Salma Hayek is an actress, producer (of the hit TV show Ugly Betty and 2002’s Frida, where she earned an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of the titular artist), businesswoman, mother, philanthropist, and wife to the CEO of Kering, the luxury conglomerate that includes brands like Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Stella McCartney. She also happens to be a polyglot who speaks multiple languages, as is the case with many Latina stars.
When you think of Hayek, you likely envision a beautiful, dark-haired beauty with big brown eyes and full lips. The actress has that bombshell look down pat — she’s also smart and accomplished, having outsmarted the Hollywood stereotype of a Latina actress by starring in and producing films such as the luminous Frida.
During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel in 2021, Hayek revealed that she and her daughter Valentina Paloma Pinault are trilingual. “I’m so happy my daughter is bilingual and I want her to learn more languages,” Hayek said. “I want her to understand this world and what we can learn from each other.”
Hayek can speak English and Spanish, as well as some Arabic and Portuguese, thanks to her parents’ Lebanese descent and her time in France. But she’s most fluent in Spanish, which is why she’s a fan of cursing in that language. “Curses are so much fun in Spanish, because you have more time to let them out,” she explains. “They are so good for releasing your anger.” Of course, she doesn’t use any F-bombs during her Kimmel appearance, as this is network television and all.
