Salma Hayek: The Poker Princess

For those who are familiar and are avid fans of the famous television soap "30 Rock", or a mexican movie hit “Once Upon A Time In Mexico” with the hunk Antonio Banderas who could ever forget Salma Hayek. A sexy latina celebrity now a poker princess arrives at the Partouche Charity Poker held in Cannes, France.

Salma Hayek joined seven other celebrities for the charity poker festival, including Woody Harrelson, Edward Norton, Goldie Hawn, and Adrien Brody. These celebrities will compete for $1 million in a Texas Hold’Em poker tournament with direct elimination. The money will go to the charity of their choice.

From her dark hair and mysterious eyes to her amazing lips and curvaceous figure, Salma Hayek's exotic features can be attributed to her Lebanese and Mexican patrimony. Salma Hayek started out doing local theater, including a role as the female lead in “Aladdin and His Marvelous Lamp”. Theater work led to commercials, which finally led to a part on a series called Un nuevo amanecer.

Salma Hayek was considered a star in Mexico for her role as Teresa on the popular soap opera of the same name. This was, however, not enough for the ambitious beauty who had set her sights on Hollywood. She moved to Los Angeles in 1991, a complete unknown in a city full of aspiring actors. Foreign to the English language, Salma Hayek spent the next 18 months taking English lessons, while honing her acting skills with drama teacher Stella Adler.

Salma Hayek's big break finally arrived, and it was mostly thanks to her appearance on a Spanish-language cable talk show. Director Robert Rodriguez caught Salma Hayek's appearance and knew he had to cast her for the sequel to his successful film El Mariachi, 1995's Desperado, opposite Antonio Banderas.

In 1996, Salma Hayek appeared in Robert Rodriguez's “From Dusk Till Dawn” with George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino, and starred alongside Matthew Perry in the 1997 romantic comedy, Fools Rush In. That same year, Salma Hayek charmed audiences with her role as Esmeralda in a TNT rendition of The “Hunchback of Notre Dame” simply called Hunchback.

Salma Hayek's film repertoire continued to expand, with a role as a cocaine-sniffing dancer in 54, based on the rise and fall of the popular '70s nightclub. She also starred opposite Jordana Brewster and Elijah Wood in 1998's teen slasher flick, “The Faculty” with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in 1999's controversial “Dogma”, and opposite Kevin Kline and Will Smith in 1999's big budget film “Wild Wild West”.

Salma Hayek added more television work to her resume in 2006, as she became the executive producer of the Golden Globe-winning Ugly Betty, and she even costarred on the show. Salma Hayek was married to her French billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault, at a private ceremony held on February 14, 2009. Owner of such well-known brands as Balenciago and GUCCI and considered one of the richest men in France.

Salma Hayek was one of the most beautiful and sought after hollywood actress today that brings poker in a fame and fortune world.