Salma Hayek’s Telenova

American audiences weren’t aware of Hayek until the middle of the 1990s, but she was famous in Mexico since the 1988 telenovela Un Nuevo Amanecer. Teresa, another telenovela, added to her growing fame.

With no luck in Hollywood at the time, Hayek complained about the lack of work for Latin talent right when director Robert Rodriguez was watching. That coincidence helped her land roles in two big movies, From Dusk ‘Til Dawn and Desperado. She went on to appear in five more Rodriguez films and even became godmother to his children.