Salma Hayek: One-Woman Heat Wave

I'm curious about how Hayek's family, which includes a Lebanese businessman father, a sometime-singer mom and a younger brother, views her. What's it like for a father and mother to rear such a willful knockout? Is it true, for instance, that she announced she would go on academic strike and fail her classes unless her parents let her study in a Catholic girls school in Texas? She nods. "When I got there, I made a lot of problems. Innocent problems, not vicious things, but problems. I was a nightmare. I got expelled, but, even when I left, they gave me a medal for being the most spirited." She declines to elaborate upon just how nightmarish or spirited she was, but she insists she possessed then, and has now, deep religious faith. "I've felt God standing right next to me," she says quietly. "I've never seen Him, but I have felt Him. I have a great relationship with God. I'm not very religious--I've committed a lot of sins in my life that go against the Catholic church. I don't go to Mass every Sunday, but I think He likes me. God is very, very generous to me and I'm very grateful for it."

In speaking of her family, her faith and her heritage, Hayek reminds me of one of these Catholic girls who'd mess with me after catechism but never missed Sunday communion. "Being my father is a tough job-- although he says it's the best thing that ever happened to him. My parents supported me when I wanted to come here, even though they were terribly worried for me." Now Hayek appears to have an entire nation of surrogate parents who'd do more than worry for her. "There is a pride many people in Mexico seem to feel that puts an immense amount of pressure on my back. It sounds selfish, but I came here because it was a personal dream. In a way, for Mexicans, it's turned into a collective dream. People come up to me there and here and say, 'Yes! You represent our country.' In the back of my mind, I did wish that if something happened with my career, it would inspire a lot of people. This thing about, 'You have to keep it up, you have to rise higher,' puts pressure on me. What if I make a terrible choice? What if I'm trashed by the media? They would take it personally if I failed."

"I understand this, of course, because of the terrible financial, social and political situation there, they need somebody that comes from there to get wider recognition. Coming from a history of abuse, we have very low national self-esteem. We've become masters at taking abuse. We also grew up in the shadow of a giant next to us, to whom we looked up. When I first came here, I did several public service announcements trying to convince people who came legally to the States to learn English. It broke my heart to discover that most Mexicans didn't think they were even good enough to speak the same language as these tall, blonde, blue-eyed people. It's very tough to come out of that cycle, but for the first time, at least we're saying, 'We're not taking any more of this.' "

How does she feel being in the forefront of a group of Latina actresses who, say many in Hollywood, may be the very next Big Thing in movies? Is she at all competitive with, say, Jennifer Lopez, who snagged the lead in the biomovie of the slain Tejano singer Selena and the sizzler role in Oliver Stone's U-Turn? "I passed on Selena because, though I'm sure it's going to be a big hit, it's unnecessary, maybe redundant. I mean, she just died, she's still very present." What about Elpidia Carrillo, chosen by fledgling director Johnny Depp to star opposite him in The Brave? "Elpidia I really respect," says Hayek. "I think there's something really special about her. She's the best thing in some films I've seen her in. I really like Elizabeth Pena, too, because she has strength and smartness. I became Maria Conchita Alonso's and Sonia Braga's number one fan, because when they came here, there really were no parts for Latinas. The more we do our work well, the more parts there will be for all of us. I'm very competitive, but not that competitive." Hayek thinks about this a moment, then breaks out in a wicked laugh, adding, "I'm not going to be a hypocrite. Probably if I were still down there auditioning for parts and not getting them, I would hate their fucking guts--every one of them."

Now that she's taking on the challenge of solidifying a Hollywood career, how does Hayek size up her skills and attributes? "I have gotten a lot more attention than some of the 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. But there is also a relationship some people can establish with the camera that others can't. It's got nothing to do with talent. It's nothing you've earned. I learned in Mexico that the lens likes me, but I kept thinking, 'I'm famous, but am I good?' It wasn't enough for me to be famous. Now, I'm trying more and more to be good at what I do."

________________________________________________________

Stephen Rebello interviewed Teri Hatcher for the October '96 issue of Movieline.

Pages: 1 2 3