Salma Hayek Once Revealed She Had To Beg For Her Audition In Desperado (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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Salma Hayek is a renowned actress and a global star, best known for movies like Frida, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, Eternals, and Desperado. But the actress once recalled begging for an audition for her role in the Antonio Banderas starrer movie Desperado. The studio was hellbent on casting another actress for the role. Keep scrolling for more.
It was released in 1995 and is part of director Robert Rodriguez’s Mexico trilogy. Naderas played the role of El Mariachi in this American neo-western action film, and Salma played the role of the Mexican bookstore owner, Carolina. Back then, Latino actors were not provided with many opportunities, and they were victims of racism in the industry. Salma also fell prey to it.
Desperado was Salma Hayek’s breakout role in Hollywood. It was made on a budget of $7 million and collected more than 3.5 times the making cost. The thriller movie earned a strong $25.40 million. However, Salma almost didn’t make it to the role. Although she was the director’s choice, the studio did not want her in the part. They wanted Cameron Diaz in that role for an allegedly racist reason.
In an interview with Elle, Salma Hayek recalled, “I remember Cameron Diaz was huge at the time and her last name was Diaz, so they said she can be Mexican.” Salma Hayek continued, “She was part of the list, and I had to audition again…I’m telling you, the studio wanted Cameron Diaz as a Mexican.” For the unversed, Diaz was born in San Diego, California, and her ancestors had originally moved from Spain to Cuba.
The Eternals star continued, “I begged for an audition. They wouldn’t even give me an audition. I was like, ‘Just hear me read.’ And this is for a Latino role. They were not hiring Latinos for Latino roles. They were not hiring Latinos, period — unless it was the maid or the prostitute. And that part was not a maid or a prostitute.”
Salma Hayek is one of the most influential Latinas in Hollywood and an established actress.
Meanwhile, on the professional front, Salma Hayek has Without Blood, directed and produced by Angelina Jolie, in the pipeline.
