Early life

Hayek was born Salma Hayek Jiménez in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico. Her younger brother, Sami (born 1972), is a furniture designer. Her mother, Diana Jiménez Medina, is an opera singer and talent scout. Her father, Sami Hayek, is an oil company executive and owner of an industrial-equipment firm, who once ran for mayor of Coatzacoalcos. Her father is of Lebanese descent, with his family being from the city Baabdat, Lebanon, a city Salma and her father visited in 2015 to promote her movie Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet. Her mother is of Mexican/Spanish descent, with her grandmother and maternal great-grandparents being from Spain. Her first given name, Salma, is Arabic for "peace" or "calm". Raised in a wealthy, devout Roman Catholic family, she was sent to the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau, Louisiana USA, at the age of twelve. In school, she was diagnosed with dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, for which she has been on Ritalin ever since. She attended university in Mexico City, where she studied International Relations at the Universidad Iberoamericana.

Career

Mexico

At the age of 23, Hayek landed the title role in Teresa (1989), a successful Mexican telenovela that made her a star in Mexico. In 1994, Hayek starred in the film El Callejón de los Milagros (Miracle Alley), which has won more awards than any other movie in the history of Mexican cinema. For her performance, Hayek was nominated for an Ariel Award.

Early Hollywood acting work

Hayek moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1991 to study acting under Stella Adler. She had limited fluency in English, and dyslexia. Robert Rodriguez, and his producer and then-wife, Elizabeth Avellan, soon gave Hayek a starring role opposite Antonio Banderas in 1995's Desperado. She followed her role in Desperado with a brief role as a vampire queen in From Dusk till Dawn, in which she performed a table-top snake dance.

Hayek had a starring role opposite Matthew Perry in the 1997 romantic comedy Fools Rush In. In 1999 she co-starred in Will Smith's big-budget Wild Wild West, and played a supporting role in Kevin Smith's Dogma. In 2000 Hayek had an uncredited acting part opposite Benicio del Toro in Traffic. In 2003, she reprised her role from Desperado by appearing in Once Upon a Time in Mexico, the final film of the Mariachi Trilogy.

Director, producer and actress

Around 2000, Hayek founded film production company Ventanarosa, through which she produces film and television projects. Her first feature as a producer was 1999's El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba, Mexico's official selection for submission for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars.

Frida, co-produced by Hayek, was released in 2002. Starring Hayek as Frida Kahlo, and Alfred Molina as her unfaithful husband, Diego Rivera, the film was directed by Julie Taymor and featured an entourage of stars in supporting and minor roles (Valeria Golino, Ashley Judd, Edward Norton, Geoffrey Rush) and cameos (Antonio Banderas). She earned a Best Actress Academy Award nomination for her performance.

In the Time of the Butterflies is a 2001 feature film based on the Julia Álvarez book of the same name, covering the lives of the Mirabal sisters. In the movie, Salma Hayek plays one of the sisters, Minerva, and Edward James Olmos plays the Dominican dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo whom the sisters opposed.

In 2003, Hayek produced and directed The Maldonado Miracle, a Showtime movie based on the book of the same name, winning her a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Children/Youth/Family Special. In December 2005, she directed a music video for Prince, titled "Te Amo Corazon" ("I love you, sweetheart") that featured Mía Maestro.

Hayek was an executive producer of Ugly Betty, a television series that aired around the world from 2006 to 2010. Hayek adapted the series for American television with Ben Silverman, who acquired the rights and scripts from the Colombian telenovela Yo Soy Betty La Fea in 2001. Originally intended as a half-hour sitcom for NBC in 2004, the project would later be picked up by ABC for the 2006-2007 season with Silvio Horta also producing. Hayek guest-starred on Ugly Betty as Sofia Reyes, a magazine editor. She also had a cameo playing an actress in the telenovela within the show. The show won a Golden Globe Award for Best Comedy Series in 2007. Hayek's performance as Sofia resulted in a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards.

In April 2007, Hayek finalized negotiations with MGM to become the CEO of her own Latin-themed film production company, Ventanarosa. The following month, she signed a two-year deal with ABC for Ventanarosa to develop projects for the network.

Hayek played the wife of Adam Sandler's character in the buddy comedy Grown Ups, which also co-starred Chris Rock and Kevin James. At his insistence, Hayek co-starred with Antonio Banderas in the Shrek spin-off film Puss in Boots as the voice of the character Kitty Softpaws, who serves as Puss's female counterpart and love interest. In 2012, Hayek directed Jada Pinkett Smith in the music video "Nada se compara." She reprised her role in Grown Ups 2, which was released in July 2013.

Singing credits

Hayek has been credited as a song performer on her own in three movies, and as a duet partner in a fourth.

1. The first was in Desperado, for the song Quedate Aquí.
2. In Frida, she performed the Mexican folk song La Bruja with the band Los Vega.
3. She also recorded Siente mi amor (Feel my love), which played during the end credits of Once Upon a Time in Mexico.
4. Hayek joined forces with actor Joe Anderson to sing, together with him, a cover of The Beatles song "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" on the Across the Universe motion picture soundtrack.

Promotional work

Hayek has been a spokeswoman for Avon cosmetics since February 2004. She was a spokeswoman for Revlon in 1998. In 2001, she modeled for Chopard and was featured in 2006 Campari adverts, photographed by Mario Testino. On April 3, 2009, she helped introduce La Doña, a watch by Cartier inspired by fellow Mexican actress María Félix.

Hayek has worked with the Procter & Gamble Company and UNICEF to promote the funding (through disposable diaper sales) of vaccines against maternal and neonatal tetanus. She is a global spokesperson for the Pampers/UNICEF "partnership" 1 Pack = 1 Vaccine to help raise awareness of the program. This "partnership" involves Procter & Gamble donating the cost of one tetanus vaccination (approximately 24 cents) for every pack of Pampers sold. (Pampers diapers cost approximately 25 cents each, or about US $1,000 per child per year in the US market).

In 2011, Hayek launched her own line of cosmetics, skincare, and haircare products called Nuance by Salma Hayek, to be sold at CVS stores in North America. She was inspired to create a cosmetic line from her grandmother, who used to make her own facial care products.

Hayek was also featured in a series of Spanish language commercials for Lincoln cars.

In art

In spring 2006, the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center in San Antonio, Texas displayed sixteen portrait paintings by muralist George Yepes and filmmaker Robert Rodriguez of Hayek as Aztec goddess Itzpapalotl.

Personal life

Hayek is a naturalized United States citizen. She studied at Ramtha's School of Enlightenment and is a practitioner of yoga. Hayek, who was raised Catholic, said she is not very devout anymore and does not believe in the institution, but still believes in Jesus Christ and God.

On March 9, 2007, Hayek confirmed her engagement to French billionaire and Kering CEO, François-Henri Pinault, as well as her pregnancy. She gave birth to daughter, Valentina Paloma Pinault, in September 2007 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. They were married on Valentine's Day 2009 in Paris. On April 25, 2009, they had a second ceremony in Venice.

In July 2011, Hayek's husband was named in a paternity case. According to reports, Pinault is the father of supermodel Linda Evangelista's son, Augustin James, who was born in October 2006. He denied all allegations, although he later reached a settlement with Evangelista.

Activism

Hayek's charitable work includes increasing awareness on violence against women and discrimination against immigrants. On July 19, 2005, Hayek testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary supporting reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. In February 2006, she donated $25,000 to a Coatzacoalcos, Mexico, shelter for battered women and another $50,000 to Monterrey based anti-domestic violence groups. Hayek is a board member of V-Day, the charity founded by playwright Eve Ensler. Nonetheless, Hayek has stated that she is not a feminist.

Hayek also advocates breastfeeding. During a UNICEF fact-finding trip to Sierra Leone, she breastfed a hungry week-old baby whose mother could not produce milk. She said she did it to reduce the stigma associated with breastfeeding and to encourage infant nutrition.

In 2010 Hayek's humanitarian work earned her a nomination for the VH1 Do Something Awards. In 2013 Hayek launched with Beyoncé Knowles and Frida Giannini a Gucci campaign, "Chime For Change", that aims to spread female empowerment.

For International Women's Day 2014 Hayek is one of the artist signatories of Amnesty International's letter to UK Prime Minister David Cameron campaigning for women's rights in Afghanistan. Following his visit to Lebanon in 2015, she criticised the discrimination against women there.

Honors and awards

• Recipient of Glamour magazine Woman of the Year Award in October 2001.
• Recipient of Producers Guild of America Celebration of Diversity Award in 2003.
• Recipient of Harvard Foundation Artist of the Year Award in February 2006.
• Recipient of Time magazine 25 Most Influential Hispanics in 2005.
• Knight (Chevalier) of the National Order of the Legion of Honour (France, December 30, 2011)

In July 2007, The Hollywood Reporter ranked Hayek fourth in their inaugural Latino Power 50, a list of the most powerful members of the Hollywood Latino community. That same month, a poll found Hayek to be the "sexiest celebrity" out of a field of 3,000 celebrities (male and female); according to the poll, "65 percent of the U.S. population would use the term 'sexy' to describe her". In 2008, she was awarded the Women in Film Lucy Award in recognition of her excellence and innovation in her creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television In December of that year, Entertainment Weekly ranked Hayek number 17 in their list of the "25 Smartest People in TV."

Filmography

Film

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1993	Mi Vida Loca	Gata
1994	Roadracers	Donna
1995	El Callejón de los Milagros	Alma	(Midaq Alley) Spanish-language Nominated - Ariel Award for Best Actress
1995	Desperado	Carolina	Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated - MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (shared with Antonio Banderas) Also sang Quedate Aquí in film
1995	Fair Game	Rita
1995	Four Rooms	TV Dancing Girl
1996	From Dusk till Dawn	Santanico Pandemonium
1996	Follow Me Home	Betty
1996	Fled	Cora
1997	Fools Rush In	Isabel Fuentes	Nominated - Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film
1997	Breaking Up	Monica
1997	Sistole Diastole	Carmelita
1998	54	Anita	Nominated - Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film
1998	The Velocity of Gary	Mary Carmen	Also producer
1998	The Faculty	Nurse Harper
1999	Dogma	Serendipity	Nominated - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress
1999	El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba	Julia	(No One Writes to the Colonel) Also producer; Spanish-language
1999	Wild Wild West	Rita Escobar	Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress - Action Nominated - Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film Nominated - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress
2000	Timecode	Rose
2000	La Gran Vida	Lola	(Living it Up) Spanish-language
2000	Chain of Fools	Sergeant Meredith Kolko	Direct-to-video
2000	Traffic	Rosario	uncredited
2001	Hotel	Charlee Boux
2001	In the Time of the Butterflies	Minerva Mirabal
2002	Frida	Frida Kahlo	Also producer Golden Camera for Best International Actress Imagen Award for Best Actress - Film Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actress Nominated - BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role Nominated - Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Nominated - Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress Nominated - Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama Nominated - Satellite Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama Nominated - Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Also sang La Bruja, a Mexican folk song, with band Los Vega
2003	Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over	Francesca Giggles
2003	Once Upon a Time in Mexico	Carolina	Also sang Siente mi amor (Feel my love) which played over end credits
2003	V-Day: Until the Violence Stops	Herself
2004	After the Sunset	Lola Cirillo
2006	Ask the Dust	Camilla Lopez
2006	Bandidas	Sara Sandoval
2006	Lonely Hearts	Martha Beck	Nominated - San Sebastián International Film Festival Award for Best Actress
2007	Across the Universe	Bang Bang Shoot Shoot Nurses	Also sang cover of Beatles song "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" on soundtrack as duet partner of Joe Anderson
2009	Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant	Madame Truska
2010	Grown Ups	Roxanne
2011	Puss in Boots	Kitty Softpaws (voice)	Nominated - Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress: Action
2011	Americano	Lola	Nominated - San Sebastián International Film Festival Award for Best Actress
2011	La chispa de la vida	Luisa	Nominated - Goya Award for Best Actress
2012	The Pirates! Band of Misfits	Cutlass Liz (voice)
2012	Savages	Elena
2012	Here Comes the Boom	Bella Flores
2013	Grown Ups 2	Roxanne Chase-Feder	Nominated - Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress
2014	Muppets Most Wanted	Herself
2015	Everly	Everly	Direct-to-VOD
2015	Some Kind of Beautiful	Olivia	Direct-to-VOD
2015	Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet	Kamila (voice)	Also producer
2015	Septembers of Shiraz	Farnez
2015	Tale of Tales	Queen of Longtrellis
2016	Sausage Party	Theresa Taco (voice)
2017	The Hitman's Bodyguard		Filming

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1988	Un Nuevo Amanecer	Fabiola	Spanish-language telenovela
1989	Teresa	Teresa	Spanish-language telenovela
1992	Dream On	Carmela	October 10; episode "Domestic Bliss"
1993	The Sinbad Show	Gloria Contreras	Recurring character
1994	Roadracers	Donna
1994	El Vuelo del Águila	Juana Cata	Spanish-language telenovela
1997	The Hunchback	Esmeralda	Nominated - ALMA Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Made-for-Television Movie or Mini-Series in a Crossover Role
1997	Gente Bien	Teresa	Guest star; Spanish-language telenovela
1999	Action	Herself	Re-Enter the Dragon Guest star
2001	In the Time of the Butterflies	Minerva Mirabal	Producer; feature Nominated - ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor/Actress in a Made for Television Movie or Miniseries Nominated - Broadcast Film Critics Association for Best Actress in a Picture Made for Television
2003	The Maldonado Miracle		Feature; producer, director. Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Children/Youth/Family Special
2003	Saturday Night Live	Guest host	March 15
2006-10	Ugly Betty	Sofia Reyes / Nurse in Telenovela	Executive producer (85 episodes) and guest star Nominated - Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series - 2007 Nominated - Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series - 2007 Nominated - Producers Guild of America Television Producer of the Year Award
2009-13	30 Rock	Elisa Pedrera	7 episodes Guest star

Event appearances

• Was a member of the 2005 Cannes Film Festival jury.
• Co-hosted the annual Nobel Peace Prize concert with Julianne Moore in Oslo, Norway on December 11, 2005.

Charities

Salma Hayek supports the following charitable causes: Women's Issues, Children, Dyslexia, AIDS.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]