Salma Hayek, a well-known actress who is originally from Mexico, has a net worth of $200 million. It’s worth noting that she has been married to Francois Henri Pinault, one of the richest people in the world, since 2009.
As of now, Francois has a net worth of $7 billion, and his father, Francoise Pinault, has a fortune of $40 billion. Francoise Sr. is the founder of Kering, which owns well-known brands like Gucci, Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, Puma, Brioni, and Maui Jim, among others.
Salma and Francois Jr. did not sign a prenuptial agreement. If they were to separate, Salma would likely receive a significant amount of community property and future support, which would greatly increase her wealth. However, people hope that such a situation never happens.
Salma became famous through the Mexican telenovela “Teresa” in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She then moved to Los Angeles to study acting and English. As she began her career in the U.S., she appeared in the movie “El Callejon de los Milagros,” which is considered the most awarded film in the history of Mexican cinema.
When she returned to the United States, she made her English-language debut in Robert Rodriguez’s hit movie “Desperado,” where she acted alongside Antonio Banderas. This was the start of her appearances in well-known movies like “From Dusk Till Dawn,” “Fools Rush In,” “54,” “Wild Wild West,” “Dogma,” “Timecode,” and “Hotel.”
In 2000, she started her own production company and began producing films. In 2002, she starred in and co-produced the movie “Frida,” which tells the story of artist Frida Kahlo’s life and work.
The film, directed by Julie Taymor, received many awards and led to Salma being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. Since then, she has worked in both movies and television, appearing in titles like “Once Upon a Time in Mexico,” “Ask the Dust,” “Across the Universe,” “Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant,” “Grown Ups,” “Savages,” “Here Comes the Boom,” “Grown Ups 2,” and Marvel’s “Eternals.” She also produced and had a recurring role in the well-received series “Ugly Betty,” and made guest appearances on “30 Rock.”
Salma Hayek (Credits: Getty Images)Early Life and Career Beginnings
Salma Hayek, whose full name is Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez, was born on September 2, 1966, in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico. Her father, Sami Hayek Domínguez, worked as an executive in the oil business and owned a company that sold industrial equipment.
He also ran for mayor of Coatzacoalcos and has Lebanese Mexican heritage. Her mother, Diana Jiménez Medina, was a skilled opera singer and talent scout. Salma’s background includes both Spanish and Lebanese ancestry.
She grew up in a wealthy Roman Catholic family along with her younger brother, Sami. Their household included four live-in maids during her early years. When she was 12, Salma was sent to the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. Later, she went on to study international relations at the Universidad Iberoamericana.
By the time she moved to Los Angeles in the late 1980s to follow her dream of becoming an actress, her family had lost their money. Because of this, Salma faced tough times starting out, and she used her early paychecks to help support her family back in Mexico.
When she was 23, Hayek got the main role in the Mexican telenovela “Teresa,” which made her famous and widely known in Mexico. She became even more recognized when she played a major part in the movie “El Callejón de los Milagros (Miracle Alley)” (1994), which is known as the most awarded film in Mexican cinema. Her performance in that film earned her a nomination for an Ariel Award.
Salma Hayek (Credits: Getty Images)Acting and Directing Career
In 1991, Hayek moved to Los Angeles, California, to try to build a career in acting. She trained with the well-known acting teacher Stella Adler. At the time, Hayek dealt with dyslexia and didn’t speak much English. Even with these difficulties, her hard work paid off when Robert Rodriguez gave her the lead role in the movie “Desperado” in 1995, where she starred with Antonio Banderas.
This role helped launch her growing career in the United States. She soon got a small part in “From Dusk Till Dawn” (1996) as a vampire queen. Even though her screen time was short, her performance stood out, especially because of the memorable snake dance she performed. After that, she acted with Matthew Perry in the romantic comedy “Fools Rush In” (1997), and with Will Smith in “Wild Wild West” (1999).
Hayek has acted in several well-known films such as “In the Time of the Butterflies” (2001), “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” (2003), “Grown Ups” (2010), and “Grown Ups 2” (2013). She voiced the character Kitty Softpaws in the animated movie “Puss in Boots” (2011) with Antonio Banderas, and returned for its sequel, “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” (2022).
She also voiced a character in “Sausage Party” (2016) and appeared in more recent movies like “How to Be a Latin Lover” (2017), “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” (2017), Marvel’s “Eternals” (2021), and “House of Gucci” (2021).
Around 2000, Hayek started her own film production company called Ventanarosa. In April 2007, she became the CEO after making a deal with MGM, and the next month she signed a two-year contract with ABC to create shows through Ventanarosa.
Her first production was “El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba” (1999). Since then, she has produced several projects, including the Showtime film “The Maldonado Miracle” (2003), which she also directed; the NBC series “Ugly Betty,” which aired from 2006 to 2010; and the movie “Frida” (2002), which she co-produced and starred in. She has directed music videos too, for artists such as Prince and Jada Pinkett Smith.
Hayek was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in “Frida,” and she received a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing in a Children/Youth/Family Special for “The Maldonado Miracle.”
Salma Hayek (Credits: Getty Images)Endorsements and Entrepreneurship
Since February 2004, Hayek has been the face of Avon Cosmetics as a spokesperson. She has also represented Revlon in the same way since 1998. Her modeling work includes advertising campaigns for well-known brands like Chopard, Campari, and Lincoln. Hayek has been involved in several business ventures as well. In 2008, she co-founded Cooler Cleanse, a juice delivery service, with Juice Generation.
In 2017, she launched a beauty subscription service called Blend It Yourself with Juice Generation founder Eric Helms. This service offered customers pre-made items such as organic frozen smoothies and ingredients for acai bowls.
In 2011, Hayek released her own product line called Nuance by Salma Hayek, available at CVS stores in North America. The line included makeup, skincare, and hair care products.
How much is Henri Pinault worth?
In 2009, Salma Hayek married French billionaire Francois Henri-Pinault, who is currently estimated to have a net worth of $7 billion. They have a daughter together named Valentina Paloma Pinault. The Pinault family owns Kering, a luxury goods company that includes famous brands such as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Puma, Volcom, and Brioni.
Francois has been the CEO of Kering since 2005. His father, who founded the company, is still the biggest individual shareholder and has a net worth of $14 billion. In 2019, the Pinault family pledged $113 million to help restore the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris after it was badly damaged by a fire on April 15, 2019.
Is Salma Hayek still married to a billionaire?
Yes, Salma Hayek is still married to billionaire François-Henri Pinault. They got married in 2009 and are still together.
Does Salma Hayek have a prenup?
No, Salma Hayek and François-Henri Pinault do not have a prenuptial agreement. In an interview, Hayek said she turned down the idea of a prenup before their 2009 wedding. She explained that their relationship is based on love, trust, and mutual respect rather than money, even though Pinault has a fortune worth billions.
Salma Hayek (Credits: Getty Images)Charity Work and Activism
Hayek has been a strong supporter of ending violence against women. In July 2005, she gave testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, where she backed the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. In February 2006, she donated $25,000 to a shelter for abused women in her hometown of Coatzacoalcos, Mexico, and another $50,000 to organizations working against domestic violence in Monterrey, Mexico.
In 2013, Hayek worked with Beyoncé and Frida Giannini on a Gucci project called “Chime for Change,” which aimed to support women’s empowerment. For her efforts in helping others, Hayek was nominated for the VH1 Do Something Awards in 2010.
Salma Hayek is a remarkable actress, entrepreneur, and philanthropist whose career spans decades of success and impactful contributions to both the entertainment industry and society. From her iconic role in “Frida” to her entrepreneurial ventures, she continues to inspire with her creativity, determination, and advocacy for women’s rights.
Hayek’s wealth, which includes a net worth of $200 million, reflects not only her hard work but also her ability to work in many different areas, such as acting, producing, and business. Her continued charitable efforts and her commitment to helping others make her a role model and a leader.