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Salma Hayek

Academy Award nominee Salma Hayek has proven herself as a prolific actress, producer and director, in both film and television. She received an Academy Award nomination, a Golden Globe nomination, a SAG nomination and a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress for the title role in Julie Taymor's Frida. Hayek recently completed filming Oliver Stone's Savages, with Benico del Toro, John Travolta, Uma Thurman and Blake Lively.

Hayek recently wrapped French filmmaker Mathieu Demy's Americano; the Spanish film La Chispa de la Vida from director Álex de la Iglesia; and Here Comes the Boom, a comedy from director Frank Coraci, in which she stars opposite Kevin James, who also wrote the film. Here Comes the Boom is scheduled for release in 2012.

Aside from upcoming film projects, Hayek has launched her new cosmetic, skincare and haircare line this past summer, called Nuance Salma Hayek. The 100-item beauty line is being sold exclusively at CVS Pharmacies around the country. All items are priced below $20.00.

Hayek was last seen in Grown Ups, a Columbia Pictures comedy, alongside Adam Sandler, Kevin James and Chris Rock. Recently seen guest-starring on NBC's critically acclaimed show 30 Rock, Hayek won an Emmy for her directorial debut, The Maldonado Miracle, which she also produced. The film, which starred Peter Fonda, Mare Winningham and Ruben Blades, premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and later aired on Showtime. Her last directorial project was a music video for Prince's single Te Amo Corazon, which premiered in January 2006.

Hayek's film credits include: Paul Weitz's The Vampire's Assistant, released by Universal Pictures; Todd Robinson's Lonely Hearts opposite John Travolta and James Gandolfini; Robert Towne's Ask the Dust, alongside Colin Farrell and Idina Menzel; Luc Besson's Bandidas opposite Penelope Cruz; Brett Ratner's After the Sunset; Robert Rodriguez's Once Upon a Time in Mexico; Mike Figgis' Hotel and Timecode; Kevin Smith's Dogma; the comedy Fools Rush In; From Dusk Till Dawn, directed by Robert Rodriquez and written by Quentin Tarantino; and Robert Rodriguez's Desperado.

Since 2006, Hayek and her producing partner, Jose Tamez, have been developing, producing and acquiring mainstream projects that either draw on Latin themes or feature Latin talent, both in front of and behind the camera, for ABC Studios. She recently served as the executive producer on ABC's award-winning program Ugly Betty, starring America Ferrera, based on the enormously successful Colombian series, Yo Soy Betty, La Fea. In 2001, she starred in and co-produced Showtime's In the Time of the Butterflies, for which she was nominated for a Broadcast Film Critics Association's award. Also produced by Hayek's Ventanarosa Productions was the Mexican feature, No One Writes to the Colonel, directed by Arturo Ripstein, and based on the novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. No One Writes to the Colonel was selected for official competition at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival.

Born and raised in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico, Hayek studied international relations in college in Mexico. Her additional Mexican credits include Midaq Alley, based on a novel by Nobel Prize winner, Naguib Mafouz.

Noted for her acting career, Hayek has also dedicated much of her time to social activism. Hayek served as spokesperson for the Pampers/UNICEF partnership worldwide to help stop the spread of life-threatening maternal and neonatal tetanus. She serves as the spokesperson for the Avon Foundation's Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program, which focuses on domestic violence education, awareness and prevention, as well as support for its victims. In 2005, she spoke in front the U.S. Senate, encouraging its members to extend the Violence Against Women Act. In January 2006, the legislation was passed, ensuring that $3.9 billion will be allocated to thousands of domestic violence crisis and intervention agencies throughout the U.S. In April of 2005, Hayek visited the Arctic Circle for the celebration of Earth Day, in an effort to bring attention to the dangers that global warming is putting on the lives of Inuit people and the rest of the world. In November 2005, she served as co-host, alongside Julianne Moore, at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, which honored Nobel laureate Mohamed el-Baradei and the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency. She was also part of the One campaign, created by singer and activist Bono, as well as a member of Global Green and Youth Aids.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2011.
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Salma Hayek Facts

Birth NameSalma Valgarma Hayek-Jiminez
OccupationActress
BirthdaySeptember 2, 1966 (57)
SignVirgo
BirthplaceCoatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico
Height5' 2" (1m57)  How tall is Salma Hayek compared to you?

Selected Filmography

Sausage Party
Grown Ups
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
Grown Ups 2
Puss in Boots
Tale of Tales
Here Comes The Boom
Fools Rush In
Frida
No One Writes to The Colonel
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