Happy Birthday Salma Hayek: 59 Years of Culture Shifts and Storytelling
When you think of Salma Hayek, the first images that might come to mind are red carpets, her iconic “Desperado” role, or her timeless beauty. But today, on her 59th birthday, it’s worth remembering that her influence goes way deeper. From breaking Hollywood barriers to fighting for women’s rights, Hayek has used her career and platform to leave a cultural mark far beyond looks.
Salma Hayek made history with Frida
In 2002, Salma Hayek both produced and starred in Frida, the biopic about Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Actress, making Hayek the first Mexican actress ever nominated in that category. She later revealed that getting Frida made was an uphill battle, as she faced both sexism and harassment behind the scenes. But the result gave Kahlo’s story global recognition and secured Hayek’s place in film history.
She reshaped TV with Ugly Betty
Before diversity in Hollywood became a buzzword, Salma Hayek was pushing for it. She served as an executive producer of Ugly Betty, the U.S. adaptation of Colombia’s Yo Soy Betty, La Fea. The series ran from 2006 to 2010 and won the Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series. Hayek herself earned Emmy nominations as both an actress and producer. The show gave Latinx audiences mainstream representation and changed how networks saw Latino stories.
Salma Hayek has used her platform for women’s rights
Hayek has testified before the U.S. Senate in support of the Violence Against Women Act. She also donated $25,000 to a women’s shelter in her hometown of Coatzacoalcos and $50,000 to anti-domestic violence groups in Monterrey. In 2013, she co-founded Gucci’s “Chime for Change” campaign with Beyoncé and Frida Giannini, focusing on female empowerment worldwide. And in a viral 2017 op-ed for The New York Times, she spoke out about her experience with Harvey Weinstein, pushing the #MeToo movement forward.
She’s never stopped advocating for immigrants
In April 2025, Salma Hayek posted a viral video breaking down economic data about undocumented immigrants. She highlighted how, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, undocumented immigrants paid nearly $100 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022. She reminded her followers that Latino immigrants, often scapegoated in politics, are actually sustaining the U.S. economy. For Hayek, defending immigrants is personal. In a 2011 interview with V Magazine, she admitted she was once undocumented herself when she first arrived in Los Angeles.
Salma Hayek redefines aging in Hollywood
Hayek has consistently spoken out against the industry’s obsession with youth. “Women are not disposable after a certain age in any department. We should battle that with all we’ve got,” she told Marie Claire in 2025. She has continued to headline major projects like Marvel’s Eternals and House of Gucci, while showing up authentically with gray streaks and unfiltered confidence. As she told Marie Claire, “There was a time when I was the sexy girl, but thank God age came and gave me the ability to expand to other territories. Although I’m still sexy and I embrace it.”
Her philanthropy reaches across borders
Beyond Hollywood, Salma Hayek has shown up where she’s needed. On a UNICEF trip to Sierra Leone in 2009, she breastfed a newborn whose mother couldn’t produce milk, sparking global conversations on breastfeeding stigma. Her Salma Hayek Foundation has supported children in Mexico struggling with poverty, drugs, and lack of education. In 2019, her family also pledged $113 million to help rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral after the fire, according to AFP.
Salma Hayek keeps creating space for Latina power
From producing In the Time of the Butterflies to starring in Eternals as Marvel’s first Latina superhero, Salma Hayek keeps opening doors. She has balanced blockbuster success with stories rooted in culture, ensuring Latinas don’t just show up on screen. They lead. As Time magazine noted when it named her one of the 100 most influential people of 2023, her presence is both cultural and generational.
