Salma Hayek no longer feels defined by her sexuality.
The ‘From Dusk till Dawn’ star says she is appreciated for much more than just her beauty now that she’s hit her fifties and she feels much more respected by those around her at this stage in her life.
She told “GQ Hype”: “I’m at a place in my life where I don’t think my sexuality is the only thing that’s appreciated anymore. But if it was, I wouldn’t care, because I’ve built enough respect around me from the people that really matter that I feel seen beyond that."
In the interview, Hayek, 56, also opened up about being typecast in Hollywood – revealing she longed to play comedic roles but no one was willing to give her the chance to show her funny side.
She said: “I was typecast for a long time, my entire life I wanted to do comedy and people wouldn’t give me comedies. I couldn’t land a role until I met Adam Sandler, who put me in a comedy [2010 film 'Grown Ups'], but I was in my forties!
“They said, ‘You’re sexy, so you’re not allowed to have a sense of humour ... Not only are you not allowed to be smart, but you were not allowed to be funny in the ’90s.”
However, she feels grateful that times have changed and she is now able to play a broader range of roles.
Hayek added: “I was sad at the time but now here I am, doing every genre, in a time in my life when they told me I would have expired – that the last 20 years I would have been out of business. So I’m not sad, I’m not angry; I’m laughing.”