Salma started her smoking habit on the set of the movie Frida, to have a better understanding of her character and got hooked. She quit smoking when she discovered she was pregnant.

When Salma was younger, the nuns asked her not to come back to her Catholic boarding school, because she hired a maid to clean her room.

Salma is engaged to a buisnessman Francois-Henri Pinault. They're also expecting they're first child together.

For her role on Frida, she decided that she should gain some weight to look a little bit "meaty." She hasn't been able to lose all of it.

Robert Towne gave her the script for Frida eight years before they produce the movie. She declined the offer because she didn't understood the character of Frida.

In 2003, during the Academy Awards ceremony, she was suffering of a fever.

Her favorites movies are It Happened One Night, The Graduate, Gone with the Wind and Casablanca.

She qualifies herself as a troublemaker.

She enjoys art.

Her brother, Sami, designs custom chairs. Some of her clients include Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt.

She was named Best Newcomer at the 1989 Novela Awards.

She has her own production company, Ventanarosa.

She studied International Relations & Drama at College in Mexico City.

Salma’s dog saved her life on the day of the Golden Globe Awards. The After falling asleep in her home, her dog, Diva, woke and alerted her to a gas leak in the house.

Salma was Cora in the 1996 film Fled.

Salma played the part of Santanico Pandemonium in the 1996 film From Dusk Till Dawn.

Salma was Rita in the 1995 film Fair Game.

Salma played the part of Carolina in the 1995 film Desperado.

Salma starred in the movie Fools Rush In with "Friends" actor Matthew Perry.

Salma has appeared in magazine ads for Avon cosmetics and perfume.

Salma did gymnastics when she was a child.

Salma was on the June 2005 cover of Vogue.

Salma has appeared in magazine ads for GAP clothing.

Salma has appeared in magazines ads for Revlon cosmetics.

Salma has a few pet dogs. She told Jay Leno that one of her dogs tries to dance with someone whenever it hears salsa music.

Salma once spoke at a rally on Capitol Hill to protest domestic violence.

Salma appeared in the film Wild, Wild West.

Salma was in the show Un Nuevo Amanecer.

Salma directed a music video "Te Amo Corazon" for Prince.

Salma has said that extreme dieting makes women "b****es", including that she would never give into Hollywood's standard for actresses.

Salma is good friends with Penélope Cruz as shown in an episode of Punk'd.

Salma directed the show The Maldonado Miracle for Showtime.

Salma received an Oscar nomination for Frida.

Salma was raised Catholic.

Salma's father is Lebanese and her mother is Spanish.

Salma was the star of a Mexican soap opera Theresa before making it into the English speaking films.

Salma's Hollywood debut was in Desperado.

Salma was majoring in international relations studies until she decided to be an actress.

Salma had an uncredited appearance in the film Traffic.

Salma is 5' 2" (1.57 m)

Salma was sent to a boarding school in Louisiana when she was 12.

Salma dated Josh Lucas for a year before they broke up in 2004.

Salma is able to speak in English, Arabic, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Salma produced and starred in the film Frida. Describing her admiration for artist Frida Kahlo, Salma said, "I think Mexico, it is broken, but it has this indestructible spirit, and that's what Frida is."

Salma is Hollywood's highest paid Latina actress at $20 million in contracts. it.

She dated Edward Norton from 1999 to 2003.

Salma is part of the Aldo campaign to fight against AIDS.

Salma is #34 on Maxim "Hot 100 of 2005" list and was #90 in 2007.

Salma is good friends with actress Ashley Judd.

Salma was ranked #31 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World" in 2002.

Salma was named one of the ten most stylish women in the world by Mr. Blackwell (aka Richard Selzer) in 1997. InStyle named her the most stylish celebrity of 2003 and Eonline.com ranked her as the best dressed female celebrity.

Salma is the Godmother to Robert Rodríguez's children.

Salma was chosen by People (USA) magazine as one of the '50 Most Beautiful People in the World', in 1996.

Salma is an Arabic name that means "peace" or "calm".

Salma is dyslexic.