Salma Hayek Pinault is a Mexican and American actress and producer. She began her career in Mexico with starring roles in the telenovela Teresa as well as the romantic drama El Callejón de los Milagros, for which she received an Ariel Award nomination.
Salma Hayek Net Worth
| Net Worth: | $200 Million |
| Date of Birth: | Sep 2, 1966 (55 years old) |
| Gender: | Female |
| Height: | 5 ft 1 in (1.57 m) |
| Profession: | Actor, Singer, Television producer, Film Producer, Film director, Voice Actor, Social activist, Model, Spokesperson, Businessperson |
| Nationality: | Mexico |
Early Life
Salma Hayek was born in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico, on September 2, 1966, to a Spanish mother and a Lebanese father. Hayek was raised in a wealthy Catholic family and attended a convent school in Louisiana at the age of 12 before moving to Houston, Texas, to live with her aunt. She dropped out of university in Mexico City after a brief stint to pursue a career in acting, eventually becoming a telenovela star in her native Mexico.
Personal Life
Hayek wrote an op-ed piece for The New York Times titled “Harvey Weinstein Is My Monster Too” in December 2017, after dozens of other women came forward to accuse mega-producer Harvey Weinstein of rape, harassment, and other disturbing behavior. “No to me taking a shower with him,” she said of her numerous attempts to resist his advances over the years. I’m not going to let him watch me take a shower. I’m not going to let him give me a massage. I’m not going to let a naked friend of his massage me. I’m not going to let him give me oral sex. No nakedness with another woman for me.” Weinstein allegedly threatened to kill her during one of his rages. In 2006, Hayek began dating French entrepreneur Francois-Henri Pinault, and the couple married the following year. Valentina Paloma Pinault was born on September 21, 2007, in Los Angeles, California. The couple married on Valentine’s Day 2009 in Paris, France, and soon after held a second ceremony in Venice. Hayek was previously linked to several actors, including Edward Norton, Edward Atterton, and Richard Crenna Jr.
Endorsements and Entrepreneurship
Since February 2004, Hayek has served as spokeswoman for Avon cosmetics. Other brands she has been spokeswoman for include the cosmetics brand Revlon (in 1998). She has modeled and starred in advertisement campaigns for brands like Chopard, Campari, and Lincoln cars. Additionally, Hayek has engaged in various entrepreneurial pursuits. She co-founded the juice delivery program Cooler Cleanse in 2008, with Juice Generation. Then, in 2017, she launched the beauty subscription delivery service Blend It Yourself along with Juice Generation founder Eric Helms. Through the service, customers could order pre-prepared items like organic frozen smoothies and ingredients for acai bowls. In 2011, Hayek also launched her own line of products at CVS in North America, Nuance by Salma Hayek, which included cosmetics, skincare, and haircare products.
Film Roles
Hayek moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1991, determined to improve her English and become a Hollywood actress. She landed a role opposite Antonio Banderas in 1995’s Desperado after a string of small roles. Her success in the film led to roles in mediocre films such as the romantic comedy Fools Rush In (1997), the teen thriller The Faculty (1998), and the action western Wild Wild West (2000). (1999). Hayek then began working on smaller, independent films and founded her own production company, Ventanarosa.
Career
In 1991, Hayek moved to Los Angeles, California, to study acting. Her teacher was the renowned acting coach Stella Adler. At the time, Hayek struggled with dyslexia, as well as limited English fluency. Her hard work paid off, and in 1995 Robert Rodriguez cast her as the lead in the film “Desperado”, opposite Antonio Banderas. Her career in the United States began to pick up momentum, and she landed a small role in “From Dusk till Dawn” (1996) as a vampire queen. Although her role was brief, her performance was highly memorable thanks to an erotic table-top snake dance that she performed. Then, she starred opposite Matthew Perry in the romantic comedy “Fools Rush In” (1997), and co-starred with Will Smith in the film “Wild Wild West” (1999).
Other films Hayek has starred in include “In the Time of the Butterflies” (2001), “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” (2003), “Grown Ups” (2010), and “Grown Ups 2” (2013). She voiced the character Kitty Softpaws in the animated film “Puss in Boots” (2011), opposite Antonio Banderas. Hayek founded her own film production company, Ventanarosa, around the year 2000. In April 2007, she became CEO of the company after negotiations with MGM, and then in May that year she signed a two-year deal with ABC, under which Ventanarosa would develop projects for the network. The first film she produced was “El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba” (1999). She has gone on to produce other projects like the Showtime movie “The Maldonado Miracle” (2003), which she also directed; the NBC television show “Ugly Betty”, which aired from 2006 to 2010; and the film “Frida” (2002), which she co-produced and also starred in. Additionally, she has directed music videos for artists like Prince and Jada Pinkett Smith. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her acting in the film “Frida”, and she won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Children/Youth/Family Special for “The Maldonado Miracle”.