Salma Hayek

Salma Hayek is acknowledged as the first Mexican star who became famous in Hollywood. She is the first to popularize the striking and fiery presence of Mexican beauties with her dark-eyed beauty. Salma Hayek mostly appeared in local soap operas in Mexico. Then took her career to the next level and tried for L.A. But getting her fame to Hollywood wasn’t easy. Her first break was when she was discovered by the director Robert Rodriguez and made her the leading lady in the film Desperado back in 1995. From there she had a reputation as one of the most sexiest and well known actresses in Hollywood.

Salma Hayek’s mother is of Spanish origin and her father was Lebanese. She was born on September 2, 1966 and raised in Coatzacoalcos, Velacruz, Mexico. Her family are devoted Catholics. By the age of ten she went to boarding school in Louisiana. After getting involved in a riot for terrifying the nuns in her school, Hayek was sent back to Mexico. Eventually she went to Houston, Texas and stayed with her aunt and resided there until she reached age 17. Salma went back to Mexico to study International Relations when she reached college, but due to the frustration of her family she eventually dropped out to continue her career in acting. She began to be involved in some of Mexico’s theatre productions, shifted to television and landed the leading role of the local popular soap opera entitled Teresa. The success of the soap opera gave Salma Hayek the fame in Mexico. But she didn’t stop there! Her desire was for something else. Quitting the soap that shocked her fans, eventuallySalma pursued her career in L.A.

As Salma Hayek tried to get to Hollywood, her first steps were to learn the English language and to enhance her acting. She took lessons with Stella Adler and her first break happened when Allison Anders got Salma to star as a supporting actress in Mi Vida Loca in 1993.

That particular role saw Salma Hayek receiving a Screen Actors Guild Award, and with that she pursued auditions to appear on a Spanish-language show in cable TV where director Robert Rodriguez was one of the viewers. Robert Rodriguez looked over Salma until she was finally casted in Desperado. This is the sequel to El Mariachi which had a larger budget in 1995. This movie also starred Antonio Banderas, gave way for Salma Hayek to gain her own mark in Hollywood.  Robert Rodriguez believed in Salma Hayek and gave her another project which is entitled ‘From Dust Till Dawn’ the following year.

Salma Hayek also became the spokesperson for the beauty comppany Avon in February 2004. She also was a spokesperson for Revlon in the year 1998. Salma modelled for Chopard in 2001. She also featured in the 2006 Campari adverts shot by Mario Testino. April 3, 2006, she assisted in introducing La Doña which is a wrist watch made by Cartier and inspired by Mexican star Maria Felix.