Mexican beauty Salma Hayek has been stunning audiences for over 15 years, and has become one of the most successful Latin American actresses in film history. Born on September 2, 1966 in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico to a wealthy Catholic family, Hayek knew she wanted to act from an early age, and as a result was somewhat of a rebel in her school days. Encouraged to leave the Academy of the Sacred Heart, Grand Coteau in Louisiana due to disciplinary problems, Hayek moved to Mexico City in her late teens to study International Relations. Quickly disenchanted by life in academia, she dropped out to become an actress and in 1989 landed the title role in “Teresa”, an extremely popular Mexican soap opera that make her a national star.
Hayek left “Teresa” after two years for Hollywood, hoping to achieve similar success in America. It was slow-going for the talented beauty, however, as she found that Hollywood’s offerings for minority women were few and far between, not to mention relegated to maid and prostitute characters. After guest spots on shows like “Street Justice” and “Dream On”, Hayek was ready to give up until director Robert Rodriguez was dazzled by the actress on a television interview and subsequently cast her in his cult classic “Desperado” alongside Antonio Banderas. Her role in the quirky, ultra-violent action film finally brought her to the attention of Hollywood. Small roles in “Four Rooms”, “Fair Game”, and Rodriguez’s “From Dusk Till Dawn” followed, in addition to the award-winning Mexican film “El callejón de los milagros” in 1995.
Starring roles began pouring in for Hayek, and in the late 90s she starred in “Fools Rush In” with “Friends” star Matthew Perry, “54” with Ryan Phillippe, “The Velocity of Gary”, “Dogma”, “The Faculty”, and the mega-budget Will Smith vehicle “Wild Wild West”. Though the latter film turned into a notorious dud, it gave Hayek even more recognition in the industry and she soon began developing her dream project, which evolved into 2002’s Julie Taymor-directed “Frida”, which Hayek co-produced. Playing the title role of brilliant, disturbed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, Hayek gave the performance of her career alongside Alfred Molina, Diego Luna, Ashley Judd, and Antonio Banderas. “Frida” earned her Oscar and Golden Globe nominations in addition to an ALMA (American Latino Media Awards) for Best Actress. Her nuanced, powerful portrayal of Kahlo finally gave Hayek the recognition she deserved as a serious actress.
Recently Hayek has appeared in “Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over”, “Once Upon a Time in Mexico”, Brett Ratner’s thriller flop “After the Sunset”, and the period drama “Ask the Dust” with Colin Farrell. She is soon to be seen in “Bandidas” with Spanish beauty Penélope Cruz and in the crime drama “Lonely Hearts” with Jared Leto and John Travolta.