Salma Hayek Posted A Photo With Her Husband That Got People Asking If It Was Her ‘Grandpa’

Jun 12, 2023

Salma Hayek was born Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez. She began her career in Mexico before moving to Hollywood in 1991. Hayek is best known for playing the role of Frida Kahlo in the 2002 film “Frida.” The role earned her nominations for Best Actress at the Academy Awards, the BAFTA Film Awards, the Golden Globe Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Before “Frida,” Hayek had been in several American films. Some of her other early popular movies include, “Desperado” in 1995, “From Dusk till Dawn” in 1996, and “Dogma” and “Wild Wild West” both in 1999. One of her more recent films, “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” which came out in 2017, had a sequel released in 2021 titled “The Hitman’s Wife Bodyguard.” The film focused on Hayek’s character, Sonia Kincaid.   

Hayek is married to French business magnate François-Henri Pinault. The actress confirmed their engagement on March 9, 2007, and at the same time announced that she was pregnant. Hayek gave birth to their daughter, Valentina Paloma Pinault, on Sept. 21, 2007, in Los Angeles, California. The couple married on Valentine’s Day in 2009 in Paris, France. They renewed their vows that same year in Venice, Italy.

Since then, the couple has been unbreakable. On many occasions, Hayek has spoken dearly about her husband and even defended the alleged age gap they have with each other. In an Instagram post that Hayek posted on May 28, 2023, she got the internet talking, with more people wondering if he was actually her grandfather. Keep on reading to know more about Hayek and Pinault and what people thought about the two of them as a couple.

For those who do not know, Hayek was born in September 1966, which was only four years after her husband, Pinault who was born in May 1962. People thought that because of Hayek’s very youthful appearance, she had a big age gap with her husband, when in fact, it is only four years, a rather small age gap compared to other celebrity couples. 

Speaking to Associated Press in 2017, Hayek recalled the moment that she met Pinault in 2006. 

“It was so silly. We started talking about football. We’re both crazy about soccer. Then we started talking about science. We love space and physics, and he was so smart, charming, and funny,” she recalled. 

The two seemed like an unusual pair, but Hayek and Pinault were definitely a “perfect match.” To date, Hayek is a mother to four kids, three of whom are from Pinault’s former marriage to who she is now a stepmother. Valentina, her only biological child, is also part of the family. 

Hayek also spoke about her marriage on Dax Shepard's podcast "Armchair Expert" in February 2021. Shepard didn't even know her husband at first.

“I didn’t know who he was. I just heard or maybe read in a headline that you had married a very rich guy. I meet him, and I’m like, ‘this guy is so foxy, the confidence, his eyes, he’s so good-looking and charming,” Shepard explained. 

There had been quite a conversation that, since the two looked ages apart, Hayek only married Pinault for the money, which was later debunked because of how slim their age gap was. 

"When I married him, everybody said: 'It's an arranged marriage, she's marrying him for the money.' I'm like: 'Yeah whatever, think what you want.' 15 years together and we are strongly in love and I don't even get offended,” she furthered. 

Elsewhere in the podcast, Hayek further elaborated on the Dax Shepard podcast the misconceptions attached to her relationship with her husband, who is viewed by many as a billionaire magnate: 

“Immediately you think because somebody's rich, (they) might not be a good person, might be somebody materialistic, might be somebody that doesn't have values, might be somebody that is even stupid, or that doesn't deserve it (or) that in order to have a lot of money, you did it the wrong way, there is all these preconceptions and I heard them, by the way," she defended.

According to her, Pinault “finished work, no matter how hard it was” and has continued to shoulder the responsibilities like a true man and still be able to go home and be a father

The interview was conducted in 2021, and two years later, the conversation surrounding her marrying Pinault for money and fortune still exists. In her birthday greeting for Pinault on May 28, 2023, Hayek faced much criticism on her Instagram account, with people saying some discriminating things about her and her husband. 

“Is that your grandpa?” a user sarcastically asked, while another said: “This dude looks someone else’s old uncle.” Another user even suggested that Hayek would not be with Pinault “If he only made 200k a yr.”

Meanwhile, some of Hayek’s fans have defended her honor in the comments. 

“I think a lot of woman are jealous of her because she’s beautiful and with the wealthy man, but she did work hard for her money. Also, she’s worth a lot. Hating on her,” one said. 

“How many awful comments from jealousy people! You two are beautiful! Hermosa pareja! Besos from Brazil, Salma!” another commented. 

Are you a fan of Salma Hayek? What can you say about her marriage and husband, François Pinault? Do you think she deserves the comments thrown at her marriage? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends and other Salma Hayek fans!