Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist - Salma Hayek (February 2023)

Episode Date: July 9, 2023

Long before she became a global star, Salma Hayek was a young actress making her name on television, in her home country of Mexico. She announced her arrival in America with a run of memorable roles in movies like Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, and Fools Rush In. Despite the success of those films, Hayek began to feel locked-in to a certain type of Latina character. So she carved her own path and established herself as a force in Hollywood. Willie and Hayek got together in New York for a Sunday Sitdown. (Original broadcast date February 5, 2023.) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey guys, Willie Geist here with another episode of the Sunday Sit Down podcast. My thanks, as always, for clicking and listening along. My guest this week really needs no introduction. Her name is Salma Hayek. You've known her and loved her probably since 1995 when she got her big break in the movie Desperado with Antonio Banderas. She had moved to Los Angeles four years before that from her home country of Mexico, where she was a star in a telenovela but decided she wanted to.

She wanted more. She wanted movies. She had to get to Hollywood and she broke out pretty quickly. Of course, the crown jewel of her career was her Oscar nomination for Best Actress in the 2002 movie, Frida, a film, as you will hear in our interview, which really she had to move mountains to get made. It took her eight years, I think, to have that movie made because she was pushed back from the studio. She ended up having to raise the money for production herself. She had to go out and sell the movie and recruit a director and recruit all the co-stars and get everything in place, even help to rewrite the script before she could get that movie made and it really paid off, of course. Despite all her success, as you will hear her discuss, she fought for a very long time, and to some extent to this day, Latina stereotypes in Hollywood. Even as her career was growing and she was in successful movies, she found herself being offered the same kind of roles again and again. So she kind of just took control of things, became an executive producer, a producer, a director, so that she could get out there the kinds of stories she thought

needed to be told. Her latest movie is called Magic Mike's Last Dance. Yeah, the Magic Mike franchise starring Channing Tatum, this time puts a woman at the center of the story, and that woman is Salma Hayek. I just can't tell you how much fun she was to sit with for an hour. She's funny, she's incredibly smart, she's very wise, she's a mother, she's married to French business. man, her full name is Salma Hayek Pinot. She's lived a lot of life, got a lot of experience, got a lot to share, and man, she is just fun to talk to. So I hope you enjoy our conversation with Salma Hayek right now on the Sunday Sit Down podcast. Salma, it's great to meet you. Thanks for doing this. Oh, I'm very excited to be here. I know you have a very important date with a soccer

match, so we've got to get this moving. Don't we? I want to talk about magic, Mike. which is incredible, and there's some scenes in there, they're going to just blow up and blow people's minds. But as we sit here right now, Puss and Boots is coming out. You and Antonio back for another edition, I think 11 years later. How much fun has it been to get back together, not just to make the film, but to do press and to spend time with your old friend?

I spend time with that old friend, even when there are no movies in between, but we had so much fun in the first one. We did something really strange. after the first Puss and Boots. We went on a world tour. It's the only time I've done something like that. Where we did 735 interviews.

What? Yeah. Oh, my gosh. We were losing our minds. It was, I don't know, like that. It was really something. We had to endure. And we went through so many faces, you know,

between the traveling around and sitting with each other, talking about the same thing. He was reminding me yesterday that at some point in Italy, I just broke down and started sobbing, and I never cry. And I said, I'm just so excited. I don't think I can't do it anymore. I'm getting myself. And we were like, we have to say something different.

How do we say something? We had to entertain ourselves. So this time around, I have to say that. But after that, Pous and Boots has a special bonding for us. I mean, we talked about all our life crises. We were together for so long, but we're friends for like 25 years. Yeah, I know. Maybe a little bit more.

And we always wanted a second one. And we were always hoping for a second one. And sometimes we bicker in real life as Pouss and Boots and kid yourself pause. And we love them. And so we thought it was never going to happen. At the day you least expected, 11 years later, you get the call. And it's happening and start, you know, get in a recording studio and just be here again.

And that was such a surprise. And the first thing you said was fewer interviews, please. I can't be sobbing on Italian television. Please. No, no, that's never happening again. Not too all for that. I couldn't do it all the traveling. So it's been a little easier this time?

Oh, it's been amazing. And I love the film and I'm very impressed with it. And I'm very proud to be a part of it because it pushes the bar. Remember when Shrek came, it was very innovating because the comedy was for the kids and for the adults at the same time. And so in this decade,

this is the first film that comes out from that universe. And visually, the animation is incredible. It's very, very cool. But also, it does the same thing with the comedy, but takes it one step forward because it's very philosophical. And it talks about important things in life, difficult things in life, and about being a human being, that the kids can take in one way,

but then the adults can take it in a different way and also the teenagers, which right now they're living in a world that it's full of challenges. Yes. We have something in common. We both have 15-year-old daughters, so I know exactly what you're talking about.

We're just connected in a whole different level, which is not... We'll talk. We'll talk. And I have another one that was 15 at some point. Yes. Because I have four. And it's a hard time to be 15

with social media and everything that goes on. Now, you think as a working mother, you get them through like the first seven years, and then you're going to have more freedom. And then it's from 7 to 14, you say, oh, whoa, I didn't expect that. But, okay, you have to be there. I said, okay, but once they get older, no, at 15, you really have to be there for your kids. And you realize at some point, this is it. This is my job for the rest of my life and my priority for the rest of my life.

And it makes me a better person, and they're my teachers. And I love it, but you're always afraid and worried. But at the same time, you understand that once you have children, it's part of your identity and it's part of your soul and your heart forever. And almost physically, your attention turns toward that. Your career obsession and all the other goals you had. No, no, no. It's a priority.

That's it. That's it. Yeah. For the rest of your life, that's the priority. Are you having the same feeling that we're having, which is with a 15-year-old, you start doing the math and you say, in two or three years, they're going to go to college or they're going to go out to a career and they're going to be out the door. And that's that.

Have you dealt with that yet, or are we not going there? Yes, yes, because she's my last one. She's the little one. So I've already gone through it, and it's different with the voice. boys and with the girls. Funny enough, my older girl, Matilde, she got closer

and the boys become more independent. But maybe everybody's different. We have to see with the years. But this is the last one, and it's terrifying. It's terrifying. But in a strange way, for me anyway, it makes you value

every moment with them. Yes. To not waste one. Yes. Or to not go somewhere that takes you away for them, all of that. I'm with you. You're like, you know. And also it makes you feel like the pressure of I have to teach them all the knowledge,

whatever wisdom I've learning my life. And they're not that interested at this stage. They're so independent. And it's like, you know, I have just a couple of years to, to, but because I have the other ones. It's okay, relax. Yeah. They stay with you.

And I also, I really work hard at being fun. Try to be fun or interesting in some way for them. You start molding yourself. Because you want them to come back and you want them to spend time with you. So you start molding yourself like I did when I was very young with the boyfriends. You mold yourself, you know, when you're really young. If they're into this, you get into that. And then you become more strong as a woman.

and it's like, no, this is who I am. And, you know, we share things, but this is my personality. But I'm going back to that. What are they listened to? Let me listen to this music. I don't like it. Okay, you got to like, listen to it a lot because you're going to like it eventually, you know. Listen to the words, oh, my God, why are they saying that, you know?

And you just want to stay current because it's very easy to say, as apparent, I did my best. But the question is, did you push the limit in your best? Did you try to be better so that you better? was better because it's too easy to say I just did my best. Very wise. And I have to believe you're a cool mom. They're going to come back to you. I try to be.

Now, they come back to you. You're cool. But I panic. Sorry. I feel the same way. You want to attract them back to it. It's almost like you're flirting with your own children. What can I do to make you come home?

And I do things like, I hope they miss me. This is probably very toxic. that were like helicopter mother, but, you know, it's like the decorations for Christmas, you know, Valentine's Day, so that when they go, they miss something's missing and I'm somewhere behind the cooking. I still cook for them whenever I, and it's hard to be a working parent. Yes. Which we are all now in days. It's very hard, not to be a working parent, you know?

Yeah. But it's hard. Well, I could talk to you about parenting all day. Okay, let's talk about magic mic. Let's talk about magic mic. My gosh. people are going to love this film they're going to love you in this film in particular

there are few scenes in there they're unforgettable I would say what first attracted you to this franchise to this magic mic what did you know about it beforehand and why did you want to play this part first of all I'm a huge fan of Stephen Sutherberg so it was a dream

and I was very honored that he called me in and also I I love film and everything about it. So when I go to the set, it's not just about acting. I'm interested in everyone's job. I've gone friend with the cold crew. We talk about technical things, and Stephen is brilliant. And just to be in a set and just watch him because he's like an octopus.

He's lighting, shooting, directing, sometimes writing, editing. And I love him because I love editing. and he invited me many times to the editing room and I learned so I'm fascinated by it. I love every aspect of filmmaking. And so it was a dream to work with him. And we became really good friends. I absolutely adore him.

We had so much fun. Then the character was great. Usually in the Magic Mikes, yeah, the guys, it's for the woman, but they're not, The female characters could have been a little bit more part of the stories in my taste. I'm sorry. I love you guys, but I told it to your face already. And they know it.

And that's why they made a big effort with this one to make a strong female character. And I love Maxandra. Crazy Maxandra. It's amazing. And I identify with some things in her and stuff. And then I discovered Channing. And I discovered read the real. brighter and we had just a lovely time but the attraction the first attraction was the director

and the character and shunning i can for people a little look behind the curtain i can tell that you have an eye for all of it even sitting down here you have a good sense for where the cameras and the lights and i like it yeah and you like and i like it yeah and stephen welcomed that he loved that and to sit in the editing room that's very rare is not for a director to invite you in it's very rare It's very rare. He's the director and the editor at the same time. Yeah. Yeah, it's, you know, watching the pieces of it that we watched,

you see that this really is about your character. Of course, Channing Tatum is, he's Mike, but the story is told through your character. And it sounds like that was a conscious thing, that this is going to be different than the previous two in that way. You know what else was very meaningful to me? I was heard all these guys wanted to hear the point of view of the woman

respected it I felt respected and seen and heard and it was very interesting to hear their perspective you know Channings Stephen and Reed the writer

on what they think women want and each one of them had a completely different, but they were all feminist, you know, in some ways, or at least an attempt. These are guys that want women to be strong and want women to be free. But it was very interesting because some of them were a little bit more avant-garde than me, and was like, what? And it was a great experiment.

The process of it was very... interesting, not just, and you know, at the end of the day, no matter what you do, the result is there, comes and goes, what you learn in the process, how your life and your work feeds you as a human being in the process, the relationships you make in the process, how you grow through the process, that nobody can take away from you. And that stays with you forever. The movies come and go, they forget the experience of making the movie. what you make of it. That's a real gift.

It's so interesting to hear you say that because other actors I've talked to at your level say the same thing. At this point, I want a great experience. I want a great script or a director or people who I think might be interesting to work with or get to know. Is that where you are in your career, where you look and say, is this worth me leaving my beautiful daughter for a little while to go do this project with this group of people?

Oh, no. They showed it. they shot at where I leave. I've never left my family for more than two weeks. Is that right? I've managed to have a career with... Wow. Yeah, I only do...

Sometimes I do small parts because of that. I only shoot if... I won't do it. I don't do it. And that's all family. It's all family. And I've also done movies that I thought it was going to be okay because I was living only two weeks.

And then I see situations in my family where I pulled out. My priority... are very clear. And I'm very happy. It's not a real sacrifice. It might seem like a sacrifice, but is it really? You've got your priorities straight. But I imagine as a younger actress that had to be difficult to say, to feel the power to say, I'm not going to go do that. Because of my family.

Well, the difference, really, is that I didn't have children and I didn't find my soulmate until I was, you know, late in my game. Right. So I had the time to learn all the things that I had to learn and to prioritize me, my career, my evolution. Always my family, though. My parents, my brother, I've always been a family.

For me, it's very important family. And your family that you choose, that you're making life too. And my family of animals. Yes. I'm obsessed with them. They're my family, too. So. How's the owl, by the way?

Oh, the owl is amazing. Good. Okay, good. But I did that. I did all that. And then I think sometimes it's really scary not to find the right man. When you're younger, we worry too much. It's a lot scarier to find the wrong guy and settle for it than to fight the right one later.

And when you are more mature and you get out of the system, a lot of things and you focus on yourself. You are a better candidate for a good marriage, I think. Take some patience, some trust in yourself that you're doing the right thing. I'm learning yourself. Yeah, yeah. I have to ask you about the dancing in the film. Please. Because my goodness, can you move?

I mean, there's a couple scenes in there that are just amazing. So did you have to rehearse and practice and train, or is that just innate ability? No, it's technically complicated because it's very physical. You have to be very accurate and you have to make it look like you're not participating in a way. Like it's just happening

and somebody else is moving you. But you cannot mess up because there was one time where I made one little mistake and he almost dropped me on my head upside down. But he caught me, you know, because I was supposed to do something with my legs. And so the thing is, I didn't know I could move like that. It's been a long time since from those still done, you know.

And I'm 56, and then at some, I felt really proud that I can still move like that and be all sensuous and be technical. and dance, and it's a different kind of dance. I've never, not only have never done, never imagine I was going to do, but also it was very empowering because usually I wasn't dancing for a man, you know, like in From Dust Till Dawn and also in dogma, I'm a stripper. Usually I get that part. Now somebody has to dance for me.

I don't have to do that part, but I realized I had to do another part that it was very technical and I was not expecting it. I was terrified. I was terrified. You pulled it off, though. I mean, it's truly acrobatic. We're not talking about the salsa. We're talking about all kinds of things happening.

And also, you have to overcome embarrassment. It's kind of embarrassing the situation because it's so intimate and you're moving. I had to over, even with the actor, you have to overcome. You have to be very brave and really set yourself free and say, I'm going for it. but I did ask my kids for permission. Did you? Yeah. Did you explain to them what was going on?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And Valentin said to me, as long as you don't do this move and this move because that's very cheesy. And then I was telling the choreographers, I'm not going to be doing this one's because she was more embarrassed of the cheesiness. Right.

They're very cool, my kids. Have they seen the film or the footage of it? They've seen the trailer, maybe. She came to the set. You know, some of them came to the, My husband can't dissette a lot. Yeah, it's amazing. You really pulled it off, truly.

That takes some trust with Channing, too, I would think, right? A lot, but he was amazing. You know, Channing is a really good actor. He's a really good actor. I really enjoy working with him. And there's a lot of improvisation. And I trusted him, and he's a gentleman. And he's very thoughtful.

And also the really bonded with the choreographer. was a woman. And that made me feel very safe. We were very close. And it felt safe and comfortable. And I felt protected. You mentioned your parents a minute ago. I'm fascinated by how this all started for you,

how you were in Farahruz, Mexico, dreaming of being a star at a very young age. When did that idea start for you? What even put that idea in your head, that performance of some kind was where your life might go? This is a very, this question I get a lot. Of course, but I think I'm in a place in my life where I can answer it very differently

because I discovered I was so confused. I saw Willie Wonka at the Chocolate Factory, okay? And this is what changed everything for me. What I saw was a universe where everything was possible. The universe of film, everything is possible. You can have many lives. You can be many people.

A river can be made out of chocolate. Everything. You can go to the moon. You can go to the past. You can go to the future. You can become a painting. Everything can happen. And I became in love and fascinated with this concept.

And that's what made me become an actress. The thing is, if you think about it, it has nothing to do with performing. What attracted me was Finn. I belong with Finn. I guess that from my generation and from my possibilities, it was already an impossible idea to become an actress. if I had it was

it couldn't cross my mind that maybe what I wanted to do was direct or produce or write already being an actress was such a long shot I didn't understand that's not what I wanted I don't think I wanted to be an actress

I just want to be a part of that world and because there were no role models it was impossible even to think it and to understand it what is it that I want it. Now it's a different world. And when I think back about what made me want to be an actress, it was not another actress. It was not a performer.

Yes, the part that you get to be many different people. But I was in love with a lot more than that. I still am. But I learned to enjoy it from an actor, point of view to be in that world and to interact and interact with the directors. But if I really think about it, maybe I want it to be a director. And I'm only saying this because I hope it encourages other people to really think that it seems like what they want is something because that might be in the possibility of the reach

or in their acceptance of a dream. because sometimes it's hard to accept that you can do more. It's very scary because what if you don't accomplish it? But I really encourage young people to really be very self-aware of the nuances and the little things in your thoughts and in your feelings to try to understand what is that you really want in life because sometimes it's scary to see it. And maybe you wanted to be the person who could,

creates the fantasy world rather than performs inside of it. But now I produce and... Yeah, you do it all. Yeah. Hey, guys, thanks for listening to the Sunday Sit Down podcast. Stick around to hear more from Salma Hayek right after the break. Welcome back now more of my conversation with Salma Hayek. Yeah, I don't think people realize as well as they think they know you that you went to school in Louisiana when you were 12.

Graduate high school when you were 15 years old. They're like this whiz kid. and then at some point you were thinking about being a diplomat. I study political science and international relationships. But then you said to yourself... I was in college at 16. My father didn't let me go at 15, so I had to wait. And you know what else?

You probably don't know about me? It's funny because I was just talking with my friends about it. I was drafted for the Olympics. I didn't know that. I was nine years old, and I was living in my little town, and then I saw Nadia Komanezsche. I didn't know that sport existed, and I self-taught. And then my father took me, because I begged to Mexico City for the summer,

my vacation was put me in a gym 24-7, and all I want to do is gymnastics. And he found the best gym, and I was drafted from that gym. Wow. At nine years old. At nine years old. And you just decided not to pursue it in the way that it needed to be pursued? No, no.

My father, I had to stay in Mexico City like in a kind of like a boring situation where you, they teach you school, but you train six hours and they, you know, overlook everything, what you eat, how you sleep, everything. I couldn't think of something more amazing to do than to do the gym.

But my father decided for me that I wasn't going to have a childhood and of course that they were going to take his child away at nine and go live in another city and he thought it was horrific and it took me a long time to forgive him. I really resented that decision. I didn't want a childhood.

I just wanted to do gymnastics. But it's also why I left my town and maybe because of that drafting, I said, I can do it. And also a lot of strange things happen in my life that seem impossible. Take, for example, actually everything in my life is not normal. Pooze and boots.

Who's going to think after 11 years that they're going to do the movie again? Magic Mind. Who's going to think that at 56, I'm going to be doing this sex? see movie, you know, where I'm the boss, you know, and I put, it's really, who's going to think I'm going to find this amazing man that I found in my life, you know, nearly 17 years together and so in love. I wanted a lot of children and they told me I couldn't have children. And so I had a miracle child, but then I had four children, thanks to the fact that he had three. everything in my life

it's kind of a miracle but also they happen for the good and for the bad I'm just not going to talk about the bad but even the bad is really weird it's like what but it makes you think that everything it's possible

but it can't be a coincidence you've put yourself in the position for a lot of those things to happen it's just too many yeah right I went to the eye doctor because I can't see anything and I have these contact lenses now but because I have whatever

I only see 20% So they say, do the operation. I said, okay, but what is the risk? I said, only one in a hundred thousand have a problem. The ads are not very bad. And I said, I don't know. Thank you. Because the things that happen to me are like one in a million, and it happened to me.

No, I'm wearing my glasses. Those odds were too good. You didn't want that. The ads are very strange. It comes around my life. So you've got this incredible childhood. I honestly didn't even know about that. I don't think most people do.

We're just talking about it. And then you decide you're going to be an actress. And I think you said to your parents, this is my destiny. This is who I'm going to be. What was their reaction to that? Well, my father said, first I said, I want to be an actress. And my father said absolutely not. And the way I convinced him is, I said to him, do you believe in destiny?

And he said, yeah. And then I said, okay, I know with absolutely. certainty that this is my destiny. And I was like 18, 19. And I said, I want to leave university and go to school and do that, to learn that. And my father was completely against, but he thought, she's two, three years ago already. Okay. Take a break, go see it, and then she's going to go back to school.

because I was going really well in school. And I liked it. I liked it. But I was distracted because I wanted this other thing. So my father thought, nice, going to go, get bored, go back. And that was it. I was right. It was my destiny.

And they knew it. And they supported it once they saw. You were good at it that you were loving. Well, once I became famous. That'll help. Then my father, became crazy. Then I, he, he was all over me. You have to sign every autograph. You have to, you owe yourself to your audience. He became like completely on the other side. And he was annoying.

Like a stage dad? He was like a stage dad. Yes, not my mom. My mom was like, I can't believe you doing a telenovela. This is not good. You know, they are so cheesy. I never watched telenovelas. I never let you watch telenovelas. How can you be? be doing a telenovela? And my father was kind of excited. And then when it came out, he was so proud. So proud. You had to show them. I'm good at this. I can do this. Yes. So you have success in the telenovela. Then you decide it's time to move to L.A. What was that like for you? You spoke very little English. You talked about the accents you brought with you and all the challenges you had. I thought I spoke better English. I'm going to be honest. Oh, was that right? Oh yeah. I thought my English

was okay. Because I was coming to shop. And as a tourist, it's very different when you try to act in the language. But I was very naive. It's part of what helped me. I was really naive. So what were those early years in L.A. like for you? Was it frustrating, the auditioning and all the things? Shocking. Shocking. No, just to realize that, oh, wait, how do you get an addition? where you need an agent. We didn't have agents in Mexico. Okay, how do you get an agent? You have to show some work.

But how do you get the work? You have to get the agent. I was like, what? Okay, I need a driver's license. Okay. But then you have to have a car and drive to have a car to have a driver's license. But you cannot buy the car without the driver's license. And it just seemed like everything was so contradictory and complicated

and didn't know where to start, where to be. didn't know any, where do you start? Because in Mexico, also, one of the things that helped me is that I was just spotted on the street for commercials and then I was put on the street. I mean, it was, it never had an agent. I was, it just kind of came to me. And so I liked it and then I started to study and it just kind of, the first thing I, the second thing I did was that the number one.

So I was an overnight success. Here, after being super famous in my country, I started as an extra. And I guess what I can offer to the people that are listening to us is that one of the things to conquer is shame. People try to shame me and laugh at me for being an extra. Status is an interesting deceiver. It really has nothing to do with you. It only has to do with the perception of you by always. And it is a very dangerous trick that can deter you from happiness.

So I had to be very courageous to take the shame and say, this is my dream and I'm going to fight for my dream you can laugh all you want because if I don't succeed at least I know I did my best to try to succeed

but I'm not going to let the perception of others not made me go chase what I really want because of how they're going to judge me because I was an extra and the press would, I'm not talking about my circle,

I'm talking about I was the livestock in the press, and then I laughed at the end. Laughing still. I succeeded, but it took a lot of courage. And the added layer of your having been a big success and a star there, and then suddenly none of that matters in L.A. That's the thing. But I'm glad, because then you have to build it

with truth. You have to earn it again with truth because that was fast. And the thing is that why didn't I just stay doing telenovelas if I was successful? Because I never wanted to tell novellas. I wanted to do film. So it was not about being famous. It was about being in that world of film. It's what helped a lot is having a part passion for something. And I'm still passionate about it. But now I'm also passionate about TV. Not at the time.

My God, they're so addicted. So similar now, right? The quality of TV is cinematic. Yes. So was desperado? Did that feel like the break to you? Like, my life is changing? Absolutely.

But then I was naive again. Because I said, oh, my life is going to change forever. Okay. Like in the telenovela, you know, I was like the biggest, from nothing. But no, it was successful, but no. It was not enough if you have to get another one and another one and another one and nobody wanted to give it to me. Really? Even after the success of Desperado? Absolutely.

Absolutely. Even after Fuz Rochim, the next one was a success. I was never in the studio lists. Every time I succeeded on something, they saw it as a fluke. I did not get higher for the good parts still after I was nominated and I did Frida that I did for myself. There was a predisposition to an understanding in their heads that because I was Mexican and I had an accent, I did not belong in their circle. and I fought for the change

and again I break the odds the best time in my career is at 56 where not only they told me you will never succeed in this country but also they gave me a timeline if you don't do it by the time you're 30 you're useless

you're dispensable because you are pretty and nobody wants you anymore as you get older. And so they kind of put a timeline, which they do a lot for women. So people say, what do you work? I work so hard. I'm always tired.

I have to juggle so many things. You don't have to. I love it. And I'm living in a time that I fought for this time to exist. And I have something to say, women in their 50s are not disposable. we have a lot of things that we can contribute with. And because of our experience, our voice is important. It's necessary.

So I'm excited to be a middle-aged woman, and that it's the best time of my life. Stick around for more of my conversation with Samahiyak right after a quick break. Welcome back now to the rest of my conversation. conversation with Salma Hayek. It feels to me, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, but that fight that you decided to start really took off during Frida.

The film was beautiful. You were nominated for an Oscar, but I just mean having to do it all yourself and to say, I have to change the conversation. I have to do this. But the conversation didn't change. I was nominated. I did Frida, and they were still offering me the Bimbo part.

And I was completely dishearted. I once proved myself and I still did not get... Again, the conversation did not change. But I knew what I did. I did something that was

impossible. So that gives you a lot of strength and endurance. They still did not want to see me. When I was in my early 30s, I was the only woman in the entertainment business that was a successful producer in film and television, an actress, a director, and the first Hispanic

woman that was nominated for an Oscar. Nobody talked about it and nobody noticed. Because I directed something also for showtime that I was producing for them and the guy there said, you're not a producer, you're a director. And he gave me this thing. And I want an Emmy for best director. And I was doing

as a producer of Libetti. We went everything. Nobody noticed. No American. There was not a woman that was an American woman that was doing all of that at the same time. For example, Jody Foster was

directing and she was acting and by the way I love her and she was part of my inspiration but she was not television cinema acting producing directing

nobody noticed nobody talked about the fact that finally a Latin woman was nominated for an Oscar as best actress because there had been in supporting actress but not best actress Right. Right. Well, the reason I raised Frida is because of everything you just said, which is that all these obstacles were placed in your way. I think people thought maybe that would scare you off

and maybe this goes away. They didn't see you in the right way, Miramax and everything else. And yet you just, you cleared all these hurdles that were meant to stop you. You said, I have to make this. You were on a mission to make this film, weren't you? Yes. And so how did you? get around everything that was put in your way? I'm clever. I would find a different solution for each problem. I'm a good problem solver. I can tell.

I would have been a good diplomat. No, not a good diplomat. Actually, maybe not a good diplomat. But I do have, I use creativity to solve problems. And I have a sport. I hate to do things that have been done or do them the way that someone else did it. And that makes life really difficult but really interesting and exciting. And you have to be an artist to be able to do that.

And I suffer it. And deep inside, I love it. I love to solve the puzzle and find a perspective and the angle. that nobody saw before, it excites me. For example, for Ogli Betty, they rejected it. Everybody, nobody even wanted it. And so, normally they say, no, you look for another one. And this one I just knew.

Learning how to listen to your instincts is really a great superpower. So, you know what I did? I went to the advertisers. with a file like this of research. And I said, there is a consumer that you can target that has a very strong force of buying. How do you say? Purchasing power.

Yeah. And I show them the numbers. And I said, would you advertise on a show that would be a crossover and will bring that here? huge audience and also close over to the American. Here is the script. This is why it's something that they know that they're familiar when they see it in English. They're going to feel acknowledged.

They're going to see it again to see what is the difference. They're going to feel proud that the Americans are discovering something that I explained the whole theory, and that's how I got it on the air. I went back to the network and I said, I've already pre-sold your advertising. And they said, what? Nobody tried that before. And then they didn't, the advertisers said, not only I would advertise, because it was an agency that represent different

advertisers. And it's like the bridge between the network and all the, so I went to the agency, not to one advertiser. And they said, we'll pay for the whole show. We'll produce it. And when I went back to the network and they saw that, they said, okay, no, we'll do it. We don't need that. And then we'll sell it ourselves.

How dare you go sell it? You don't work for me that way. But he was kind of interested in how I, you know, got it on the air, and that's how I got on the air. Otherwise, they would develop but not put things on the earth that had Latino content. That's the first one. You're persistent. No question about it. I mean, genius.

Yes. Because you ask me, how do you solve the problems? It's not about finding the answers. It's about finding the right questions. You're often talked about as a trailblazer as an actress, but just listening to you now, It's so much more than that. I mean, as a producer, as a director, changing the conversation, have you stopped to appreciate how you have changed Hollywood just through your hard work and your force of will and your creativity and problem solving? No.

You definitely have. No. You don't stop. You don't stop. That's when you get old. I don't mean you stop doing it, but do you appreciate what you've done? You know, it's a very interesting question. In a way, you know, in some ways,

and there's a lot of wonderful people who remind me of it, strangers, you know. But I feel if you, I don't know, there's a saying in Spanish, you don't see, not a sit in those laurels, like, you cannot be vain you cannot

that's the death of creativity when you sit and observe you have to acknowledge it and then immediately say what have I learned and how can I grow and you have to keep

to stay productive as an act as an irony And I see business also as an art. And you have to stay kind of humble and in the present, in the moment. Otherwise you repeat yourself. And the hunger has to come from pushing the neuronets into making new connections and not repeating. That's why I said that's when you get old.

And you see, I see it on people that they say talking about. only about the things they did because they're such great accomplishments. But they don't continue to get fed, you know, by new stimulations that keeps you know and with a sense of humor and with hunger to discover new things. And it's very dangerous when you are in a comfort. comfortable place in life and you can relax. But for example, my children keep me hungry. I can't settle. It's very easy. It's when you're hungry or when you have a need, you need to pay the rent, you need to, you come up with more things. Now the challenge is,

where do you find that, you know, because you don't have that hunger. But you have to stay grateful and hunger for life, but not grateful and static. Oh my God, am I making any sense? Totally, of course. How do you keep the hunger when you've achieved all the things that you hungered for? Where do you keep finding that motivation? What's your contribution? Yeah.

What's my contribution now? Oh, I did that. Okay, what's my contribution now? It's not like, okay, I did that. I get great contribution to the world. No. What's my contribution? What's my contribution?

What's my contribution? You have to, if you love it, if you love it, I did that, I'm not, you have to, if you love life and you appreciate it. Make yourself useful. Isn't it amazing that the little girl in Mexico who is watching Willy Wonka dreaming of all this is now doing it? You're doing the thing you dreamed about doing or maybe didn't even know that you were dreaming about, which is creating these worlds as a producer, director, all those things that you're able to do now. You've come a long way. Yeah, there are really beautiful moments that surprise me. Not because of something grand happened, but I remember playing cards recently with my mother and my aunt who came to visit me in my kitchen.

My daughter came to negotiate because you wanted something that I had said no. I had the cat in my lap, the two dogs next to me. There were these beautiful flowers that somebody sent me. And for a moment everything stopped. Everything stopped. I looked at the flowers, looked at my house. I felt my dogs, my cat, looked at my mom. I looked at my aunt.

I heard my teenage negotiating. Everything stopped. Like I was observing that and I just felt so overwhelmed with happiness and gratitude. And I really was looking at the flowers, the dogs. It was just a normal moment. But that sensation is amazing. And how do you never lose it? I just came from Kelly and Annmark.

I love them. I've been going to that show for so many years. They've been so supportive of my career. I know everybody in the show. Everybody, because she's kept the same people, all the producers, the people that work in the camera. I fell at home. I was so grateful to be there, back there.

For so many years, it doesn't feel like, oh, I'm going to go to others. Oh, I'm going to go see my friends. It feels like that to me. because I talked to the camera I was so happy to see them it was all decorated with the Christmas stuff and I

had my team with me that I love them and I just felt so happy to be there to have a movie that is a beautiful movie to promote and to be at Christmas with my friends and we get to chat I meet a new friend but it's been a long time I've been doing this

I kept going to the same places and And those are the moments that are important more than, have I stopped and done this and on that. I feel them in those moments without obsessing about the more flashy part because it's not as delicious as the little human aspects around it. to me at least. That's beautifully said. Hopefully we've started a new tradition. We'll do 754 interviews together.

Just like you did for that first Puss and Boots movie. I would love to. I would love to. Such a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for the time. Thank you for listening. My big thanks to Salma for what really was a great and fun conversation. And my thanks to all of you for listening.

If you want to hear more of my conversations with our guests every week, be sure to click follow so you never miss an episode. episode. And don't forget to tune in to Sunday today every weekend on NBC. I'm Willie Geist. We'll see you right back here next week on the Sunday Sitdown podcast.