Top 5: Salma Hayek Movie Roles

I think it's fair to say that Salma Hayek is the most famous Mexican actress working right now. Since making her debut in the nineties, Hayek has showed up in a variety of projects ranging from insane action movies, kids films, and serious dramas. So in honor of her latest film with Eugenio Derbez, How To Be A Latin Lover, I've picked five of Hayek's best roles.

#5 Elena in Savages

Female drug kingpin's tend to be portrayed in one of two ways: a vicious sociopath or an emotional mess. In a role that rejects both stereotypes, Hayek's Elena is a great blend of methodical, maternal, and edgy when needed. Her best scenes are her moments of bonding with Blake Lively's O, her captive, as she explains what drove her to the drug trade and why she has to behave so violently. It's far more complex and interesting than your average drug lord, male or female.

#4 Carolina in Desperado 

Director Robert Robriguez had to fight to get the Hayek into her American audience debut, and movie fans were very thankful that he did. Oozing charm and sex appeal, Hayek's Carolina spends the majority of the movie nursing El Mariachi back to health and covertly assisting him on his mission of vengeance. It's a simple role but Hayek certainly makes her mark. Her intro? Causing a traffic accident by crossing the street.

#3 Everly in Everly

In the best movie edition of a horde mode or tower defense game I've ever seen, Hayek stars as a prostitute fighting for her child's life after her intentions to inform on the Yakuza are uncovered. The role features a lot of fast transitions between righteous fury, emotional pain, and wise-cracking action hero and Hayek handles each of these jumps beautifully. Any actor that looks that confident holding a gigantic machine gun is a winner in my book.

#2 Serendipity in Dogma

Though introduced as a stripper, Hayek's fallen muse Serendipity operates as one of Bethany's wisest guides on her quest to stop two fallen angels from erasing existence. Getting a crack at some of Kevin Smith's best dialogue, Hayek makes the most of every word whether she's expressing frustration with the treatment of women in the bible or taking Azrael down a peg by comparing him to Elvis ("that's why he's the King...and you're a schmuck.")

#1 Frida Kahlo in Frida

It's no surprise that Hayek's only Academy Award nomination comes from her most complete performance. As the titular painting icon, Hayek not only embraces Frida's unibrom but also all of her complexities. Her fluid sexuality, the inspiration behind her paintings, and her strong will all shine through, especially in Hayek's scenes with Alfred Molina's Diego Rivera.