Salma Hayek: I Would Give Up Acting for Valentina

Stuart Wilson/Getty

Salma Hayek has said it before — and she’s saying it again — when it comes to traveling the globe, there’s no better companion than her daughter, 4½-year-old Valentina Paloma.

“It’s working out really well. [Valentina] is really smart and she’s really young,” the Savages actress, 45, tells USA Today. “If later on it gets in the way of her development, I’ll just stop working.”

Making the balancing act between her kid and her career easier is the consistency of working alongside fellow actors (and fathers!) Adam Sandler and Kevin James.

“For right now, it works. I work mostly in the summers. I usually work in the Sandler family or with Kevin James,” Hayek, who is currently shooting the Grown Ups sequel, explains. “I’m really good friends with the wives and the kids are the same age. It works out for me.”

When the day does comes, however, where Hayek feels her daughter needs more structure, she will be more than willing to step away from the spotlight. “If in the future, she has to stay in Paris and it’s too much of a separation, I’ll stop working,” she explains.

During those few occasions when the going gets tough, Hayek relies on her biggest fan to keep her focused: husband François-Henri Pinault.

“I get a lot of help from my husband. You have to have a partner. When I get freaked out, he’s like, ‘Don’t worry, it will work itself out. How can I help you?’” she shares. “He calms me down. I am more hysterical than he is.”

Noting that it’s “very easy to bail out,” Hayek doesn’t take her strong support system for granted, saying, “A lot of women don’t get support in their professional lives from their husbands.”

– Anya Leon

Comments

Shannon on July 10th, 2012

That’s nice but does she really need to work anyway? Not much of a sacrifice, is it?

Clara on July 11th, 2012

So true…

meghan on July 11th, 2012

Working isn’t just about making money.

emily on July 11th, 2012

Meghan- exactly. She is identified and defined as an actress. Shes not a receptionist, she’s known by people around the world. Also, I’m sure it’s her passion and what she has worked toward it the majority of her life. Her “job” is not defined the same way our jobs are.

Michelle on July 11th, 2012

Emily, I disagree. Her job is part of her identity, just the way my job is part of mine. I am no Hollywood actress, but my job is meaningful and important to me. I don’t have to work, but I very much enjoy doing it. Having that kind of balance makes me a better mother and a better person. However, if the time should come that it doesn’t work for my children then I will give it up.

Not every mother has the luxury of staying at home. I get that. But just because woman can doesn’t mean they should.

Mommytoane on July 11th, 2012

Meghan hit it on the head.
Not to mention, we don’t know what kind of contracts shes under. I don’t think anyone has the right to judge any working mother. Its pretty obvious in Salama’s case her daughter is extremely happy and loved. So what difference does it make what job she has? She obviously spends plenty of time lovin on her kid.
I think its sweet shes willing to give up everything for her daughter. Thats a major step she’d make and to make it shows true love and unselfishness.

blessedwithboys on July 11th, 2012

Awesome story!

Indira on July 12th, 2012

Michelle hit it on the head, you don’t have to be an actress to love your job…tho NONE of us should be defined by our profession.

SalmaHayekFan on July 13th, 2012

Salma Hayek doesn’t need to ever give up her career. She just needs to get divorced from the deadbeat dad jerk that she married. The best support that Francois-Henri Pinault could have ever given Salma Hayek was to stay away from her completely and never meet her at all. Salma Hayek doesn’t need to have the headaches and problems that this jerk causes her.

emily on July 13th, 2012

Michelle- I must have not come across the way I meant, because I agree with what you’re saying. What I meant was that ones job can also be their identity, not just a pay check. And that her “quitting her job” isn’t quite on the same scale as ME “quitting my job”.

Indria- What’s wrong with being identified by your job?

meghan on July 13th, 2012

Her husband doesn’t cause her any problems. Stop telling some actress you don’t know how to live.

SalmaHayekFan on July 13th, 2012

It caused a ton of bad publicity that Salma Hayek didn’t need and that would humiliate and anger any normal woman. It has even angered her fans and caused some of us to turn against her if she doesn’t divorce him. If Salma doesn’t divorce this jerk, then something is wrong with her too. I won’t shut up because I have a First Amendment right under the United States Constitution to write and say what I think about and it doesn’t matter if you hate my opinions.

meghan on July 14th, 2012

Angered her fans? Turned them against her? The only person who seems to care is you. Grow up and actually read the constitution you dope.

emily on July 14th, 2012

SalmaHayekFan is always trolling any boards about Salma urging fans to boycott her movies until she leaves her husband. Shes a loony toon. Ignore.

Tanya on July 15th, 2012

So what these people are arguing about? She is an actress very different from our regular profession. Don’t compare!

SalmaHayekFan on July 15th, 2012

Emily is an idiot and I’m not a looney tune or a troll. If the people on this board think that it isn’t a problem for someone like Pinault to abandon a child, then you idiots have a major character flaw and you never should have been born yourselves. I’ll still bet money that you are deadbeat dads posing as women. I have seen other people agree with me about this subject on other websites.

emily on July 15th, 2012

SalmaHayekFan – It’s called minding your own business. What someone elses husband does or does not do (remember now! you don’t actually KNOW these people) is reaaaallly none of my concern, you’re overly invested in the private lives of strangers. Step away from the computer, Go outside and meet real live people.

SalmaHayekFan on July 16th, 2012

Stop assuming that I don’t get with other people away from the computer. I go to five meet-up groups through meetup.com every month and I also go to two other groups. I also have a full-time job and I also spend time with my relatives. Talking to my neighbors is another thing that I do. It sure is strange that you tell me that I assume too much about celebrities and then you morons think that you know everything about me. Get a clue idiot. You know a heck of a lot less about me than you know about Salma Hayek. In other words, you don’t anything about me at all. I will complain about deadbeat dads as much as I want to when I’m on the computer because deadbeat dads are ruining this country. I’ll say one more time. SALMA HAYEK NEEDS TO GET DIVORCED FROM HER DEADBEAT DAD HUSBAND FRANCOIS-HENRI PINAULT BECAUSE HE IS A PIG. Hahaha! How do you like me now?

meghan on July 16th, 2012

Yeah, emily doesn’t have you pegged at ALL. SMH.

SalmaHayekFan on July 16th, 2012

Shut up. Both of you are fools. Nothing in the United States Constitution prohibits any of the comments that I have written.

meghan on July 16th, 2012

Nothing in the constitution says I can’t tell you you’re an idiot and to shut up.

SalmaHayekFan on July 17th, 2012

You are projecting your own stupidity unto me and you are lying every single time that you write about me. That is libel. Now shut up.

meghan on July 17th, 2012

I don’t see anything wrong about an entertainer working with children. They have to look at the circumstances of their particular situation and balance things as best they can. If there comes a time when the balance has to change as Valentina’s needs change, then Salma and her husband have to figure out how to proceed from there in the way that is best for the whole family.