Salma Hayek Reveals Why She Wasn’t Cast in Comedies: ‘You’re Not Allowed to Have a Sense of Humor’

Salma Hayek Reveals Why She Wasn't Cast in Comedies: 'You're Not Allowed to Have a Sense of Humor'

By Ritu Sharma

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Fortunately, Salma Hayek crossed paths with Adam Sandler, and her career took a new turn. See more Sankranthiki Vasthunam Breaks Box Office: Venkatesh Tops 2025, No Hindi Films in Top 5!

Salma Hayek, the talented Mexican-American actress, has been vocal about her struggles with being typecast in Hollywood due to her ethnicity. She once shared how she was often excluded from comedy films simply because of her sensual image. Despite this, she has proven herself to be one of the most adaptable and influential figures in the entertainment industry. Keep reading for more about her journey.

Starting with Mexican telenovelas, Salma transitioned into Hollywood and soon became well-known for roles in Desperado, Wild Wild West, and Frida. She earned her first major nomination for Frida, and while she appeared in several action films, it was in comedies where her true commercial success was found—movies like Grown Ups, Grown Ups 2, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, and more. Salma also earned two Primetime Emmy nominations: one for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series and the other for Outstanding Comedy Series for her work on Ugly Betty.

In an interview with GQ UK, Salma Hayek revealed to Unilad that for a long time, she was trapped in a typecasting dilemma. She explained that people avoided casting her in comedies because they deemed her “too sexy” for such roles. Thankfully, everything changed when she met Adam Sandler. She landed a role in Grown Ups and embarked on her comedy career, a move that came only in her 40s.

Salma recalled, “For my entire life, I wanted to do comedy, but no one would give me a role. It wasn’t until I met Adam Sandler, who cast me in Grown Ups in 2010, that I finally got my chance—at 40! They told me, ‘You’re too sexy to have a sense of humor.’”

She added, “Not only were you not allowed to be smart, but in the ’90s, they also said you couldn’t be funny.” Since then, Salma has starred in several comedies, including the 2023 comedy-drama Magic Mike’s Last Dance.

On the work front, Salma Hayek’s most recent project was Without Blood, a war drama directed by Angelina Jolie. The film premiered in the Special Presentations section at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, and stars Demián Bichir and Juan Minujín alongside Salma.