmother Used An Old Wive's Tale On Hayek To Thicken Her Hair
Those who knew Selma Hayek when she was a child admitted that she wasn't known for her good looks back then.
Her grandmother wanted to help, so she would regularly shave Hayek's head and eyebrows in order for the hair to grow back thicker. Whether or not this helped is still unknown.
She Has Some Learning Disabilities
While Hayek was in school, she realized that something wasn't right. She was diagnosed with ADHD and dyslexia when she was around 12-years-old.
These learning disabilities made it difficult for her to focus on her studies and process languages. Also, this was before she had to learn a second language.
She Wanted To Be A Gymnast
Many actors think about the possibility of other career paths. When Salma Hayek was a child, her dream was to be a gymnast.
She was so good that she was drafted for the Olympic team, but family obligations prevented her from pursuing it further. Hayek was actually self-taught because she couldn't find any classes in her area.
She Didn't Always Feel Beautiful
Throughout her career, Salma Hayek is known for having a practically flawless appearance. This wasn't always the case.
During her 20s, Hayek's skin suffered from terrible acne, which also took a toll on her mental health. Her acne was so bad that she often felt depressed about her outward appearance.
Her First Professional Acting Gig
Before she became a Hollywood star, Salma Hayek began her acting career in Mexico. She landed her first acting role on a telenovela series called Teresa when she was 23-years-old.
The role made her famous in Mexico and it wasn't long before she started getting cast in movies in Los Angeles.
Her Husband Is Extremely Wealthy
Salma Hayek married French businessman, François-Henri Pinault, on Valentine's Day 2009 in Paris. Those who've heard of Pinault may know of his financial success.
The 59-year-old is a billionaire and his father, François Pinault, is one of the richest men in the world. François-Henri Pinault is the chairman and CEO of Kering and president of Groupe Artémis.
Designers Didn't Want To Work With Her
Before Salma Hayek became a household name, she was determined to become a Hollywood starlet. Early on in her career, she admitted that she couldn't find any dress or jewelry designers who wanted to work with her.
Hayek would have to get creative with her looks and even used temporary tattoos in one instance to make herself stand out.
She Had A Stalker
Courtroom documents from 2015 were found stating that Selma Hayek needed to take out a restraining order. A woman had been stalking and harassing her, which intensely scared Hayek.
The woman would impersonate her, contact her family, and follow her around. This was enough for Hayek to take legal action against her.
Adam Sandler Stood Up For Her
Selma Hayek starred opposite Adam Sandler in both Grown Ups and Grown Ups 2 films. However, executives weren't sure she was right for the part.
Sandler told the executives that he had hand-picked Hayek for the role and that he did not want them to bring up the matter again.
She Dated Edward Norton
One of Salma Hayek's most famous boyfriends was actor Edward Norton. One of her best moments with Norton was working with him on Frida.
Hayek wasn't happy with the script, so Norton took it upon himself to rewrite the entire movie for free. Even after they dated, Hayek still refers to him as an "angel."
She Made Up The Snake Dance In From Dusk Till Dawn
Britney Spears isn't the only female celebrity to dance with a snake. In 1996, she had a brief role in From Dusk till Dawn as a vampire queen.
She performed a table-top snake dance that ended up being completely improvised. Her only direction was to "feel the music" and to keep dancing until the director stopped her.
She Is A Strong Supporter Of Feminism
When Hayek isn't working in the entertainment industry, she devotes her time to philanthropic work. She chooses causes that support feminism such as increasing awareness of violence against women.
Hayek wants to create more opportunities for Latina women in Hollywood as well. Other causes near and dear to her heart include global health care and climate change.
She Only Exercises For Five Minutes Per Day
While some may think Selma Hayek spends hours at the gym to maintain her physique, they would be wrong. Hayek admitted she only works out for five minutes each day.
She prefers to do Krav Maga, a military self-defence fighting technique used by the Israel Defense Forces. These exercises include boxing, wrestling, judo, karate, and more.
The Meaning Behind Her Name
Some may consider Salma to be a unique name because it isn't seen that often. The name actually means peace in Arabic.
Also, Hayek has a daughter named Valentina who was born on September 21, 2007. Her daughter's name could be a nod to her wedding being on Valentine's Day.
What Inspired Her To Act
While Salma Hayek's mother worked in showbusiness, she had other inspirations for why she wanted to become an actress.
When she was a child she became enamored with Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The performances in that film helped her come to the conclusion that she wanted to act for a living.
Her Most Important Skincare Tip
Salma Hayek wasn't always blessed in the skincare department. During her 20s, she suffered from extremely bad acne.
After a few decades, she was able to figure out the best tips for her skin. "Never go to sleep without washing your face, no matter how tired you are," she said during an interview with InStyle.
She Refuses To Dye Her Hair
Hollywood is a hard place to work, especially for women. While Salma Hayek is known for her looks, she doesn't want to alter them.
"I don't dye [my hair] because I am curious to see how I am going to look with this. I don't have any Botox. I am comfortable in my own skin," she told Holmes Place.
She Graduated High School Early
While Selma Hayek was expelled from Catholic school, she was still able to continue her education and graduated from high school by the time she was 15.
She later went on to study international relations at the prestigious Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico, but dropped out to focus on her acting career.
