Salma Hayek

Trivia

Years after achieving film stardom, Hayek appeared on Charlie Rose's talk show, this time proclaiming that she didn't just want to be a "bikini girl". However, she did encourage this perception earlier in her career by appearing as a gyrating bikini clad dancer - visible only from the neck down - in another Robert Rodriguez-directed film. What was this collaborative screwball comedy?

Salma Hayek - The Woman and Her Work (stuthehistoryguy)

Four Rooms. This wild movie was actually a loosely-bound complilation of four short films, each by a different director, set on New Year's Eve at a posh hotel. In Hayek's segment, "The Misbehavers", Tim Roth is entrusted with the well-being of tough guy Antonio Banderas' children. When Banderas returns, the room is on fire, there is a dead body in the bed, Roth is holding a hypodermic needle, Banderas' daughter is holding an empty liquor bottle, and Banderas' son is smoking and watching Hayek's torso gyrate on television. On seeing this, Banderas asks: "Did they misbehave?"

What is the name of the production company Salma owns?

Salma Hayek: This is Your Life! (NalaMarie)

Ventanarosa. The 1st movie under this company is "In the Time of the Butterflies" in which she stars as the oldest Mirabal sister, Minerva. It was released in the U.S. on October 21, 2001. It starred Salma Hayek, Edward James Olmos amd Marc Anthony.

What 2001 movie was Salma the co-producer of?

Salma Hayek: This is Your Life! (NalaMarie)

In the Time of the Butterflies. 'In the Time of the Butterflies' is based on the book by Julia Alvarez. It tells the true story of the 4 Mirabal sisters that fought the dictatorship in the Dominican republic.

Salma Hayek first came to prominence in 1989 as the eponymous lead in the Mexican soap opera "Theresa". After two years of stardom in this limited genre, she left the show to pursue a career in film. Initially, she met with little success, leading her to complain bitterly about Hollywood's treatment of Latinas, while a guest on comedian Paul Rodriguez's talk show. This impassioned outcry attracted the attention of director Robert Rodriguez, who cast her as the female lead in his first film with a substantial budget. What was the title of this breakthrough Hayek movie?

Salma Hayek - The Woman and Her Work (stuthehistoryguy)

Desperado. In this film, an assassin posing as a musician (played by Antonio Banderas) seeks to kill a Mexican crime lord to avenge the death of his lover; Hayek plays the assassin's bookstore-owning love interest. Though much better funded than Rodriguez's earlier venture, "El Mariachi" (shot with a miniscule $7,000 budget, albeit with about $1 million in post-production work after it was purchased by Colombia Tristar), "Desperado" was still modestly budgeted for an action picture, costing a mere $7 million. As a result, most of Rodriguez's crew assumed multiple duties. Rodriguez has remarked that his crew was particularly enthusiastic about volunteering for extra jobs on the day he shot the steamy love scene with Hayek and Antonio Banderas!

Is her father is Lebanese?

Salma Hayek: This is Your Life! (NalaMarie)

Yes. Her father, Sami Hayek Dominguez, is a businessman and he also ran for mayor of Coatzacoalcos, Mexico, in 1997. Her mother, Diana Hayek, is Mexican and an opera singer and talent scout. She also has a brother named Sami.

In yet another Rodriguez film, Hayek would play yet another "bikini girl" - this time an exotic dancer who turns out to be a bloodthirsty vampire in what can best be described as a postmodern combination of a buddy film and a slasher movie. What is the name of this Quentin Tarrantino-scripted hit?

Salma Hayek - The Woman and Her Work (stuthehistoryguy)

From Dusk Till Dawn. Rodriguez faced many challenges shooting Hayek's scenes in this movie, including the task of making her look tall and imposing - Hayek is only 5'2 - and editing around the many stumbles she took, most of which were due to the 30-lb. snake around her shoulders.

In which magazine did Salma say the following, "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: This is Your Life! (NalaMarie)

Movieline. This quote can be found in the January 1997 issue of "Movieline" magazine.

In what month and year was Salma born?

Salma Hayek: This is Your Life! (NalaMarie)

September 1966. Salma was born on September 2nd, 1966 in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico.

In this feature, Hayek plays an aspiring singer who works as a coat-check girl at the most popular and decadent dance club of the disco era, yet manages to keep her innocence and dignity. What is the name of this box office disappointment that attempted to capture the spririt of the decadent 1970's New York high society scene?

Salma Hayek - The Woman and Her Work (stuthehistoryguy)

54. Hayek really isn't given much to do in this movie, which may be one reason that is was a disappointment, both financially and critically. Mike Myers did receive some kudos for his performance as impressario Steve Rubell. Hayek would also be featured in the film version of the television show "Wild, Wild West", which was also a colossal failure. Thankfully, she would go on to be part of much more successful efforts.

In this "caper" picture, co-starring Pierce "James Bond" Brosnan, Hayek plays a retired gem thief who is struggling to keep her husband from pulling one last, career-capping heist. What is the name of this film, which also sees her invoke her "bikini girl" persona in several scenes?

Salma Hayek - The Woman and Her Work (stuthehistoryguy)

After the Sunset. To promote this film, AMC Theaters and New Line Cinema printed a large quantity of popcorn bags with an ad for the movie and a special sweepstakes offer. Unfortunately, they misspelled the leading lady's name as "Hayak". Thankfully, this error was quickly caught and corrected.

In the Arabic language, what does her name mean?

Salma Hayek: This is Your Life! (NalaMarie)

safe. In Italian, it means 'corpse' and in the Hindu language, it means 'peace'.

How old was Salma when her parents sent her to a Louisiana boarding school?

Salma Hayek: This is Your Life! (NalaMarie)

12. Her parents wanted to ensure that their daughter would be well educated and sent her a Louisiana boarding school when she was 12. She was sent back home for being a prankster.

Hayek played another supernatural hoofer in this controversial 1999 Kevin Smith film, wherein she plays a muse who poses as an exotic dancer. What is the name of this movie, which earned its director at least three death threats?

Salma Hayek - The Woman and Her Work (stuthehistoryguy)

Dogma. Several protesters, most of them Catholic like director Smith himself, objected to the film's trivialization of Church doctrine in this film about two fallen angels trying to subvert the will of G-d, and thus bring about the Apocalypse. At one highly-publicized demonstration at a New Jersey multiplex, Smith himself posed as a protester and gave an interview to a local television station. (As an aside, the inclusion of a pagan character like Hayek's muse might also raise the ire of a devout Catholic. Though it can be argued that, since much Catholic doctrine draws on pagan classics like the work of Aristotle, the inclusion of a muse among the divine servants is defensible.)

For which make-up company was Salma a spokeswoman for in 2001?

Salma Hayek: This is Your Life! (NalaMarie)

Revlon. Salma also posed in ad campaigns for Revlon (1991 and 1999), H and M (1999), Coors Light (1999), Veracruz Tours (2000) and the March of Dimes.

After her ambitious, Oscar-nominated effort, Hayek reunited with Robert Rodriguez and Antonio Banderas for an action comedy that seemingly brought Rodriquez's "Mariachi" trilogy to an end. What is the name of this fast-paced 2003 effort that also featured Johnny Depp?

Salma Hayek - The Woman and Her Work (stuthehistoryguy)

Once Upon a Time in Mexico. As in "Desperado", Banderas' character is again seeking revenge, though this time it is for the death of Hayek's character. Initially, the Mexican military had agreed to supply much of the ordinance for this film. When they found out that it portrayed Mexican politics as inherently corrupt and largely manipulated by the CIA, they changed their minds.

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