Salma Hayek’s Kids: Meet Only Daughter Valentina Paloma Pinault

Salma Hayek wouldn’t trade her role as a mom to her daughter, Valentina Paloma Pinault, for anything in the world. Alongside her husband, Francois-Henri Pinault, the Some Kind Of Beautiful actress is raising her only child into a strong and resilient woman.

“We support each other in everything we do,” Salma gushed of her spouse to Closer in an exclusive interview in February 2017, jokingly noting the two “don’t have a strong social life” because they are so focused on being at home as a family. “We really like to spend time together.”

The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard star and the French businessman have been a couple since early 2006, having met at a gala at the Palazzo Grassi in Venice. However, that’s the extent of what Salma has said about their initial encounter, explaining to Town & Country, “It’s such a romantic, amazing story, but it is mine. I don’t want to vulgarize it by making it into a story to make myself interesting.”

More than a year after crossing paths, Salma and François announced their engagement at the same time they revealed they were expecting their first child together in March 2007. The lovebirds welcomed their beloved daughter six months later in September. They made their love official by Valentine’s Day in 2009 when they said “I do” in a city hall ceremony in Paris, and they later threw a second celebration in Venice, Italy, that April.

Looking back on the last decade of motherhood, Salma couldn’t imagine what life would be like without Valentina. But no matter how much the Emmy-winning actress relishes her role as a mom, Salma knows she can’t always avoid the everyday challenges of parenting.

“Sometimes, the hardest thing to balance is motherhood with marriage, because [children] take over.” the Frida star shared with Closer. “Oh my God, they take over everything!”

Because Salma struggles to fit in all her responsibilities every now and then, she couldn’t have imagined becoming a mom any earlier in life. “I think I’m a better mother because I had her later,” the Desperado actress told Town & Country, pointing out how she was 41 when she gave birth. “But I do get tired. I’m not going to lie.”

To learn more about Salma’s daughter, Valentina, keep scrolling!

Valentina Paloma Pinault

Born on September 21, 2007, Salma welcomed her little girl nearly three weeks after her own birthday on September 2. The star’s publicist Cari Ross confirmed the news at the time, telling the Chicago Tribune, “Mother and daughter are doing well.”

Throughout the years she’s been a mom, Salma has done her best to keep her family life as private as possible. As Valentina has grown up, the From Dusk Till Dawn alum has become more open to giving glimpses inside her role as a parent.

On Instagram, Salma has shared a handful of photos of the mother-daughter pair. In May 2021, she uploaded a sweet throwback of the duo posing for a photo on the beach in France. Earlier in March, she posted a snap of the two riding mopeds. “Desert love,” the loving mama captioned the pic.

For Valentina’s birthday in September, she uploaded a touching tribute for her “precious” daughter. “You are everything to me,” Salma gushed alongside a gorgeous pic of the two posing in front of a sunset. “Blessed be the day you came into my life to shine your radiant light. Happy Birthday, Valentina!!!!! Thank you for being YOU.”

Aside from sharing rare pics on social media, Salma has talked about her little girl on several occasions. In June, the movie star revealed Valentina’s opinion after the teen watched her mom’s new flick Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard.

“[She was like,] ‘I was quite impressed with that,’” Salma shared during an appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers, saying she was “really nervous and embarrassed” for Valentina to watch the action-comedy. “‘This is really raunchy, like really raunchy,’” she recalled telling Valentina, noting the vulgar script and sexual references. “She’s like, ‘Oh, I’m sure there’s nothing in there I haven’t heard or seen.’”

Though Valentina “never” really wants to see Salma’s films, the actress said her daughter “insisted on watching this one and to go with her friends.” Fortunately, everyone “loved” it. “[Valentina] says, ‘Mom, I understand it’s not you, it’s not you, it’s the character,'” the Golden Globe nominee dished.