Hollywood went through a horrific trial period when disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein’s shocking instances of s*xual abuse of multiple women took center stage. Apart from his despicable predatory behavior towards helpless women, Weinstein was also found to have inflicted his misogynistic tendencies on many prominent female stars in Hollywood.
Mexican-American actor Salma Hayek who has long been considered one of the most talented stars in the industry, was at the receiving end of Harvey Weinstein’s misogyny. While the Desperado star confirmed that she was never s*xually assaulted or abused by the producer, she was put through many torturous experiences during the filming of Frida, which was produced by Weinstein.
Salma Hayek Endured Disgraceful Insults From Harvey Weinstein On The Set Of Frida
In 2002, Salma Hayek starred in Frida in which she played the life of Mexico’s talented, radical, and controversial female artist Frida Kahlo.This film was a dream come true for Hayek as she had nurtured a desire to play the titular protagonist for many years. But this golden opportunity was marred by a lot of challenges mainly owing to the misogynistic and derogatory behavior of the film’s producer, Harvey Weinstein.
Years after Frida released and Weinstein was convicted of his crimes, Salma Hayek recalled her painful experiences on set where she had to endure multiple insults from the producer about her physical appearance. Talking of the incessant bullying and verbal abuse that she faced at the hands of Weinstein, the Eternals star spoke to The Guardian about the producer’s complete lack of empathy and understanding towards her and her character.
“When he would call me up [during the making of Frida] and scream, ‘Why do you have a [monobrow] and moustache? I didn’t hire you to look ugly!’ I was like, ‘But didn’t you ever look at a picture of Frida Kahlo?”
Salma Hayek went on to confirm that while she escaped being s*xually abused by Weinstein owing to her strong personality, it was still not enough to stop him from taking advantage of her emotionally and mentally.
Salma Hayek Called Out Systemic Problems In Hollywood
In her bold exposé in the New York Times, Salma Hayek wrote in great detail about her disturbing experiences with Harvey Weinstein which included his ruthless demeanor towards her during the filming of Frida. In later interviews, Hayek addressed this article and its impact on people, especially women. The Mexican star also confessed that Weinstein was not the only one to have taken advantage of her position as a woman. Speaking of facing similar experiences from many other men in the industry owing to her ethnic background, Hayek addressed the systemic issues in the industry and told Slash Film,
When they disrespect your background, they feel you’re weaker and they prey on weakness.”
The star went on to add that despite facing many obstacles, she was not one to hold on to a grudge if she believed that perpetrators were ready to make changes for the better and correct their mistakes accordingly.
Source: The Guardian
