Salma Hayek Biography

Salma Hayek, Actress

Birthdate: September 2, 1966

Birthplace: Vera Cruz, Mexico

Sign: Virgo

Sultry Mexican-American actress was born Salma Hayek Jimenez on September 2, 1966 in Veracruz, Mexico to a wealthy family. She is the daughter of an opera singer and an oil company executive. She is raised as Catholic and was sent to the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Louisiana at the age of 12. She was later kicked out of the school for behavioral problems. She was later sent to live with her aunt in Texas until she was seventeen and then she attended college in Mexico City at the Universidad Iberoamericana. She later dropped out to pursue an acting career.

Her first TV role was in 1989's "Teresa," a Mexican telenovela (soap opera) that catapulted her to fame in Mexico. Then she starred in "El Callejon de los Milagros," a film that won numerous awards. Her performance in the film was nominated for an Ariel Award.

Hayek moved to Los Angeles, California in 1991. She wanted to study acting under Stella Adler, an actress and acting teacher, and hoped to invade Hollywood in the process. She wasn't fluent in English then, partly due to dyslexia. But in 1995, Hayek had gotten the break she needed when she was signed on to star opposite Antonio Banderas in 1995's "Desperado."

After her success in the Robert Rodriguez film, she landed a small but remarkable role in "From Dusk Till Dawn." Then she starred in "Wild Wild West" in 1999 with Will Smith on the top billing.

Aside from acting, Hayek also tried her hands in producing. She founded the production company Ventanarosa. Her first project as a producer was in the 1999 film "El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba." It was Mexico's official entry for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars.

She had starred in 2002's "Frida," which she also produced. She starred as the renowned artist Frida Kahlo, which had earned her a Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. This made her the second Latin American to be nominated for Oscar Best Actress.

Her directing debut was in "The Maldonado Miracle," which won her a Daytime Emmy Award for Oustanding Directing in a Children/Youth/Family Special. She also directed a music video for Prince in 2005, "Te Amo Corazon."

Hayek's current project in producing is the hit TV series, "Ugly Betty," starring America Ferrera. It was adapted from a hit Columbian telenovela "Yo Soy Betty La Fea" in 2001. The series won a Golden Globe Award for Best Comedy Series in 2007. She guest starred as Sofia Reyes in the series, which earned her a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in the Primetine Emmy.

Although she never discussed her relationships in public, Hayek's romantic involvement with men are well known. She dated actor Edward Norton from 1999 to 2003. She is now involved with CEO Francois-Henri Pinnault, who is the father of her child, Valentina Paloma Pinnault (born September 21, 2007).

The Hollywood Reporter ranked Hayek fourth in their first Latino Power 50 in July 2007. It is a list of the most powerful members of the Hollywood Latin community. She also topped the "sexiest celebrity" poll, which says 65% of the U.S. population use "sexy" to describe her.