By Julio Martinez
In the 2017 American action comedy film The Hitman’s Bodyguard, Salma Hayek played the minor role of Sonia, the volatile, over-the-top wife of a relentlessly reckless hired gun. Starring Ryan Reynolds and Samuel Jackson, the feature was a moderate success at the box office, bringing in $176 million worldwide but left Hayek somewhat dissatisfied. “I wished I could be her much longer,” she recalls. “I remember thinking, I hope there’s a sequel because I love Sonia so much.”
Salma Hayek got her wish. The film’s sequel, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, is now playing nationwide. “She is back and now I have a very, very big role,” Hayek exclaims. “You are going to get a lot of Sonia in this one.” Also helmed by the original’s director Patrick Hughes, the film reprises the roles played by Reynolds as the bodyguard, Jackson and Hayek, with Frank Grillo, Tom Hopper, Antonio Banderas and Morgan Freeman joining the cast.
Getting to see a lot of Hayek has been a rewarding experience since she made her U.S. debut in the film 1995 Desperado. The Mexican-American actress and producer began her career in Mexico, starring in the telenovela Teresa. She moved to Hollywood in 1991 and also worked in other films such as From Dusk till Dawn in 1996 and Dogma and Wild Wild West, both in 1999. That same year Hayek formed her own production company, Vetanarosa, to ensure she would always find good projects for herself.
But at the 2001 Television Critics Association press tour, she said jokingly, “If I was only concerned about roles for myself, I wouldn’t have co-produced a film that is going to feature three of the most beautiful women on earth.” Hayek is referring to Mia Maestro, Lumi Cavazos and Pilar Padillo, who co-starred with her in the tragic Showtime film In the Time of the Butterflies, the true story of the Mirabal sisters, political dissidents who were assassinated by the Dominican Republic dictator Rafael Trujillo, portrayed by Edward James Olmos.
Hayek’s breakthrough role was in the 2002 film Frida as Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, co-starring Alfred Molina as legendary muralist Diego Rivera. She was also a producer on the film and was nominated for best actress at the Oscars.
Hayek went on to get more praise. She picked up a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding directing of the family special for The Maldonado Miracle in 2004. Three years later she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for outstanding guest starring actress in the ABC comedy-drama series Ugly Betty, which she also produced. “That was pretty funny,” says Hayek. “On Ugly Betty, I played a telenovela star who goes through some pretty intense physical comedy while shooting her show.” She also appeared on the NBC comedy series 30 Rock. In 2017 she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her role in Beatriz at Dinner.
Other Hayek films include Grown Ups, Puss in Boots with Banderas, Grown Ups 2, Tale of Tales, Sausage Party and the more recent Like a Boss, which came out last year.
At the moment, Hayek is ecstatic to be back in the Hitman franchise. “Sonia is a female action lead and she steals most of the movie,” she says. The actress exudes great satisfaction to be playing such a role at age 52. “She is definitely a kick-ass,” Hayek adds. “It proves that strong women can be very enchanting at any age for the audience.”
Hayek credits her success in the film to the working relationship she has with her director Hughes, who has given her a lot of room to explore her character. “What I am proudest about creating this character is that she’s crazy but not grandly crazy,” she says. “I was very specific about the choices. She’s full of contradictions but I have my own ideas about how she thinks.” Hayek was impressed that she was encouraged to improvise on the set with her fellow castmates. “I love (that) freedom,” she says. “I am very grateful to Patrick for trusting me that way.”
Utilizing improvisation is an ideal way for the characters to move through the fast-moving plot structure of this film. The bodyguard Michael Bryce (Reynolds) is set on leaving the bodyguard business until Sonia asks for his help to recover her hitman husband, Jackson’s Darius, when he is taken hostage by mobsters. After managing to get him back, Sonia and Michael are interrupted by Interpol agent Bobby O’Neill (Grillo), who needs their help in locating a terrorist mastermind Banderas’ Aristotle Papadopoulos.
“I think Sam and I immediately clicked,” said Hayek. “We have great chemistry and energy together. This is an action movie but it also tells a story of being in love.” Hayek was happy that Darius and Sonia were able to stay in love through all the conflict and the messiness of the action. “I found that refreshing,” she adds.
Hayek is equally ecstatic about her other co-stars. “In the first movie, I didn’t get to have any scenes with Ryan,” she recalls. “In this film, it has been such a delight. We improvised a lot together. And it was such a great reunion to be with Banderas again.” Hayek says she woke each day enthused about the adventure of finding out what she was going to do on set each day, delighted and grateful to be working with such a great cast. “I learned so much from all of them,” she says. “And I learned so much about me from working with them that I will forever have a great memory of this movie.”
Featured Photo: Ryan Reynolds, Salma Hayek and Samuel Jackson in ‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard’s Wife (Credit: Lionsgate)
