Salma Hayek Explains Her Response To People Saying She Married Her Husband For His Money
Salma Hayek has opened up about about being subjected to sexist accusations that she married her husband François-Henri Pinault for money, divulging how she typically responds too.
Oscar-nominated actor Hayek has been married to Pinault since 2009. They also have a daughter together, Valentina, who they welcomed in 2007.
Pinault is the CEO of French luxury fashion house Kering, which houses brands such as Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen and Balenciaga.
Appearing on Dax Shepard’s podcast Armchair Expert, the host praised Pinault while in conversation with the Frida actor calling him ‘generous’, ‘fun’ and ‘sexy’ before saying: ‘I didn’t know who he was. I just heard or maybe read in a headline that you had married a very rich guy, maybe that’s why she married him. I don’t know. I meet him and I’m like, “this guy is so foxy, the confidence, his eyes, he’s so good looking and charming”.’
Hayek, of course, agreed describing her husband as ‘the best’ before praising him for ‘making [me] a much better person and grow in such a good, healthy way’.
The mother-of-one continued to describe the ignorant assumptions directed her way when she and Pinault married, and how over time her response is to let the length, love and stability of her marriage speak for itself.
When I married him, everybody said, “it’s an arranged marriage, she’s marrying him for the money”. I’m like, “yeah whatever b*tch, think what you want”. Fifteen years together and we are strong in love and I don’t even get offended.’
Hayek continued to say that she thinks there is also a discrimination towards ‘rich men’ as a person may assume that they are not ‘a good person’ and are simply ‘materialistic’, saying that she too had preconceptions about her husband before she got to know him.
He melted them all away,’ she explained. ‘… It’s not just an insult to me, I’m not the only one being judged saying “she’s an actor, she’s gone for the money”. They cannot begin to imagine what a joy that human being [Pinault] is.’
