Salma Hayek [1] loves being a mother. The actor [2] became a first-time parent at the age of 41 when she welcomed her daughter, Valentina Paloma Pinault, with husband François-Henri Pinault [3] in September 2007. During an appearance on "The Oprah Winfrey Show [4]" in April 2008, Hayek said that although it was "a little nerve-racking" to have a child later in life, she realized it was actually "the best time" for her to become a mother.
Since she had already accomplished so much in her career, Hayek explained that she could "relax" and focus more on her personal life. "If you're 23, you don't know this because you think you have to do so many more things. But if you already did them, then you can really focus and enjoy every minute of [motherhood]," she said.
When Hayek married Pinault in February 2009, she also became a stepmother to the French businessman's three other children, François, Mathilde, and Augustin, from previous relationships. Every once in a while, Hayek gives fans a glimpse into her and her husband's blended family on Instagram.
Read all about Hayek's daughter, Valentina, ahead.
Valentina Paloma Pinault
Valentina Paloma Pinault was born on Sept. 21, 2007, to parents Salma Hayek [5] and François-Henri Pinault in Los Angeles, per People. [6] In an April 2008 interview with People en Español [7], Hayek said that becoming a mother had been "the most incredible experience" of her life. "I am sure that there are plenty of women that say, 'God, what a marvelous life, she can do this or that.' But there is nothing that I have done that is more incredible than to have a child," she said.
During an interview with "The Oprah Winfrey Show [8]" that April, Hayek revealed that she chose the name Valentina for her daughter because it means "courageous one" in Spanish. Since Valentina has a strong connotation, Hayek decided to balance it out by giving her daughter another name with a "softer" meaning. "I got really nervous that she was going to be like a revolutionary," Hayek said. "So I named her 'Paloma,' which means 'dove' in Spanish. She's a courageous dove. Usually, I call her Valentina, but sometimes I call her Palomita."
Valentina has certainly been living up to her name by following in her mother's footsteps in wanting to break into the entertainment business. In a May 2017 interview with Hola! [9], Hayek said that her daughter is able to get in front of the camera with "no problem." Valentina later proved that by joining her mom on the cover of Vogue Mexico [10]'s May 2022 issue. During her interview with the magazine, Valentina revealed she wants to be an actor and a director.
While she's currently in school, Valentina has been able to experience life in the spotlight by accompanying her mother to various public events, including the Hollywood premiere of "Eternals" in October 2021.
More Pictures of Salma Hayek's Daughter, Valentina Paloma Pinault
