Touted by filmmaker Robert Rodriguez as the first Mexican star to play the female lead in an American movie since Dolores Del Rio, the stunningly beautiful and charismatic Salma Hayek scorched stateside cineplexes as the fiery border town bookseller who romances Antonio Banderas' vengeful "mariachi" in "Desperado" (1995). She had previously won the hearts of her countrymen with two TV roles in the late 1980s, first as an innocent schoolgirl in "Nuevo Amancer" and subsequently as the comely bad girl protagonist of "Teresa" in the extremely popular primetime soap. Fearing that Mexican audiences valued her looks more than her thespian skills – despite several acting awards – Hayek left Mexico at the height of her vogue and headed for L.A. She then took a year-and-a-half off from acting to learn English.
By 1992, Hayek was landing TV guest shots and appeared as a recurring character on a family sitcom, "The Sinbad Show" (Fox, 1993-94), before winning a supporting role in Alison Anders' well-regarded indie feature "Mi Vida Loca/My Crazy Life" (1993). Hayek's English skills had blossomed but roles remained elusive. Writer-director Rodriguez heard her lament on comic Paul Rodriguez's talk show and cast her as the female lead in his first 35mm project, "Roadracers" (Showtime, 1994), the hyper-stylized premiere installment of the "Rebel Highway" TV-movie series. His ultimate goal was to cast her as the female lead in his studio-produced sequel to 1992's low-budget marvel "El Mariachi;" the ploy worked, allowing Hayek to beat out all the standard Anglos that the studio attempted to impose upon the production.
Additional Hollywood assignments followed including further collaborations with Rodriguez on two other projects – a cameo with Banderas in the ill-conceived feature "Four Rooms" (also 1995) and as a blood-sucking snake-dancer in the Quentin Tarantino-scripted vampire outing, "From Dusk Till Dawn" (1996). Hayek has stated her intention to alternate between working in Hollywood genre fare and Mexican art films (e.g., 1995's "Midaq Alley/El Callejon de los Milagros"). She idled for a while in Hollywood, though; with unremarkable supporting roles in Cindy Crawford's debut outing, "Fair Game" (1995), and the convicts on the run actioner "Fled" (1996).
Hayek then essayed her first romantic comedy lead opposite Matthew Perry in the underperforming "Fools Rush In" (1997). Cast as a Mexican woman who hastily marries an American and then proceeds to fall in love with him, she made a valiant effort, but critics and audiences were not impressed. "Breaking Up" (1997), which paired her with Russell Crowe as a couple who constantly separate and reconcile, also failed to excite audiences. She fared somewhat better as the fiery gypsy dance Esmeralda to Mandy Patinkin's "The Hunchback" in the 1997 TNT TV-movie but her role in the highly anticipated "54" (1998) was abbreviated when executives demanded re-shoots and a change in the storyline.
In 1999, Hayek was cast as the female lead in the western action flick, "Wild, Wild West" and appeared in director Kevin Smith's controversial comedy "Dogma.” She followed up with more serious fare, taking a small role in Steven Soderbergh's acclaimed anti-drug ensemble drama "Traffic" and appearing as a sexually controlling actress in Mike Figgis' experimental multi-screen drama "Timecode" (she would later reunited with Figgis for his next split-screen effort "Hotel"). She also produced and starred as the Mexican surrealist painter Frida Kahlo in the drama biopic "Frida" (2002). For years Hayek fought to get the film made, eventually becoming the movie's producer, and the actress powered the project into production by the sheer force of her desire to bring the life story of her fellow countrywoman to the screen. While reaction to the film – directed by avant garde auteur Julie Taymor – was mixed, Hayek's intense performance was roundly praised. She was able to transcend both her sex symbol status and the limits of her ethnicity when she received an Academy Award nomination as Best Actress for her efforts.
In 2003 Hayek reunited twice with director Robert Rodriguez, first for a humorous cameo in "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over" and then to reprise her role as Carolina – if only in flashback – in the successful and entertaining third outing in the El Mariachi series "Once Upon a Time in Mexico.” She then demonstrated her highly combustible sexual chemistry with co-star Pierce Brosnan in the amiable caper comedy "After the Sunset" (2004), playing the lover/partner of Brosnan's retired master jewel thief who finds himself tempted by the prospect of one last score, putting their relationship in jeopardy.
Then in 2006, Hayek donned a new hat – executive producer – for television’s “Ugly Betty" (ABC, 2006- ), an American adaptation of the popular Colombian telenovela “Betty, La Fea” (RCN, 1999-2001.) Using her big-screen fame, Hayek guest-starred in several episodes of “Ugly Betty” during its first season to boost the fledgling show’s ratings. On July 19, 2007, Hayek’s portrayal as glamorous fashionista Sofia Reyes earned the actress her first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.
* Also Credited As:
hayek
* Born:
September 2, 1968 in Coastzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico
* Job Titles:
Actor, Director, Producer
Family
* Brother: Sami Hayek. Younger
* Daughter: Valentia Paloma Pinault. Born Sept. 21, 2007; father, François-Henri Pinault
* Father: Sami Hayek Dominguez. Lebanese; ran for mayor of Coatzacoalcos, Mexico in 1997
* Mother: Diana Hayek. Mexican
Significant Others
* Companion: François-Henri Pinault. Began dating in 2007; became engaged in March 2007, after it was announced that she was expecting a child
* Companion: Josh Lucas. Began dating August 2003; split September 2004
* Companion: Edward Atterton. dated from 1997 to 1999; met during filming of "The Hunchback"
* Companion: Edward Norton. dating from late 1999; Hayek and Norton were rumored to be married as of January 2003
* Companion: Richard Crenna. engaged; no longer together; met in 1991 acting class
Education
* Stella Adler Conservatory, Los Angeles, CA
* National University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
Milestones
* 1980 At age 12, told her father she would "go on strike" and fail all her classes if he did not allow her to go to school in America
* 1989 Mexican TV series debut, "Nuevo Amancer"
* 1989 Won stardom as "Teresa" in the hugely popular Mexican primetime serial
* 1991 Stopped acting for a year-and-a-half to study English
* 1991 Left Mexico at the height of her popularity and moved to Los Angeles
* 1992 First US TV guest spots included "Nurses" (NBC) and "Dream On" (HBO)
* 1993 Played a recurring role on the Fox family series "The Sinbad Show"
* 1993 US feature debut, Alison Anders' "Mi Vida Loca/My Crazy Life"
* 1994 US TV-movie debut, "Roadracers," a segment of Showtime's "Rebel Highway" series; first collaboration with filmmaker Robert Rodriguez
* 1995 Breakthrough Hollywood feature role, co-starring opposite Antonio Banderas in Rodriguez's "Desperado"
* 1995 Returned to Mexico to play a lead in "Midaq Alley/El Callejon de los Milagros"
* 1997 Signed contract to act as spokesperson for Revlon cosmetics
* 1998 Had featured role as a coat-check girl with aspirations to be a singer in "54"
* 1999 Had female lead in Barry Sonnenfeld's "Wild Wild West"
* 1999 Signed agreement with Sony to create TV programs in both Spanish (for Telemundo) and English (for Columbia TriStar TV)
* 2000 Made cameo appearance in "Traffic"
* 2000 Played featured role in "Timecode," director Mike Figgis' four-screen digital feature
* 2001 Executive produced and starred in the Showtime original "In the Time of the Butterflies"
* 2001 Reteamed with Figgis for "Hotel"
* 2002 Portrayed the title role in "Frida," a biopic of artist Frida Kahlo, directed by Julie Taymor and produced by Hayek; earned Golden Globe, BAFTA, SAG and Oscar nominations for her performance
* 2003 Cast as the female lead in "Once Upon A Time In Mexico"
* 2004 Co-starred with Pierce Brosnan and Woody Harrelson in "After the Sunset"
* 2004 Signed on to be the spokes woman for Avon's makeup and fragrance lines
* 2006 Co-starred with Colin Farrell in the Robert Towne-directed adaptation of John Fante's Depression Era novel, "Ask the Dust"
* 2006 Co-starred with Penelope Cruz as two bank robbers in "Bandidas"
* 2006 Produced the ABC comedy, "Ugly Betty"; also guest starred in several episodes; earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
* 2007 Signed a two-year overall production deal with ABC in which she and partner Jose Tamez will develop new projects for the studio through their company, Ventanarosa Productions
* Formed Ventanarosa Prods.
* Raised in Coatzacaolcos, Mexico
* Sent to a Catholic school in Texas; studied for two years before being expelled
Source : Internet Collection
By 1992, Hayek was landing TV guest shots and appeared as a recurring character on a family sitcom, "The Sinbad Show" (Fox, 1993-94), before winning a supporting role in Alison Anders' well-regarded indie feature "Mi Vida Loca/My Crazy Life" (1993). Hayek's English skills had blossomed but roles remained elusive. Writer-director Rodriguez heard her lament on comic Paul Rodriguez's talk show and cast her as the female lead in his first 35mm project, "Roadracers" (Showtime, 1994), the hyper-stylized premiere installment of the "Rebel Highway" TV-movie series. His ultimate goal was to cast her as the female lead in his studio-produced sequel to 1992's low-budget marvel "El Mariachi;" the ploy worked, allowing Hayek to beat out all the standard Anglos that the studio attempted to impose upon the production.
Additional Hollywood assignments followed including further collaborations with Rodriguez on two other projects – a cameo with Banderas in the ill-conceived feature "Four Rooms" (also 1995) and as a blood-sucking snake-dancer in the Quentin Tarantino-scripted vampire outing, "From Dusk Till Dawn" (1996). Hayek has stated her intention to alternate between working in Hollywood genre fare and Mexican art films (e.g., 1995's "Midaq Alley/El Callejon de los Milagros"). She idled for a while in Hollywood, though; with unremarkable supporting roles in Cindy Crawford's debut outing, "Fair Game" (1995), and the convicts on the run actioner "Fled" (1996).
Hayek then essayed her first romantic comedy lead opposite Matthew Perry in the underperforming "Fools Rush In" (1997). Cast as a Mexican woman who hastily marries an American and then proceeds to fall in love with him, she made a valiant effort, but critics and audiences were not impressed. "Breaking Up" (1997), which paired her with Russell Crowe as a couple who constantly separate and reconcile, also failed to excite audiences. She fared somewhat better as the fiery gypsy dance Esmeralda to Mandy Patinkin's "The Hunchback" in the 1997 TNT TV-movie but her role in the highly anticipated "54" (1998) was abbreviated when executives demanded re-shoots and a change in the storyline.
In 1999, Hayek was cast as the female lead in the western action flick, "Wild, Wild West" and appeared in director Kevin Smith's controversial comedy "Dogma.” She followed up with more serious fare, taking a small role in Steven Soderbergh's acclaimed anti-drug ensemble drama "Traffic" and appearing as a sexually controlling actress in Mike Figgis' experimental multi-screen drama "Timecode" (she would later reunited with Figgis for his next split-screen effort "Hotel"). She also produced and starred as the Mexican surrealist painter Frida Kahlo in the drama biopic "Frida" (2002). For years Hayek fought to get the film made, eventually becoming the movie's producer, and the actress powered the project into production by the sheer force of her desire to bring the life story of her fellow countrywoman to the screen. While reaction to the film – directed by avant garde auteur Julie Taymor – was mixed, Hayek's intense performance was roundly praised. She was able to transcend both her sex symbol status and the limits of her ethnicity when she received an Academy Award nomination as Best Actress for her efforts.
In 2003 Hayek reunited twice with director Robert Rodriguez, first for a humorous cameo in "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over" and then to reprise her role as Carolina – if only in flashback – in the successful and entertaining third outing in the El Mariachi series "Once Upon a Time in Mexico.” She then demonstrated her highly combustible sexual chemistry with co-star Pierce Brosnan in the amiable caper comedy "After the Sunset" (2004), playing the lover/partner of Brosnan's retired master jewel thief who finds himself tempted by the prospect of one last score, putting their relationship in jeopardy.
Then in 2006, Hayek donned a new hat – executive producer – for television’s “Ugly Betty" (ABC, 2006- ), an American adaptation of the popular Colombian telenovela “Betty, La Fea” (RCN, 1999-2001.) Using her big-screen fame, Hayek guest-starred in several episodes of “Ugly Betty” during its first season to boost the fledgling show’s ratings. On July 19, 2007, Hayek’s portrayal as glamorous fashionista Sofia Reyes earned the actress her first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.
* Also Credited As:
hayek
* Born:
September 2, 1968 in Coastzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico
* Job Titles:
Actor, Director, Producer
Family
* Brother: Sami Hayek. Younger
* Daughter: Valentia Paloma Pinault. Born Sept. 21, 2007; father, François-Henri Pinault
* Father: Sami Hayek Dominguez. Lebanese; ran for mayor of Coatzacoalcos, Mexico in 1997
* Mother: Diana Hayek. Mexican
Significant Others
* Companion: François-Henri Pinault. Began dating in 2007; became engaged in March 2007, after it was announced that she was expecting a child
* Companion: Josh Lucas. Began dating August 2003; split September 2004
* Companion: Edward Atterton. dated from 1997 to 1999; met during filming of "The Hunchback"
* Companion: Edward Norton. dating from late 1999; Hayek and Norton were rumored to be married as of January 2003
* Companion: Richard Crenna. engaged; no longer together; met in 1991 acting class
Education
* Stella Adler Conservatory, Los Angeles, CA
* National University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
Milestones
* 1980 At age 12, told her father she would "go on strike" and fail all her classes if he did not allow her to go to school in America
* 1989 Mexican TV series debut, "Nuevo Amancer"
* 1989 Won stardom as "Teresa" in the hugely popular Mexican primetime serial
* 1991 Stopped acting for a year-and-a-half to study English
* 1991 Left Mexico at the height of her popularity and moved to Los Angeles
* 1992 First US TV guest spots included "Nurses" (NBC) and "Dream On" (HBO)
* 1993 Played a recurring role on the Fox family series "The Sinbad Show"
* 1993 US feature debut, Alison Anders' "Mi Vida Loca/My Crazy Life"
* 1994 US TV-movie debut, "Roadracers," a segment of Showtime's "Rebel Highway" series; first collaboration with filmmaker Robert Rodriguez
* 1995 Breakthrough Hollywood feature role, co-starring opposite Antonio Banderas in Rodriguez's "Desperado"
* 1995 Returned to Mexico to play a lead in "Midaq Alley/El Callejon de los Milagros"
* 1997 Signed contract to act as spokesperson for Revlon cosmetics
* 1998 Had featured role as a coat-check girl with aspirations to be a singer in "54"
* 1999 Had female lead in Barry Sonnenfeld's "Wild Wild West"
* 1999 Signed agreement with Sony to create TV programs in both Spanish (for Telemundo) and English (for Columbia TriStar TV)
* 2000 Made cameo appearance in "Traffic"
* 2000 Played featured role in "Timecode," director Mike Figgis' four-screen digital feature
* 2001 Executive produced and starred in the Showtime original "In the Time of the Butterflies"
* 2001 Reteamed with Figgis for "Hotel"
* 2002 Portrayed the title role in "Frida," a biopic of artist Frida Kahlo, directed by Julie Taymor and produced by Hayek; earned Golden Globe, BAFTA, SAG and Oscar nominations for her performance
* 2003 Cast as the female lead in "Once Upon A Time In Mexico"
* 2004 Co-starred with Pierce Brosnan and Woody Harrelson in "After the Sunset"
* 2004 Signed on to be the spokes woman for Avon's makeup and fragrance lines
* 2006 Co-starred with Colin Farrell in the Robert Towne-directed adaptation of John Fante's Depression Era novel, "Ask the Dust"
* 2006 Co-starred with Penelope Cruz as two bank robbers in "Bandidas"
* 2006 Produced the ABC comedy, "Ugly Betty"; also guest starred in several episodes; earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
* 2007 Signed a two-year overall production deal with ABC in which she and partner Jose Tamez will develop new projects for the studio through their company, Ventanarosa Productions
* Formed Ventanarosa Prods.
* Raised in Coatzacaolcos, Mexico
* Sent to a Catholic school in Texas; studied for two years before being expelled
Source : Internet Collection
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