She went from a Mexican soap star to the first Mexican actress ever nominated for an Oscar. 💫 Now Salma Hayek just turned 60 — and she's still the moment. From Coatzacoalcos to Cannes, this is Salma Hayek, updated for 2026.
Salma Hayek Then 🌱
Salma Hayek Pinault was born on September 2, 1966, in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico. Her mother, Diana, was an opera singer. Her father, Sami, was a businessman.
She was a handful from the start. At 12, she was sent to a Catholic school in Louisiana, where she shocked the nuns by sneaking out for adventures.
Acting came early. By her early 20s, she was the star of the Mexican telenovela "Teresa" — the biggest thing on Mexican television in 1989.
Then she did something bold. She gave it all up and moved to Los Angeles in 1991, where she barely spoke English.
Hollywood didn't know what to do with her at first. Small roles came: "Mi Vida Loca" (1993), then a break with director Robert Rodriguez.
"Desperado" (1995) changed everything. Opposite Antonio Banderas, she was electric — and a star was born. "From Dusk Till Dawn" (1996) made her iconic: one dance with a snake, and nobody forgot her name.
The Middle: Frida and Beyond 👑
In 2002, Salma did something nobody else would: she spent nearly a decade getting a Frida Kahlo biopic made. She produced it and starred in it.
It paid off. She earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress — the first Mexican actress ever nominated in that category. 🏆
She didn't stop there. She executive-produced the hit series "Ugly Betty" (2006–2010) and won a Daytime Emmy for directing "The Maldonado Miracle" (2003).
The 2010s kept her busy. "Grown Ups" (2010) and its sequel. "Savages" (2012). "The Hitman's Bodyguard" (2017) with Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson.
In 2021, she joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ajak in "Eternals." And in 2023, she led "Magic Mike's Last Dance" opposite Channing Tatum.
Like Jennifer Garner, she became one of the few actresses who could jump between action, comedy, and drama without missing a beat. And like Julia Roberts, she proved a leading lady's power lasts decades, not years.
Her personal life matched the fairy tale. In 2009, she married French business executive François-Henri Pinault. Their daughter, Valentina, was born in 2007.
In 2017, she became one of the loudest voices in the #MeToo movement, publishing a searing op-ed in The New York Times about her experiences with Harvey Weinstein.
Salma Hayek Now 📈
Today, Salma Hayek is 60 — she turned 60 on September 2, 2026. And she celebrated like only she could: a skinny dip in the ocean. 🌊
"60 and grateful," she wrote to her millions of Instagram followers.
The milestone caps a landmark year. In May 2025, she stunned on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit — at 58, proving glamour has no age limit.
Then came one of the most personal roles of her career. "Without Blood," directed by Angelina Jolie, premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival — and finally hit U.S. theaters on September 18, 2026.
Hayek plays Nina, a woman shaped by war, seeking reckoning decades after her family's murder. Demián Bichir co-stars.
She admits she was terrified to take the role. She told the press she turned Jolie down at first — the emotional weight scared her. But she trusted her friend, and the result moved her deeply.
She also played a part in history this summer: when the FIFA World Cup kicked off in Mexico City, Salma took part in the opening match ceremonies — a proud homecoming for Mexico's biggest star. ⚽
Off screen, life is full — and there's a brand-new role. In August 2026, Salma became a grandmother for the first time. 👶
Her stepson François Pinault Jr. and his wife Lara welcomed a baby boy — another François, the "fourth living generation of Francois'," as Salma wrote on Instagram.
She already picked a nickname: Panchito. "He seems to love it, and I cannot love him more," she wrote.
She and François-Henri remain one of the most powerful couples in the world — he runs Kering, the luxury group behind Gucci and Saint Laurent.
Through her production company Ventanarosa, she keeps championing stories about women, Mexico, and her Lebanese roots.
From a telenovela in Mexico to an Oscar nomination. From Desperado to Marvel. From a frightened newcomer in L.A. to a 60-year-old icon who swims in the ocean for her birthday.
Salma Hayek never asked Hollywood's permission. She just took what she wanted — and at 60, she's still taking it. ✨
Quick Answers ❓
How old is Salma Hayek now?
She is 60. She was born on September 2, 1966, in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico — and turned 60 on September 2, 2026.
What is Salma Hayek's new movie?
"Without Blood," directed by Angelina Jolie. Hayek plays Nina, a war survivor seeking reckoning. It premiered at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival and released in U.S. theaters on September 18, 2026.
Is Salma Hayek married?
Yes. She married French businessman François-Henri Pinault in 2009. They have a daughter, Valentina, born in 2007.
Was Salma Hayek nominated for an Oscar?
Yes — for Best Actress in "Frida" (2002), which she also produced. She was the first Mexican actress ever nominated in that category.
What did Salma Hayek do at the 2026 World Cup?
She took part in the opening match ceremonies in Mexico City — a major homecoming moment for one of Mexico's most famous stars.
Is Salma Hayek a grandmother?
Yes. In August 2026, her stepson François Pinault Jr. and his wife Lara welcomed a baby boy named François. Salma announced it on Instagram, giving the baby the nickname "Panchito."