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Gorgeous Desperado
Background:
"I have gotten a lot more attention than 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." Salma Hayek.
Academy Award nominated actress Salma Hayek became Hollywood luminary being cast
as Carolina opposite Antonio Banderas in Desperado (1995). Hayek, former soap
opera pin-up girl in Mexico, is also best known for playing the title role in
Frida (2002).
A dark-eyed Mexican beauty measuring in at 36C-25-37, Hayek was listed in
People's Best-Dressed Celebrity (2003) and People's 50 Most Beautiful People
(1996 and 2003). Off-screen, she has been linked to several Hollywood names such
as actor Edward Norton (born on August 19, 1969), The Hunchback fellow actor
Edward Atterton, and actor Richard Crenna Jr. (born in 1962). She recently split
from one-year boyfriend, actor Josh Lucas (Hulk, Sweet Home Alabama). On her
ideal man Hayek said, "I keep waiting to meet a man who has more balls than I
do."
Shuffled Salma
Childhood and Family:
Daughter of Lebanese descendant father Sami Hayek Domingues (businessman) and
Spanish descent mother Diana Hayek (opera singer and talent scout), Salma Hayek
Jiminez was born on September 2, 1966. Born in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico,
into a religious family, Salma was sent to Louisiana to Catholic boarding school
when she was 12 years old.
Salma, an Arabic derivation that means 'peace' or 'calm', enjoyed playing pranks
on school preachers and was finally sent back home. Her parents moved her out of
the home again to her aunt's home in Houston, Texas. Hayek spent her adolescent
years with her aunt until she reached 17. She then moved to Mexico City to study
International Relations at the National University of Mexico, but later dropped
out to pursue acting.
Hoping for Classic
Career:
"At the beginning [my career] was hard. People were like, 'Who is this Mexican
jumping bean?'" Salma Hayek
Hayek Initially performed in local theater with lead roles in such productions
like Aladdin and His Marvelous Lamp. After landing in several commercials, she
finally debuted in Mexico's TV series Un nuevo amanecer. The role scored her the
title role in the huge hit soap opera Teresa (1989), which established her as a
Mexico celebrity. In 1991, she risked her status by moving in Los Angeles to
pursue broader recognition.
For almost two years Hayek spent her time learning English and polishing her
acting skills with acting tutor Stella Adler. Realizing that Latin actresses
were often cast as tempting maids or prostitutes, she received roles in Street
Justice (1991), The Sinbad Show, Nurses (1991) and in HBO's Dream On (1990).
However, she achieved her first break gaining a Screen Actors Guild card for her
small role in Allison Anders' Spanish-language-film Mi Vida Loca (1993, a.k.a My
Crazy Love).
Her longing to be a Hollywood actress came true when Robert Rodriguez cast her
to work with Antonio Banderas in Desperado (1995). She continued to star in
another Rodriguez's film, alongside George Clooney, in From Dusk Till Dawn
(1996) and played a role in forgetful films like Fair Game (1995) and Fled
(1996). Hayek was credited to several films including Fools Rush In (1997,
opposite Matthew Perry), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1997, playing Esmeralda),
Breaking Up (1997, with Russell Crowe) and 54 (1998). She also added other films
to her resume with The Faculty (1998, worked with Elijah Wood), Dogma (1999,
costarring Matt Damon), Wild Wild West (1999, alongside Will Smith), Timecode
(2000), Chain of Fools, Hotel (2001) and In The Time of Butterflies (2001, TV).
Serious recognition came in 2002 when she was cast as Mexican painter Frida
Kahlo in the film Frida. Also co-producer of the film, Hayek was nominated for
an Academy Award for Best Actress, as well as BAFTA Awards and Golden Globe
Awards.
Following the runaway success of Desperado and Frida, Hayek starred in Once Upon
a Time in Mexico (2003) and in Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003). She also teamed
with Pierce Brosnan in After The Sunset (2004), and with Collin Farrell in Ask
The Dust (2005), then lent her voice to the animated film Sian Ka'an (2005).
Currently, she is starring in Bandidas, where she shares the screen with best
friend Penelope Cruz.
"I aim for a lifetime full of movies. I want to work for a long, long time...and
if I am very lucky and blessed, maybe somewhere along the line there will be one
movie in there that becomes a classic." Salma Hayek.
Awards:
