Salma Hayek: “I was an illegal immigrant in the United States”

vmag

Here is the completely sketchy cover of a very alien-looking Salma Hayek on the January issue of V Magazine Spain. The shot was done by Karl Lagerfeld, and Salma is wearing McQueen. Some excerpts have just come out from the interview – Salma talking about being an illegal immigrant in the United States when she first started out in Hollywood, and how she was the victim of “the worst” racial discrimination:

Salma Hayek talks about her humble beginnings, her former undocumented immigrant status and her charity projects in the new issue of V Magazine Spain, where the Mexican actress seductively poses for the cover titled “A Woman’s Weapons.”

Hayek’s involvement with women’s issues has distinguished her in Hollywood. Her advocacy includes promoting awareness programs about violence against women and on the rising discrimination against undocumented workers.

“I was an illegal immigrant in the United States,” Hayek said during the interview. “It was for a small period of time, but I still did it.”

Today, Hayek is one of the most prominent Latina figures in Hollywood. She is an acclaimed actress, director and producer and one of a few Latinas to be nominated in the “Best Actress” category of the Academy Awards.

“I had to endure the worst time of all in terms of racial discrimination in Hollywood when I first started out,” Hayek said in the interview. “It was inconceivable to American directors and producers that a Mexican woman could have a lead role.”

[From Fox News]

Eh. Are people going to get pissed about this? I don’t know. I think even the worst racist in the world would take one look at Salma’s jugs and think “Yeah, yeah, those tittays deserve a green card.” As far as racist Hollywood goes… perhaps Salma is telling the truth. I could definitely see it. But there’s another thing too – I don’t really think she’s the best actress, you know? Yes, I know she was nominated for an Oscar, but in most of her films and television appearances, she reveals herself to be not all that great. Still, nice jugs.

Here are a couple of photos of Salma and her husband and daughter at a UNCIEF doll auction in Paris today. Can I be a total bitch for just a minute? Doesn’t Valentina kind of look like Edward Norton? Ha!

doll_auction_07_wenn3133669

Photos courtesy of WENN. V Mag cover courtesy of The Fashion Spot.

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71 Responses to “Salma Hayek: “I was an illegal immigrant in the United States””

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  1. RHONYC says:

    she’s wearing the f*ck out of that mcqueen! fashion porn to the max. damn. 🙂

  2. malachais says:

    Honestly, if it wasn’t for the caption, I wouldn’t know it was Salma. It looks like Kim Kardashian at first glance. I agree, she is a pretty bad actress. Personally it seems like she’s dated some a-list actors which helped her move her way up IMO (Edward Norton, among others).

    I do have to say she has been a fairly successful hispanic actress in Hollywood, however, as a latino, I would like to see more actresses become famous for their acting ability as opposed to their boobs (i.e. Sofia Vergara, Salma Hayek), although I have heard Sofia is pretty good in Modern Family.

  3. Solveig says:

    When she started her career her boobs weren’t as huge as they are now. Her breasts are a given miracle, yes, but not from Mother Mary as she (Salma) stated, but from a plastic surgeon.
    And she had a nose job, too.
    Beautiful, though.

  4. benny says:

    “discrimination against undocumented workers”

    Excuse me? So we’re NOT allowed to discriminate against people who are breaking the law? You can disagree with the limits placed on immmigration, and you can support unrestricted immigration in theory, but the law as it’s written is still the law. People do chose to break the law, for whatever reasons, but don’t cry to me that I can’t discriminate against you when you choose to break the law.

  5. LOVE ANGELINA says:

    I love the way the V is coming out of boobs. Genius. I guess you haven’t seen Frida if you think Selma can’t act. In alot of movies where she has to speak English, I see her struggling with it and can make for an awkward performance, not every single English speaking performance but sometimes I feel her struggling with the words. However in Frida that was the best I have ever seen her act and she deserved that Oscar nomination, I think Selma deserved to win it IMO.

    Hollywood is liberal but I have no doubt that a good amount racism exists there as well and if your a minority actor no doubt you have seen it.

  6. David says:

    Send her back.LOL

  7. benny says:

    And yeah, I think she’s hot. Her boobs may have gotten larger as she gained a little weight with age. Sometimes the extra weight goes to the bust. It happens.

  8. Maritza says:

    Valentina has her daddy’s nose. i agree with Love Angelina, Salma was really good in Frida. There is a photo of Salma and Edward Norton which does look as if she may have got a boob job.
    http://www.edward-norton.org/images/ktf/festivals/deauvillearr.jpg

  9. Rasputina says:

    I agree. She was such a gem in Frida. Salma’s dyslexic, I can see why she struggles with English line.

  10. daisy424 says:

    HUMBLE BEGINNINGS?

    From imbd:
    “The amazing Salma Hayek was born on September 2, 1966, in the oil boomtown of Coatzacoalcos, Mexico.
    Hayek has freely admitted that she and her brother, Sami, were spoiled rotten by her well-to-do Lebanese-Mexican businessman father and her Mexican-born opera-singing mother.
    She soon landed the title role in “Teresa” (1989), a hugely successful soap opera which earned her the star status in her native Mexico
    .”

  11. Diane says:

    @David

    I was thinking the same thing!

  12. k says:

    What Benny doesn’t understand is that through a long history of US involvement in other countries’ military, political, and economic activities, our country has played a great role in maintaining the status quo in developing nations, which is why so many of their people are forced to find opportunities in developed countries, risking imprisonment or deportation simply to feed their families.

  13. Solveig says:

    @benny #7, I guess she gained a lot of weight in her chest area. 🙂
    Look
    http://education.makemeheal.com/index.php/Hayek,_Salma

    Lucky bitch.

  14. Mia135 says:

    Well, at least the boys in the photoshop department had a lot of fun trying to position that V “right there.”

  15. la_chica says:

    @benny

    as the wife of a former undocumented immigrant, I can tell you that although many people speak our against illegal immigration, they are not interested in paying more at grocery stores, hotels, and restaurants.

    And, many of them pay taxes with an ITIN number issued BY THE GOVERNMENT.

    So go complain to your senator if illegal immigrants piss you off, and since you are so offended by their presence, I suggest you stop eating fruits and veggies from California or drinking milk fron California or Wisconsin.

  16. Bunny says:

    They look like a nice family, I loved Frida, she was fantastic and I have always like her personality.

  17. TaylorB says:

    She is such a beautiful woman it pains me to see that they gave her such a silly looking hairdo in that photo. It looks like she has a handle on her noggin.

  18. la_chica says:

    and to answer your question, benny, no you are not allowed to discriminate against who is not a legal resident. It’s not right for you to draw inferences about their lifestyle, personality, or morals simply because the are not legal residents.

  19. benny says:

    I have no interest in anyone’s lifestyle, morals, or anything else that is private. I even said I know people have their own reasons for breaking laws. But I do NOT have to rent to an illegal immigrant when there are legal immigrants and citizens, who follow the law, that I can rent to. Same with hiring for a job. If I have to pay more to hire a legal immigrant, I will — and I believe that’s my right as an employer.

  20. lena80 says:

    “So go complain to your senator if illegal immigrants piss you off, and since you are so offended by their presence, I suggest you stop eating fruits and veggies from California or drinking milk fron California or Wisconsin”

    *APPLAUSE*

    When Benny, and others who think like him, get get up at 3 in morning to go work on a farm for less than minumum wage, then feel free to complain. Tell those rich farmers to STOP hiring illegals and pay people a decent wage. Illegals wouldn’t be puring into this country if the people would stop illegaly hiring them.

  21. TG says:

    @k – You are so right.

    And for @Benny – Salma said she was discriminated againts in hollywood for being Latina/Mexican not for being here illegally so there is no mention (at least in the excerpt above that she was working as an acress illegally).

  22. danielle says:

    I’ve got to laugh a little. Illegal immigrants take the jobs that us Americans are too spoiled and lazy to take. IMO.

  23. JuJuBee says:

    Congrats to Salma for “coming out of the closet.” People need to see more faces of undocumented immigrants, instead of bashing on faceless statistics.

    Also, Diane and David where do you plan on sending her back to? Hold on to your racist little hats but, gasp, she’s an AMERICAN citizen.

    BTW, that cover is something fierce.

  24. Johnny Depp's Girl says:

    She is so rich! STFU Salma!! I’m sure you are over it.

    Damn.

  25. grazi says:

    @k
    thats exactly what I think when I see people complaining about illegal immigration. People dont see the big picture and how their own lifestyle in this country contributes to making peopleslives so difficult in developing countries. I cant blame parents trying to feed their kids.
    la chica, you made an excellent point.

  26. Relli says:

    You tell him la Chica and K!

    AND DO NOT even get me started on the Louisiana Purchase!

  27. samihami says:

    “It’s not right for you to draw inferences about their lifestyle, personality, or morals simply because the are not legal residents.”

    Except that they are BY DEFINITION criminals.

  28. Salina says:

    So as an Arab American, I ask would salma want millions of undocumented middle eastern people in the us right now? Since opening the floodgates to the world means everyone who wants to be here can regardless. Luckily I come from a family who respected the country they wanted to be a part of and obeyed the laws for immigration.

  29. Angela says:

    I’m not a US citizen, but it’s only logical that people who get and stay there illegally cannot get the same rights as those who arrive there legally. In order to get some benefits from a society you have to contribute to it, and that’s what taxes are for.

  30. Erin says:

    I am not racist and have tons of friends who are latinas but illegal immigration is just that…ILLEGAL. I have NO problem with people coming here legally and working there way – that is the American way. But by ducking a lot of the laws (and trust me, I’ve seen this time and again), they put hard-working, LEGAL, hispanics in a bad light.

  31. Anonandonandon says:

    @Salina
    I wonder the same thing. It seems whenever people talk about illegal immigrants they automatically assume they are coming from Mexico.

    And I can’t stand the self-hating Americans that assume we’re all fat and lazy. Some of us have to work 2 jobs to support ourselves. You can complain about how America was stolen all you want but if you live here it’s obvious that you have no problem sharing the spoils. An anonymous ass-kissing comment doesn’t make you one of the “good ones”.

  32. Deeta says:

    I remember watching the soap opera Teresa when it just came out while I was still in South America. It was a great soap opera, and Salma was great in it too.

    I am not sure what she is refering about humble beginnings. She comes from money – but you do need to get humble when you decide to move from a country where you are a star to one where nobody knows you or cares about you.

    I will also echo what others have said. She is not saying that she experienced discrimination because she was an illegal. She is saying that it happened because she is latina. It is well known that in general, ethnic actors dont have many chances to play lead roles and for the most part they are type casted. Arabs are terrorists, latinas and black women are maid or hoes, black and latinos are criminals.

    Things have started to change – but not enough.

  33. la_chica says:

    @samihami
    Someone who runs a stop sign is BY DEFINITION a criminal. Do you judge their lifestyle, personality, or morals based on that? Pegging undocumented illegals as criminals is an easy way for your to maintain your bias.

    @Angela
    ITIN number, sweetheart. Look it up. It’s a number issued by the government so that people without a Social Security number can pay taxes. The government issues them to -gasp- undocumented workers, which means that many of them contribute to society, but enjoy none of the benefits of citizenship.

  34. Anonandonandon says:

    @la_chica
    What percentage, sugarbritches, of our illegal immigrants have a -gasp- ITIN number and are paying taxes?

  35. grazi says:

    If you came to the US legally, good for you. that means that you met the requirements to obtain a visa, like I did, but not exactly that you have morals and other dont.
    however, send a family of very poor people to an embassy and see if they will obtain a visa. No, they wont. To get it, if u r applying in a developing country, you have to prove you have property, education and a good job, or a rich sponsor.
    So please dont go all emphasizing that u respected the law and others should do the same. Some people wont simply be allowed to come legally, especially if they are one of those who struggle to survive.
    And dont give examples based on your parents or grandparents, because these are years ago, and things are different NOW. But if you were poor and unemployed in a developing country and recently got here, legally, then you should share your experience because it is unique, lets put like that.

  36. benny says:

    “Tell those rich farmers to STOP hiring illegals and pay people a decent wage. Illegals wouldn’t be puring into this country if the people would stop illegaly hiring them”

    That’s the point. I think employers SHOULD stop hiring illegal immigrants. But apparently that would be “discrimination,” and that makes me a villain.

    I still stand by my statement that I have a right to NOT hire illegal immigrants, and if you call it “discrimination” so be it — but it’s a form of discrimination that I have every right to practice.

  37. Anonandonandon says:

    @benny
    I think some of these people who are pro illegal immigrant just prefer the price cut we get for goods and services provided by people making unlivable wages.

  38. hatsumomo says:

    Its like the spread of AIDS in Africa, you can either give people condoms and info, or tell them to just stop having sex. The latter dosent work, people will have sex anyway regardless of transmitting AIDS. So is immigration, people will migrate regardless and employers are going to hire them regardless. You can arm the immigrants with info(and condoms if you want) or tell employers to just stop hiring them.

  39. Kim says:

    Pllleeaaassee Sophia Loren and many other “ethnic” women were given lead roles.

    Sure Hollywood wasnt giving a pretty girl with huge breast implants any jobs because she was Mexican- yeah right!

  40. la_chica says:

    @benny
    I think you have the right to hire or not hire someone based on their legal status, definitely. But I don’t think it’s fair to make inferences about what kind of person they are based on their legal status.

  41. Kim says:

    Anonandonandon – Im American and work 3 jobs. Get off your pity horse. Illegals are illegal REGARDLESS of where they come from. They are breaking the law and should be deported to wherever they came from be it Transylvania or Mexico.

  42. Kim says:

    Is Salma saying she went thru the immigration process to become legal? If so then Kudos to her. She should be an example to anyone wanting to live in a country other than the one they have citizenship in/were born in.

  43. Anonandonandon says:

    @Kim
    Which post are you responding to? My posts were neither for or against illegals. I resented the “Americans are too fat and lazy” post so I pointed out that some of us (Americans) work our asses off. Where was the pity? But I assure you that if I was on a “pity horse” (WTF?!) I would stay on it. I like horsies.

    PS. Kudos on finding time to post on a gossip blog while working 3 jobs.

  44. MissyA says:

    I don’t know. . . I wouldn’t put Selma’s fight for a job in Hollywood on the same field as a family struggling to support itself on slave wages.

    Nice try, Selma.

  45. candy says:

    Salma has her height going against her, she is short, like 5 feet. Why she would want those huge bazooka’s is anyone’s guess. Her chest before implants was perfect. The nose was an improvement, however. I would like to know who her surgeon was.

    As for her illegal status, what exactly is she trying to say? We all pay taxes and we all (citizen’s included) are getting shafted by the US Government. Advocating for illegal immigration is stupid. Take away the laws of the land and what do you have left? Anarchy coming soon to a city near you.

  46. daisy424 says:

    La Raza (means The Race), assert that Mexican’s have the legal right to all of the Southwest United States because it was taken from them by force and is therefore Illegally Obtained.

    Let’s examine this argument more fully:

    La Raza claims that all of Texas is in that category. Mexicans should be free to go into Texas with impunity because Texas really STILL belongs to them; To Mexico.
    Let’s stand well north of the current border, let’s stand outside of Lubbock, TX, and see WHO we need to give this land back to.

    America wouldn’t return Texas to Mexico, we would return it to the Confederacy, we took it by force and therefore illegally according to this logic.

    But the confederacy is gone, so we would then have to return it to it’s rightful owners which is The Republic of Texas.

    The Texans would then have to give it back to Mexico, since they took it from them by force.

    Then La Raza, being people of integrity (sarc), would have to demonstrate in the streets to give Texas back to Spain, since the Mexican’s took it from them by force.

    Spain would then have to give it back to France, since Spain took it by force, then the French would have to give it right back to Spain, since they took it by force to begin with.

    So Lubbock belongs to Spain, who took it by force from the Comanche’s.

    But then the Comanche’s took it by force from the Apache’s.

    The Apache’s pinched this land from the ancient Pueblo people who hi-jacked it from the first few people, who captured it from the Plainview people who conquered it from the Folsome people who snatched it from Clovis Man, who arrived on what is now downtown Lubbock, TX USA, who arrived around 11 thousand years ago.

    Since all of these”owners” took that land more or less by force, no ONE owner is in any position of moral superiority.
    There are only two people on that timeline with a unique claim:
    The people who had it first – Clovis Man and the people who have it now – The USA.

  47. annie says:

    Daisy, that was awesome!

  48. JuJuBee says:

    @Anonandonandon: What percentage, sugarbritches, of our illegal immigrants have a -gasp- ITIN number and are paying taxes?

    So do you think they get a free pass at the gas station, liquor, cigarettes, grocery store, clothing store, etc..? Those are local and state taxes that they are paying. They also pay into Social Security and Medicare, which they will never be eligible to collect on.

  49. annie says:

    @la chica, please, we all make inferences on people based on their actions. Everyone makes judgements on people based on their behavior, and when someone breaks the laws of another country, people will draw they’re own conclusions, whatever that may be.

  50. Liana says:

    as long as she doesn’t tell me that she was bullied as a child, it’s all good. She may have come here illegally, but she made good and made legal, so no problem in my world.

  51. Heavenbound says:

    Ha! Huge misconception. They pay taxes as JuJuBee well stated. Just like you get taxed on your paycheck and every item you purchase same as us, the only difference is that they do not get to do there taxes at the end of the year. You know who I am more outraged at? The people on welfare talking about sucking the system dry! … You don’t work, you don’t eat..

  52. jan says:

    I disagree with this story almost completely. She comes from a high class family. Why is she sounding so underprivileged?

  53. Isabel says:

    She’s mannish looking. Seems nice and good for her with the whole Ugly Betty success (since she sucks as an actress- except the one movie i have not seen of hers is Frida maybe that was good?)

    So glad she did not say ‘undocumented’ worker. It’s illegal. It’s not meant to ‘offend’ anyone, ugh. It’s just a word that means people who are here without going through the right channels. So stupid how out of hand the PC brigade is. You cannot even say illegal without worrying someone will get mad.It’s not like anyone is being insulted or denigrated or anything. Too . Sensitive.

    This photo is a joke. It looks like an anime character! Not human. Photo shop gone bad. And she does not need to be brushed to death; what the hell?

  54. AngelaRae says:

    My husband came to this country LEGALLY from Europe as a journalist & ended up staying. He has been a U.S. citizen for several years now. It took a lot of time, paperwork & money for him to become a citizen. He can live with himself knowing that he did things the right way. Now about Salma…when’s the last time she was in the news? She just needs attention & knew that saying something like this would get people talking. Good job…it worked…how’s anyone going to disprove her story after all?

  55. bubbles says:

    well, thank God the baby doesn’t seem to take after Elmer Fudge, but only time will tell.

  56. Henriette says:

    I don’t find her attractive. At all. Nice tits, sure, but without those, no one would look at her twice.

  57. LBees says:

    You know what? I had this whole thing written out but I can’t stand this debate anymore. People yada yada about this and that, and because you disagree you’re mean and don’t like people.

    I’m moving out of the U.S. I don’t blame people who come here illegally. Hell, if I was born in Guatemala I’d probably sneak in too. I still don’t like it, but I understand that economic valuations are more incentivizing than a potential law that probably will never be enforced.

    What I can’t stand is that the federal government refuses to enforce laws or do anything about this issue, and many, many others. We are like Rome right before the fall. I’m getting out of here and moving to Hong Kong, Shanghai, New Zealand, anywhere. It’s all bull shit up in hrr.

  58. Rosanna says:

    @benny: you have a point about people breaking the law HOWEVER – technically speaking – discrimination is NEVER allowed. They can kick you out of the country, but they cannot discriminate against you NO MATTER what you’ve done. THAT is the law!

  59. garvels says:

    I love how she arrived in America-the supposed land of opportunity-made her millions and then infers that Americans are all a bunch of racists. Why doesn’t she criticize her homeland-Mexico,the land of drug cartels, beheadings,mass graves and murders.

  60. shirley says:

    I’m sure Selma’s saying to herself….”So, you all think I can’t act huh….what do I care….I married a billionaire….eat that shit up”.

  61. poopie says:

    Paying sales tax on a pack of gum or pack of cigarettes is HARDLY on the same scale of what i pay in income taxes in every weekly paycheck. MILES AND MILES apart i assure you. and as far as the ‘paying into medicare and not getting any benefits’ part…. most illegals don’t care : THEY GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM… FOR FREE! and I PAY for that too!

  62. annie says:

    Salma needs to read Mexico’s immigration policy, talk about racist!

  63. Diane says:

    That was interesting, Daisy!

  64. Solveig says:

    Kim, #39

    Pllleeaaassee Sophia Loren and many other “ethnic” women were given lead roles.

    _____

    Sorry, but your statement doesn’t make sense at all.
    Sophia made movies in America during the ’60s, and italian -illegal – immigration wasn’t a issue (no more, at last).
    Italian cinema was worldwide appreciated (Rossellini, De Sica, Leone, Fellini) and there was an equal exchange of talents between America and Italy.
    Long story short, Sophia Loren wasn’t begging for a role in some american movie and she didn’t suffer from a so-called discrimination for being a Latina.
    I get that some of you, after II world war, think that european countries are just America’s provinces.

  65. Motor35 says:

    does anyone that is all for (illegal) immigration live anywhere *near* the mexico border?

  66. Motor35 says:

    just wondering if anyone in a town of *almost* one million has seen their city’s six of their seven trauma units shut down due to the overwhelming amount of rescues border communities perform in the desert. imagine having only *one* trauma unit to serve a town that size.
    just hope *you* don’t need any airlift when emergency services are busy rescuing 23 people crammed into a mini van that rolls on the freeway.

  67. Motor35 says:

    23 *illegals* crammed into a mini van.
    (edit)

  68. The Bobster says:

    Geez, not another Hollywood Reconquista! BTW, Mexico has a very nice film industry if you don’t like it here.

  69. slymm27 says:

    touchy, touchy…at least her baby is not an ‘illegal’ citizen. Plus the baby has a daddy.

  70. YOU ARE BREAKING THE LAW says:

    Salma case is a little different. Americans are worried about the many hundred illegals who enter the US without being inspected at all. We are letting in child molesters rapists and all kinds when an immigrant is not inspected by border patrol and homeland security. Most immigrants need to know that being illegal is breaking the law even if you are just illegally immigrating just to feed your family.

  71. Salma was an ILLEGAL ALIEN! That was in America ILLEGALLY, but then she realized that her visa had expired and decided to DO THE RIGHT THING to manage her situation. It was her do the right thing philosophy than drove her to GO BACK TO MEXICO and renew her visa before coming back to America legally.