Salma Hayek Free Screensaver. Photos slideshow. Salma Hayek Jimenez (born September 2, 1966) is an Academy Award-nominated Mexican actress, Daytime Emmy-winning director, and a film and television producer. Hayek has appeared in more than thirty films and performed as an actress outside of Hollywood in Mexico and Spain. Hayek's charitable work includes increasing awareness on violence against women and discrimination against immigrants.In 1989 she landed the title role in Teresa , an extremely popular Mexican soap opera that make her a national star. Hayek left Teresa after two years for Hollywood, hoping to achieve similar success in America. It was slow-going for the talented beauty, however, as she found that Hollywood offerings for minority women were few and far between, not to mention relegated to maid and prostitute characters. After guest spots on shows like a"Street Justice" and "Dream On", Hayek was ready to give up until director Robert Rodriguez was dazzled by the actress. Her role in the quirky, ultra-violent action film Desperado finally brought her to the attention of Hollywood. Small roles in Four Rooms , Fair Game , and Rodriguez's From Dusk Till Dawn followed. Starring roles began pouring in for Hayek, and in the late 90s she starred in Fools Rush In with Friends star Matthew Perry, 54 with Ryan Phillippe, The Velocity of Gary , Dogma , The Faculty , and the mega-budget Will Smith vehicle Wild Wild West .