Salma Hayek Filmography: Her Best Movies
Salma Hayek's filmography is topped with movies like Frida, Beatriz at Dinner, and Desperado
Salma Hayek is one of the most well-known movie actresses of her time. Her career is now entering its fifth decade with no sign of slowing down. Salma Hayek’s filmography is filled with many classic features, including From Dusk Til Dawn, Fools Rush In, The Faculty, Wild Wild West, Dogma, Lonely Hearts, Here Comes the Boom, and, of course, the Grown-Ups movies.
Also in Salma Hayek’s filmography are roles in which she has lent her voice to fun movies such as Puss in Boots, Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, and Sausage Party. None of the movies listed above rank high on Salma Hayek’s best movies list. Though a few could be considered guilty pleasures, or they could be movies where she had a bit part.
Interestingly, the best movies in Salma Hayek’s filmography are often the ones with the most controversy. That includes a movie where Salma Hayek says she was forced to be naked on screen, against her wishes.
So, to help guide your Salma Hayek filmography viewing pleasure, we’ve come up with her best movies based on the ever-popular GIANT FREAKIN MOVIE SCORE algorithm.
We have removed animated movies from consideration since sometimes it is better to be seen and heard rather than only heard. And we’ll also catch you up on what she’s been doing recently.
These are Salma Hayek’s best, must-see movies.
FRIDA (2002) IS THE BEST MOVIE IN SALMA HAYEK’S FILMOGRAPHY
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Hard to argue with Frida being the top movie in Salma Hayek’s filmography. The iconic actress absolutely shines as Frida Kahlo, a biographical drama about the surrealist Mexican artist.
This Salma Hayek movie begins the true-life story with Frida as an 18-year-old right before her tragic accident. A bus that she is riding in collides with a streetcar, impaling Frida with a metal bar. This injury is something that will follow her for the rest of her life.
The story goes on to tell about Frida’s life as an artist, her personal life and her marriages, her bouts with alcoholism, and her relationship with Leon Trotsky.
Plus, it deals with her worsening health that resulted in Frida having her toes removed because they became gangrenous, with the eventual amputation of her leg. Her health only worsens to where she eventually dies right after finally getting a solo art exhibition.
Hayek was nominated for many awards for her role as Frida, including nominations for an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award, so you can see why it is considered to be the best movie in Salma Hayek’s filmography.
There’s a degree of controversy surrounding the movie Frida in the years since its release. During the #MeToo wave, accusations against movie producer Harvey Weinstein, Salma Hayek claimed that Weinstein forced her to be naked in the movie. What’s more, he refused to let her make Frida unless “I agreed to do a sex scene with another woman.”
In an op-ed for the NY Times, Salma Hayek revealed that the price of being naked on screen was one she was eventually forced to pay, saying, “It was clear to me he would never let me finish this movie without him having his fantasy one way or another. There was no room for negotiation. I had to say yes.”
TALE OF TALES (2015)
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This one may have been seen little here in the United States, but Tale of Tales ranks high on Salma Hayek’s filmography list nevertheless. The movie is based on a collection of tales written by Italian poet Giambattista Basile. It includes early versions of stories such as Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and Rapunzel. This movie has three stories, including elements of other Basile tales.
For Hayek’s part in the movie, she plays the Queen of Longtrellis, a woman who longs to have a child when her King cannot. So, she goes to a necromancer who says that if she eats the heart of a sea dragon cooked by a virgin, she will bear a child.
Making this happen will cost a life. The King slays the dragon but loses his life. The Queen eats the heart, and the next day, she has a son, Elias. That same day, the cook also has a son, Jonah. Both boys look identical, and as they grow, they become inseparable. This does not make the Queen happy, so she sets out to murder Jonah.
DESPERADO (1995) WAS THE BREAKOUT ROLE IN SALMA HAYEK’S FILMOGRAPHY
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Salma Hayek had been around Hollywood for a few years before she made a splash with the 1995 Robert Rodriguez hit Desperado. As one of the most popular in Salma Hayek’s filmography, the movie starred Hayek opposite Antonio Banderas as El Mariachi and was the second in the El Mariachi trilogy.
The story follows Banderas as he is hell-bent on revenge to hunt down a drug lord who murdered his lover. As the story unfolds, El Mariachi gets into a huge gunfight, suffering wounds. Hayek’s Carolina rescues him and nurses him back to health so he can continue his hunt for revenge.
As Carolina nurses him back, she finally realizes that he is the infamous El Mariachi. Carolina then helps him on his quest to find the drug lord. The film offers a lot of bloody shoot-em-up action and much sizzle as one can handle from Salma Hayek.
Desperado contains one of the most infamous sex scenes, not only in Salma Hayek’s filmography but of all time. It takes place between a very naked Salma Hayek and a very naked Antonio Banderas.
It’s worth noting that though this is a Robert Rodriguez movie and Harvey Weinstein was heavily involved in producing Rodriguez’s career, Weinstein had nothing to do with Desperado. Salma Hayek made the decision to be naked on film without his machinations.
BEATRIZ AT DINNER (2017)
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Beatriz at Dinner didn’t get much play in theaters, but it ranks high on the Salma Hayek filmography best films list. It’s the quiet tale of Beatriz (Hayek) who is a holistic medical practitioner. Also, it all starts with a goat.
Beatriz is at a wealthy client’s home giving her a massage when she tells the client that one of her goats was killed by her neighbor. Beatriz becomes emotional and goes to her car to leave, but her car won’t start. The client decides to invite Beatriz to stay for the dinner party she is throwing, which Beatriz finally gives in to.
The dinner party becomes filled with snooty guests who look down their noses at Beatriz. The differences in how Beatriz and the other guests look at life is the crux of the story: Beatriz imparting her wisdom on people who don’t really want it.
HOUSE OF GUCCI (2021)
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Salma Hayek had a pretty busy 2021, adding to her filmography. She joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Eternals, she was Samuel L. Jackson’s wife in The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, and she helped Owen Wilson question reality in Bliss.
However, according to critics and audience scores, the only Hayek film that year deserves a spot on this list is Ridley Scott’s biopic/crime drama House of Gucci.
In this fascinating and inspired film, Salma Hayek plays Giuseppina “Pina” Auriemma, a former TV psychic and close friend to Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga).
According to Lady Gaga, in the original version of the film, Patrizia and Pina develop a sexual relationship after the death of Patrizia’s husband, Maurizio (Adam Driver), which was something she was disappointed to see cut from the theatrical version.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN MEXICO (2003)
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Once Upon a Time In Mexico is part three of the El Mariachi saga and a great addition to the Salma Hayek filmography. This one sees the return of Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek in the roles they portrayed in Desperado.
This time, though, Robert Rodriguez employs the acting chops of Johnny Depp as CIA officer Sheldon Jeffrey Sands to join in with Hayek and Banderas. Sands is on hand to recruit El Mariachi to kill a corrupt Mexican General.
There is much gore and violence in the final movie, which includes Depp getting his eyes drilled out. Amazingly enough, he survives and even finds a way to shoot down a hitman. Salma Hayek’s role as Carolina is not as beefy as in Desperado, and she doesn’t do another steamy naked sex scene. But she still turns heads in this one and does get into another situation with Antonio Banderas.
SALMA HAYEK IS STILL MAKING MOVIES
Salma Hayek is still going strong in Hollywood, making movies at age 56. She continues to work both sides of the camera as she has been producing films and TV series for a number of years. She continues to make brave choices, too, when adding to her filmography.
Don’t think that Salma Hayek’s claim that she was forced to be naked in the movie Frida means she has a problem appearing sexy. She simply wants control over her own body. When she has control, she posts photos like this…
SHE RETURNED TO HER ROLE OF KITTY SOUTHPAWS IN PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH
Hayek also just finished providing the voice of Kitty Southpaws in the animated sequel, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. This film, although animated, saw Hayek team up once again with her Desperado co-star, Antonio Banderas, as he returned as the voice of the Leche Whisperer, Puss in Boots.
Joining them was an all-star voice cast that included Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows) as Perro, Florence Pugh as Goldilocks, Ray Winstone as Papa Bear, Olivia Coleman as Mama Bear, Samson Kayo as Baby Bear, Wagner Moura as The Big Bad Wolf, and John Mulaney as Jack Horner.
SHE JOINED THE FINAL MAGIC MIKE MOVIE
The news that Salma Hayek was going to add Magic Mike’s Last Dance to her filmography came after a report from that set by The Sun that Newton and Tatum had a dust-up concerning the Oscars slap heard around the world (Will Smith’s hand and Chris Rock’s face).
Apparently, the dust-up turned into an all-out verbal brawl that eventually sent Tatum out the door, into his car, not to return to the set.
“They fell out over the debacle at the Oscars,” claimed one crew member. “It was a tense exchange of words, but suddenly it escalated—Channing got into this car and he disappeared.”
For 11 days, it was reported, the set shut down as fences were trying to be mended. Apparently, though, Tatum was having none of it, saying “I am not working with her anymore.” Since he puts the Magic in Magic Mike, producers were left with one solution – Newton had to go.
Since then, Warner Bros. released a statement denying there was any rift between the stars claiming, “Thandiwe Newton has made the difficult decision to step away from the production of Warner Bros. Pictures’ Magic Mike’s Last Dance to deal with family matters.”
Whether it was an onset personality clash or actual family matters, Newton’s departure was Hayek’s gain, one she simply gushed about. “Look, I’m not going to complain. On an average day, I had to work with 12 strippers. Not one, not two—12. It was still hard work,” she said to PEOPLE.
Hayek also spoke about the steamy lap dance Tatum performed on her. “If you thought he could dance [before], you are going to realize you haven’t seen anything. His dance skills—he just got better.” So, for those who have seen it, did he?
Magic Mike’s Last Dance released January 25, 2023 but failed to live up the standards of the previous two installments, both at the box office and with critics. It earned just $57 million in theater receipts on a $45 million budget while also falling below 50% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
SALMA HAYEK STAYS ACTIVE ON INSTAGRAM
Salma Hayek has never been shy when it comes to social media and she has never been shy about flaunting her assets with revealing attire. Apparently, having control over how people see her is all she needs. No complaints here.
Up next for Salma Hayek, and her filmography will be Without Blood. The film is based on a best-selling novel by Alessandro Baricco. Also starring with Hayek is Demián Bichir. The film is being written and directed by Angelina Jolie.
The GIANT FREAKIN MOVIE SCORE is calculated using rating averages from Rotten Tomatoes and the Internet Movie Database.
