Salma Hayek has always been known for her fearlessness, but there was one particular role that made her hesitate – a role that is essentially a hilariously terrible version of herself. This role is featured in the first episode of Black Mirror Season 6, titled Joan Is Awful.
According to IndieWire, this episode continues the show’s tradition of exploring technology in a way that feels very current. In this episode, Annie Murphy portrays a tech executive who unknowingly relinquishes her life rights by agreeing to the terms and conditions of an app called Streamberry, a common practice many of us are guilty of.
Why Does Salma Hayek Feel The Role Is Disgusting
The app collects sufficient data to reconstruct Joan’s life using artificial intelligence, transforming it into a television show where Salma Hayek portrays Joan. To clarify, Hayek is essentially playing herself, an actress who has accepted the role of depicting Joan.
Naturally, this portrayal of Salma Hayek is an extremely exaggerated one. Hayek explained to Radio Times (as reported by The Independent) that through this episode, she had the opportunity to delve into the preconceived notions and stereotypes people hold about her and engage in self-deprecating humor. The episode also features Ben Barnes, Michael Cera, and Rob Delaney.
Hayek to Radio Times (via The Independent):
“It’s as if I created an alter ego where I could do the most disgusting, grotesque things that you would never do in real life. And have permission to do that,” Hayek said. “There are so many moments that shocked me in the script. There is one huge one that I had to come to terms with, and made me ask myself, ‘Do I really want to do this? Am I going to get in trouble?'”
Unsurprisingly, the episode delves even deeper into meta territory than its initial premise suggests. Black Mirror has been pushing the boundaries of technological possibilities since it first aired on Britain’s Channel 4 in 2011.
Salma Hayek Faced Her Worst Fear For A Role
After navigating the complexities of contracts and related matters, the production of Quentin Tarantino’s From Dusk Till Dawn commenced. During this period, Hayek wasn’t widely recognized as an actress and often found herself short on funds when it came to covering essential household expenses.
As she was establishing her presence in the Hollywood scene, this represented a remarkable opportunity for Hayek, one she couldn’t afford to decline. At a certain point during filming, Tarantino sprung a surprise on Salma Hayek, informing her that she would need to dance with a snake coiled around her shoulders. Hayek straightforwardly refused, as she had a severe fear of snakes. However, Tarantino wasn’t inclined to give in easily.
Hayek later revealed how Tarantino employed a crafty tactic by subtly suggesting that Madonna was keen on portraying the role of Santanico Pandemonium and implied that she could be readily replaced. Given her financial situation at the time, the actress felt compelled to push through the scene despite her fears.
Black Mirror can be streamed on Netflix.
Source: The Independent
