Salma Hayek's Mexican accent stalled her career.
The Latina beauty is proud of her heritage, but admits she had a hard time in Hollywood when she first moved to America aged 22, because she could only get small roles as maids or prostitutes.
She told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "There were no parts for Latinas. It was very painful. People advised me to go back to Mexico, settle down and have kids. I think they felt sorry for me.
"I didn't get offered the parts that most people do because they are blonde and speak without an accent."
Salma's first break came when she landed a part in 'Desperado' in 1995 alongside Antonio Banderas, and she earned enough money from subsequent roles to fund 'Frida' which turned her life-long passion for artist Frida Khalo into a film which she produced and starred in.
She added to the Daily Mirror newspaper: "For 18 years I worked to improve myself and fought to earn respectability as an actress, but the journey was unimaginably hard. But out of this I learned to be producer and director."
Salma's next film is animated adventure 'Puss in Boots', in which she voices the character Kitty Softpaws and is working with Antonio again as he provides the speech for the titular character.
The heartthrob actor previously voiced Puss in the 'Shrek' movies.
