InStyle went all-out for their 25th anniversary issue, the September issue. They did a series of interviews, videos and profiles of women who had covered InStyle in the past, especially ladies who had covered the mag multiple times over the years. The interviews focused on reflecting back on where they were and what they were doing in their lives in the ‘90s, the ‘00s, the ‘10s. Honestly, I enjoy these kinds of pieces. Salma Hayek’s piece is very self-congratulatory, like she’s the first woman to ever work as an actress into her 40s and 50s, although I get where she’s coming from and how much the expectations have changed. Some highlights from her profile:
Actresses don’t expire: “I shot my first InStyle cover when I was 29, in 1998. It’s very dear to me because I was the first Latina on a What’s Hot Now issue. What I remember most about my 20s is that I didn’t want to be 30. [laughs] In America they used to tell actresses they expired at 30. That’s why I was scared. Now I don’t care about getting older. When I turned 40 and then 50, I didn’t mind at all. I am just so happy that this cover exists as evidence that there was once a time when I could go braless! That doesn’t happen anymore.
Appearing on the cover in 2009: “In 2009 I got The Color Issue! It’s ironic. Some magazines in the early 2000s wouldn’t put me on their covers precisely because I was a woman of color. I was also 42. Remember that I was told I would expire at 30? Here I am, 42 years old and still on the cover of magazines. By then I had found the love of my life [French business mogul François-Henri Pinault], I had a child [Valentina], I had gotten a Golden Globe for producing Ugly Betty, and I had won a Daytime Emmy for directing The Maldonado Miracle. Life was great.
Doing a comedy: “This cover came out around the time I did Grown Ups with Adam Sandler. My entire career I had wanted to do comedy, but I couldn’t get hired to do it. Adam gave me my first shot. Now it’s part of what has kept me working. There’s nothing I enjoy more than comedy. I have a couple more comedies coming out soon.
Being an activist: “I’ve been an activist for women for more than 25 years. A long time ago it was not a popular thing to do. It was hard to raise money or to get anything done. Things have changed a lot for women in Hollywood since then. We are still getting paid less than men by a lot. But it’s getting better little by little. Now, at 53, I’m getting to play the best parts of my life.
Moving to America: “Looking back at my career, I realize how big of a risk it was to come to the United States in the first place and start again as an actress. I could have stayed doing soaps in Mexico — I was doing really well there. But my dream was to do film. And I’m a big risk-taker. I’ve learned that when you have clarity about what you really want in life and you commit to giving it your best, things usually work out for you in the end.
“I am just so happy that this cover exists as evidence that there was once a time when I could go braless! That doesn’t happen anymore.” Amen. In the ‘90s, we were all going braless. In the ‘90s, it was a thing, even for those of us who were well-endowed in the bust department. But no more. I only leave the house without a bra if I know I’m not getting out of the car for anything, but even then, I still feel weird about it. Also: “A long time ago it was not a popular thing to do. It was hard to raise money or to get anything done.” Er- Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, the generation of Hollywood women who toured with the USO and raised money for WWII efforts and sold war bonds and all of that? Literally, since the beginning of Hollywood, actors have been using their star power to raise money for causes and charities.
Photos courtesy of InStyle and Getty.
My daughter refuses to wear a bra, and has refused to do so since she was in her mid teens. She just started college. I’ve explained that she may feel better, but people will judge her and men will make assumptions about her and catcall more often. We will see if she decides to start wearing them now that she isn’t around her mother.
I don’t always wear one… B-cup privilege there.
Sometimes it’s just far more comfy… especially why wear a strapless if you can get away with not?
I WILL wear pasties a lot though (to avoid pointy nips), so maybe suggest that to your daughter for certain outfits
I enjoyed her answers, I like that she doesn’t do the fake modesty thing, she’s a pioneer in Hollywood and opened so many doors to others that came after her.
I love her, too. I love her accent, and I loved her in Fools Rush In. She sounds like my relatives, and that made me feel like I saw my family represented onscreen. She fought to Make Frida. I adore her.
I know, her blood and tears are all over Frida.
“I shot my first InStyle cover when I was 29, in 1998.“ And then, just a couple of lines after that “Now, at 53”
I could understand why it would be hard to raise money. Maybe people actually good at basic maths would just see how bad you were with numbers and decided throwing cash at you wasn’t the wisest thing to do.
Let’s hope rich people are better with sums when it comes to money than they are for years (I know they are).
I think she meant raising money for women issues, not raising money in general