Salma Hayek Biography

• Birth Name

  Salma Hayek

• Birth Date

  09/02/1968

• Birthplace

  Coastzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico

• Claim to Fame (or Shame)

• Family

  Brother: Sami Hayek
  younger

  Father: Sami Hayek Dominguez
  Lebanese; ran for mayor of Coatzacoalcos, Mexico in 1997

  Mother: Diana Hayek
  Mexican

• Hookups

  Companion: Josh Lucas
  dating as of August 2003; split Septeber 2004

  Companion: Francois-Henry Pinault
  Began dating quietly and surprised everyone when it was announced in March 2007 that they were engaged and expecting a baby.

• Notes

  " ... why, asks her mom, is she still single? 'I'll get married when

  I find a man who has more COJONES [balls] than I do.'"---Hayek to Paul Young in Buzz, August 1995.
  

  

  "I aim for a lifetime full of movies. I want to work for a long, long time and keep growing in my work, and if I am very lucky and very blessed, maybe somewhere along the line there will be one movie in there that becomes a classic."---Salma Hayek in Interview, February 1997.
  "I have gotten a lot more attention than some of the other women that I find incredibly beautiful. And this has happened to me ever since I was a girl, when I was flat, had no teeth, was skinny and small as I could be. I always got more attention than anyone else. If I hadn't, I would have made sure I did. But there is also a relationship some people can establish with the camera that others can't. It's got nothing to do with talent. It's nothing you've earned. I learned in Mexico that the lens likes me, but I kept thinking, 'I'm famous, but am I good?' It wasn't enough for me to be famous. Now, I'm trying more and more to be good at what I do."---Hayek in Movieline, January 1997.
  "I'm going to do the kinds of roles I want to be doing and give up the sexier parts. People may not want me as much in those kinds of roles. I may not be as popular, but that's the price you pay, and, right now, I'm willing to pay the price. Of course, I'm still young, and I could find what I really want is to be popular and to just keep wearing dresses slit up to there, you know?"---Hayek quoted in Movieline, January 1997.
  

  

  "If I wasn't the way I am I would have stopped working a long time ago ... It's the difference between sitting down and complaining about things or getting up and d

  oing something about them."---Hayek on how she takes charge of her career, to Empire magazine, July 2006.
  "It's gotten better because I generate my own parts. I do get more things offered. But it's not like Hollywood is thinking more broadly about casting Latins. It's because of the money you [Latins] represent internationally. It's not out of any respect for your [Latin] culture."---Hayek quoted to Premiere
  "Men who are too vain turn me off. They're posing and trying so hard to impress you that you don't feel like you are ever with them. I can't speak for all women, but what I want from a man is honesty and partnership."---Hayek to InStyle, September 2003.
  "To dream big doesn't necessarily mean to imagine becoming the biggest movie star in the world. Dreaming big is about taking the simplest thing in life and enjoying it, and seeing it as the biggest thing that can possibly exist."---Hayek quoted to O Magazine, September 2003.
  "When I got here I was told I needed an agent, so I got the number for William Morris..." [She picks up an invisible phone and pretends to be dailing. Then, in mock receptionist-ese] William Morris agency. 'I'd like to speak to Mr. Morris. Hello? Can I please speak to Mr. Morris?' He's dead. 'I hang up. I call again... Hello can I speak to Mr. Morris's son?' Because in Mexico, when someone dies their son always takes

  

  over. They hang up on me. I call again and say, 'Who's in charge?' And she's about to hang up, I yell, 'Bitch!' And ultimately, I ended up at William Morris. But that was much later."---Hayek quoted to Premiere, Septeber 2002.
  

• Milestones

  (2007) Signed a two-year overall production deal with ABC in which she and partner Jose Tamez will develop new projects for the studio through their company, Ventanarosa Productions
  (1999) Signed agreement with Sony to create TV programs in both Spanish (for Telemundo) and English (for Columbia TriStar TV)
  (1997) Signed contract to act as spokesperson for Revlon cosmetics
  (2004) Signed on to be the spokes woman for Avon's makeup and fragrance lines
  (1991-1992) Stopped acting for a year-and-a-half to study English (date approximate)
  (1994) US TV-movie debut, co-starred in "Roadracers", a segment of Showtime's "Rebel Highway" series; first collaboration with filmmaker Robert Rodriguez
  (1993) US feature debut, Alison Anders' "Mi Vida Loca/My Crazy Life"
  

  

  (1989) Won stardom as "Teresa" in the hugely popular Mexican primetime serial
  (1992) Appeared in "Cherry Street, South of Main", an unsold pilot produced by Tom and Roseanne Arnold
  (1980) At age 12, told her father she would "go on strike" and fail all her classes if he did not allow her to go to school in the USA (date approximate)
  (1995) Breakthrough Hollywood feature role, co-starring opposite Antonio Banderas in Rodriguez's "Desperado"
  (2003) Cast as the female lead in "Once Upon A Time In Mexico"
  (2006) Co-starred with Colin Farrell in the Robert Towne-directed adaptation of John Fante's Depression Era novel, "Ask the Dust"
  (2006) Co-starred with Penelope Cruz as two bank robbers in "Bandidas"
  (2004) Co-starred with Pierce Brosnan and Woody Harrelson in "After the Sunset"
  (2001) Executive produced and starred in the Showtime original "In the Time of the Butterflies"
  (1992) First US TV guest shots included "Nurses", "Jack's Place" and "Dream On"
  Formed Ventanarosa Prods.
  (2007) Formed the production company Ventanazul in partnership with Hollywood studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; company aims to promote films with Latino themes and talent
  (1998) Had featured role as a coat-check girl with aspirations to be a singer in "54"
  (1999) Had female lead in Barry Sonnenfeld's "Wild Wild West"
  (1991) Left Mexico at the height of her popularity and moved to Los Angeles
  (2000) Made cameo appearance in "Traffic"
  (1989) Mexican TV series debut, "Nuevo Amancer"
  (1993) Played a recurring role on "The Sinbad Show", a Fox family sitcom
  (2000) Played featured role in "Timecode", director Mike Figgis' four-screen digital feature
  (2002) Produced and played the title role in "Frida", a biopic of artist Frida Kahlo, directed by Julie Taymor; received nominations for a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, a SAG and an Oscar for her leading role performance
  (2006) Produced the ABC comedy, "Ugly Betty"; also guest starred in several episodes; earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Raised in Coatzacaolcos, Mexico
  (2001) Reteamed with Figgis for "Hotel"
  (1995) Returned to Mexico to play a lead in "Midaq Alley/El Callejon de los Milagros"
  Sent to a Catholic school in Texas; studied for two years before being expelled