Salma Hayek: From Telenovela Star to Hollywood Icon

Salma Hayek is an actress who has earned the respect of not only her native country, Mexico, but also the world. Her breakout role came in the form of the iconic 1989 telenovela, Teresa, thanks to the adaptation of the story by Lucy Orozco. The hit melodrama won three TVyNovelas awards, including Best Telenovela, Best Experienced Actress, and Best Newcomer, and featured an ensemble cast of seasoned actors as well as young, up-and-coming talent.

One actor who has fond memories of his time working on Teresa is Miguel Pizarro. Playing the role of ‘Raúl’, a young millionaire who falls in love with Hayek’s character, Pizarro even had the privilege of giving her a car in one of the show’s episodes. But it was the kiss he shared with Hayek that has stayed with him all these years. In a recent interview, Pizarro revealed that due to Hayek’s then-relationship with a Televisa executive, kissing scenes were strictly forbidden between her and her male co-stars.

Despite this, Pizarro and Hayek were able to film a kissing scene that made it to air, much to their surprise. The scene was long and the characters were supposed to end the kiss at a certain point, but due to some confusion with the actors playing Pizarro’s uncles in the background, the kiss went on longer than intended. In the end, both actors found the situation humorous and Pizarro considers it a privilege to have shared such a moment with Hayek.

Since her breakout role in Teresa, Hayek has gone on to achieve great success in Hollywood, but her roots in telenovelas remain an important part of her career. And for actors like Pizarro, who shared the screen with her during her rise to stardom, working on such a beloved show is a cherished memory.