Salma Hayek feels ‘pressure’ to make money despite marriage to billionaire

Hayek, 58, is married to French businessman François-Henri Pinault, 62

Salma Hayek is proving she’s an independent woman. 

The Mexican American actress, 58, opened up about her financial independence despite being married to billionaire François-Henri Pinault, 62.

"I support a lot of the aspects of my life and myself," Hayek told the Wall Street Journal in a cover interview. "I have the pressure to make a certain amount of money, and I like it. And now, I decided, I want to make more."

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salma hayek husband

Salma Hayek shared that she feels "pressure" to earn her own money despite being married to billionaire and French businessman François-Henri Pinault. (Getty Images)

"I have the pressure to make a certain amount of money, and I like it."

— Salma Hayek

The "Frida" actress admitted she and her billionaire husband "keep their finances separate" and "there’s no prenuptial agreement dividing assets."

François-Henri Pinault in a grey suit and black shirt smiles next to wife Salma Hayek in a black dress and velour jacket at the Balenciaga RTW Spring show

Hayek, 58, is married to French businessman François Henri Pinault, 62. (Swan Gallet/WWD via Getty Images)

Hayek was raised by a wealthy family herself in the coastal city of Coatzacoalcos, as her father was an oil executive of Lebanese descent and her mother was an opera singer. 

Salma Hayek wearing a bright yellow bikini on a boat

Salma Hayek wearing a bright yellow bikini on a boat. (Salma Hayek Instagram)

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However, the Oscar-nominated actress confessed she suffered hardship in her mid-20s when she moved to Los Angeles. Hayek’s father lost his fortune and she was a struggling actress. 

She added that she dealt with the stress of supporting herself and her family back in Mexico. 

Salma Hayek and François-Henri Pinault then and now split

Hayek and Pinault got married in Paris, on Valentine's Day. (Getty Images)

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"That’s when I became the best version of myself," Hayek remarked. 

Hayek rose to Hollywood fame after she starred in the 1995 film, "Desperado." She went on to star in "From Dusk Till Dawn" and her breakthrough was in the 1997 movie "Fools Rush In."

Salma Hayek On the set of From Dusk Till Dawn in "snake dance" scene

Salma Hayek on the set of "From Dusk Till Dawn," directed and produced by Robert Rodriguez. (Dimension Films/Miramax/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)

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Despite having her own Hollywood money, Hayek tied the knot with French businessman Pinault in 2009. Pinault’s company owns luxury brands, including Gucci and Saint Laurent. 

During their 15-year marriage, Hayek said there were certain aspects of extreme wealth that surprised her. 

Salma Hayek posing with Valentia

The couple share one child together, daughter Valentina, 17. (Leon Bennett/FilmMagic)

"To me, the excitement about having a lot of money was that I didn’t have to think about money, and it turned out all people wanted to talk to me about was money," she explained after she married into the Pinault family. "Strangers coming to me that aren’t even friends, but they think we should be friends because they’re rich, too."

The couple share one child together, daughter Valentina, 17. Hayek is also stepmom to Pinault’s son with Linda Evangelista, Augustin, "Auggie," and his children from his first marriage, François and Mathilde.

Stephanie Giang-Paunon is an Entertainment Writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and on Twitter: @SGiangPaunon.

Authored by Stephanie Giang-Paunon via FoxNews October 30th 2024