Salma Hayek [1] has long been regarded as one of the most beautiful actors in Hollywood. The star rose to fame in Tinsel Town after starring in 1996's "From Dusk Till Dawn," and has continued to expand her résumé, appearing in films like "Wild Wild West," "Dogma," and "Frida," the latter of which garnered critical acclaim. Most recently, Hayek is the voice of Kitty Softpaws in "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish" and stars alongside Channing Tatum [2] as Maxandra Mendoza in "Magic Mike's Last Dance," set to release on Feb. 10.
Despite being such a high-profile celebrity, the actor maintains a private personal life. The actor has been married to French businessman François-Henri Pinault since 2009. Over the years, Hayek has had nothing but loving things to say about her husband of 14 years. "You know the thing is that in pictures you cannot begin to guess the magic in him," she explained during a 2021 appearance on Dax Shepard's "Armchair Expert" podcast (via Brides [3]). "He's made me become a much better person, and grow in such a good, healthy way."
While Hayek has been off the market for a while, she has had a handful of notable romances before her marriage. Read on to learn more about the actor's dating history!
Edward Atterton (1997-1999)
Hayek's first known boyfriend is British actor Edward Atterton. According to the Birmingham Post & Mail [4], the pair started dating in 1997 after he moved to Los Angeles to be with her. Not much is known about the couple's relationship, but after two years together, Hayek and Atterton decided to go their separate ways. "The split was amicable and we are still good friends, Salma is a very busy lady but we keep in touch as often as possible," Atterton told the publication in 2000.
Edward Norton (1999-2003)
Not long after her breakup from Atterton, Hayek moved on to another Edward: Edward Norton [5]. Per InStyle [6], the two initially met through a mutual connection and were allegedly set up by none other than their chiropractor. Throughout their relationship, the pair were frequently photographed together at movie premieres and sports games, but outside of those few public appearances, the couple kept their relationship under wraps.
By 2003, Hayek and Norton broke up, but the news of their split was accidentally revealed by Hayek's 11 year-old "Spy Kids 3-D" costar Daryl Sabara who reportedly told "Today"'s Matt Lauer that Hayek "isn't with Ed Norton anymore."
Following their split, the "Frida" actor touched on her relationship with Norton in a 2003 interview with The Independent [7], saying, "We did thousands of things and nobody knows. Most of what is written about me isn't true. I would get more angry if I picked up the paper and thought 'Oh My God, how did they find out?' No, it's almost like I have a parallel life that no one knows about."
Josh Lucas (2003-2004)
Hayek and "Sweet Home Alabama" actor Josh Lucas [8] started dating shortly after Hayek's split from Norton in 2003. Not much is known about the couple's short relationship, and by September 2004, the two called it quits, as reported by People [9]. Lucas himself explained the circumstances of their breakup two years later in a 2006 interview with GQ [10], saying, "If both people are working, it's a problem. In the case of Salma and I, she was in South Africa doing a movie and I was in Australia making Stealth, and with the time that we spent apart, invariably we broke up."
François-Henri Pinault (2006-Present)
Following her breakup from Josh Lucas [11], it would be nearly two years before Hayek was back in the dating game. According to People [12], the actor began dating French billionaire François-Henri Pinault in 2006. Pinault is known as the chairman and CEO of Kering, which owns luxury brands like Gucci, Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, and Alexander McQueen, to name a few. Nearly a year into their relationship, the couple welcomed their daughter, Valentina Paloma Pinault, in September 2007.
Hayek and Pinault tied the knot in a quiet Parisian ceremony on Valentine's Day in 2009, and later had a second larger ceremony in Venice, Italy, just a few months later in April 2009, per Today [13]. Of the 150 guests present for the wedding, celebrities like Penélope Cruz, Woody Harrelson, Ashley Judd [14], Charlize Theron [15], and Hayek's ex, Edward Norton [16], were all in attendance.
In August 2018, nearly a decade after the two said "I do," Hayek and Pinault renewed their vows in Bora Bora, and the actor shared the happy news on Instagram [17]. "the summer is coming to an end and my best moment was when my husband surprised me with a vow renewal," Hayek wrote in part.