How Has Salma Hayek Found Strength in Female Solidarity?

Los Angeles, April 28 (NationPress) Actress Salma Hayek reveals that she and Penelope Cruz have been immense sources of support for each other as they navigated their careers in Hollywood as actresses hailing from Mexico and Spain, respectively. She emphasizes that female solidarity has served as her strength, inspiration, and a safe haven.

The 58-year-old actress initially achieved significant success in her home country of Mexico, starring in the telenovela Teresa, which aired for two years across 125 episodes, before moving to Los Angeles in 1991.

Hayek reflects on the challenges she faced in securing roles as a Latino actress during that time, but she was fortunate to have Cruz by her side, who made the transition from Spain to America to pursue her Hollywood dreams.

In an interview with the Italian magazine IO Donna, Salma stated: "In the 1990s, there were hardly any roles for Latinos, and I had to battle for every chance. Fortunately, I had an extraordinary community of women like Penélope Cruz supporting me. We provided refuge and strength for each other."

She continued, "Female solidarity has been my strength, my inspiration, and my safe space. Without this network, I can't say I would have had the same resilience. Friends nourish the soul; we learn from one another's bravery."

Hayek's early cinematic roles included appearances alongside Antonio Banderas in Robert Rodriguez’s action film Desperado (1995) and as a vampire in the cult classic From Dusk till Dawn, which also starred George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Juliette Lewis, and Harvey Keitel.

Her portrayal of surrealist painter Frida Kahlo in Julie Taymor’s biopic Frida (2002) garnered her critical acclaim and made her the first Mexican actress to earn a Best Actress Oscar nomination.

Hayek has been creating her own narratives for Latin audiences through her independent production company, Ventanarosa, which produced the hit series Ugly Betty.

As a Hollywood Walk of Fame honoree, she established Ventanarosa in 1999 to generate opportunities for actresses akin to her.

Discussing the landscape for Latino performers, she remarked: "There has been progress, yet much remains to be done. That's why I persist in producing stories for Latin audiences in Argentina and Mexico. Throughout my 26 years in production, my focus has never solely been on myself; I aimed to create opportunities for other artists and contribute to Latin American countries."

"Our latest initiative is a television adaptation of the beloved 1989 novel Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. It took us six years to finalize this project, and with 600 million Spanish speakers globally, the potential is substantial."