With her show-stopping talent and beauty, Salma Hayek is known for her work both in front and behind the camera. In celebration of the release of Salma’s most recent film, Lessons In Love we take a look at the films that put her in the spotlight.
Lessons In Love (2015)
Well-respected college professor Richard Haig (Pierce Brosnan) spends his nights indulging his romantic fantasies with a stream of young and beautiful undergraduates. When he learns his 25-year-old girlfriend Kate (Jessica Alba), is pregnant he follows her to America to begin a new chapter in his life, which involves getting to know her family, including her older and beautiful sister, Olivia (Hayek). Despite Olivia’s initial distaste for Richard, as time progresses it becomes increasingly clear that a connection between the two is something special.
Desperado (1995)
In 1995, Salma shared the screen with Antonio Banderas in Desperado. This action-packed film follows Mariachi (Banderas) as he hunts for one of the most dangerous Mexican drug lords, Bucho. Mariachi teams up with a beautiful bookstore owner (Hayek) in order to find and take down Bucho and his desperado army.
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
This cult classic stars Hayek alongside George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Keitel and Ernest Liu, and follows the exploits of the sadistic Gecko brothers (Clooney and Tarantino) and the family they’ve taken hostage (Keitel, Liu and Lewis). After a string of robberies, the siblings head to Mexico. Arriving at a bar, they quickly realise they’ve inadvertently stumbled into a venue teeming with horrific, blood-sucking vampires – including the jaw-droppingly seductive Santanico Pandemonium (Hayek).
Dogma (1999)
Kevin Smith’s brilliantly provocative comedy stars Linda Fiorentinoas as an abortion clinic worker who is chosen to help prevent two rogue angels (Ben Affleck and Matt Damon) from re-entering Heaven and undoing the fabric of the universe. She is assisted by two unlikely prophets, Jay and Silent Bob, Rufus, the 13th Apostle (Chris Rock) and a muse with writer’s block, Serendipity (Hayek).
Frida (2002)
In 2002 Salma stared in the true-life story of the highly acclaimed Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo, and her husband Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina). The film follows their turbulent relationship and ostentatious personalities that earned them worldwide renown.
Once Upon A Time In Mexico (2003)
This classic sees the return of mythic guitar-slinging hero, El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas), in the final instalment of the Mariachi/Desperado trilogy. El Mariachi makes his way across a rugged landscape on the trail of the sadistic cartel kingpin Barrillo (Willem Dafoe), who is plotting a coup d’etat against the president of Mexico. Enlisted by corrupt CIA operative Sands (Johnny Depp), El Mariachi is out for revenge. Hayek reprises the role she took on in Desperado as bookshop owner Carolina, in a cast that also includes Mickey Rourke and Eva Mendes.
Grown Ups (2010)
When the basketball coach of five childhood best friends dies, the group gather with families in tow for his funeral and a weekend at the lake house where they used to party. But after 30 years, each friend is dealing with their own unique challenges that come with adult life. Salma plays Roxanne, the fashion designer wife of Lenny (Adam Sandler), a wealthy Hollywood agent. The friends and families gather in attempt to rekindle the connection lost throughout years of adult-life trials and distractions.
Lessons In Love is available on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital platforms from November 9th, 2015 courtesy of Arrow Films.