Salma Hayek was a Mexican TV star before moving to LA to pursue the Hollywood dream. Her breakthrough came when she was cast in "Desperado" in 1995, but she followed this with a series of less successful films. Hayek's latest film is "Frida", for which she earned a BAFTA nomination.
There have been several "Frida" projects that never made it. Hollywood seemed to have only a marginal interest in the story. How did you convince people to go with the story?
I knew they were wrong and I was right. I knew this was a wonderful story, even if they didn't. I convinced so many people, it took a lot of stubbornness. I think I could sell rocks as diamonds after this experience.
After being so involved with the character, was it difficult to come down afterwards?
No, no, no. Because it wasn't like a character that you work very hard on for a short time, then you become very sad that it's gone away. She's [Frida] been living with me forever. I finished the movie, but she's still in my heart, in my house, everywhere. So I still keep her around. I definitely have a personal relationship with this character!
Apparently you went 13 weeks with just a few hours sleep a night. It must have been draining?
Thirteen weeks, no. You have to count the eight weeks pre-production that I was there working. The adrenaline of doing something you love so much is like falling in love. At the beginning, you're not tired. Even if you're tired, you want to be with this person.
Do you think there was a lot of rubbish written about you and Jennifer Lopez not liking each other while you were making "Frida"?
I didn't read a lot of rubbish about Jennifer and I not liking each other. Before, I know, but at the time no. Hey, I don't blame Jennifer for wanting to play this part; it's a good part.
After "Desperado" you didn't want to do any nudity. What made you change your mind?
When you take on a role, you take it on for all it is, and she was a very sexual person. But my private joke to America is that I think this movie is very sexy. Americans think that "sexy" is a lot of waxing and not eating - being skinny and having no hair. But, of course, we have a fat man and a hairy woman. And it's so sexy!
