Mexican actresses in Hollywood

Salma Hayek
A native of Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico, this highly successful producer and actress got her start acting in Mexican telenovelas at age 23. Thirteen years later, and 11 years after her move to the United States, Hayek co-produced and starred in the Frida Kahlo biopic “Frida” in 2002. The role earned Hayek an Oscar nomination for best actress.

Hayek, 43, became a role model for young Latinas seeking a diverse career in Hollywood. She executive-produced the hit ABC show “Ugly Betty,” which has received 19 Emmy nominations, winning three. She also won a Daytime Emmy Award for directing the 2003 television movie “The Maldonado Miracle.”

Katy Jurado
Two years after her groundbreaking role as the determined saloon owner Helen Ramirez in the 1952 classic “High Noon,” this native of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, became the first Latina actress to get an Oscar nod. Nominated for her supporting work as Spencer Tracy’s Indian wife in 1954’s “Broken Lance,” Jurado remains best known among colleagues for her ongoing battle with American filmmakers not to be typecast as a spitfire or sexpot.

“Her ‘High Noon’ performance historically proved to be an important acting watershed for Latino women in American movies. Jurado’s portrayal undermined the Hollywood stereotype of the flaming, passionate Mexican spitfire,” Mauricio Hernandez of the National Actors Association told the Associated Press after Jurado’s 2002 death at age 78.

Kate del Castillo
The past two years have further propelled this Mexico City native into full-crossover status in the United States.

Del Castillo, 37, started her acting career in telenovelas. She was noticed by American audiences in 2008 when her Mexican film “La Misma Luna” had its U.S. theatrical release as “Under the Same Moon.” A starring role in that film led to parts in independent films and several U.S. television roles, including as the powerful puppet master Pilar Suazo in the popular Showtime series “Weeds.”

In 2009, del Castillo became the latest face for L’Oréal cosmetics, signing on as a spokeswoman for the company in its U.S. Spanish-language advertisements. Next up for del Castillo is a voice-over role in the 2011 animated film “Rio,” also featuring the voices of Anne Hathaway and Neil Patrick Harris.

Ana de la Reguera
This native of Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico, is probably most recognized by U.S. audiences for her co-starring role in 2006’s “Nacho Libre.” Playing the role of a nun opposite Jack Black wasn’t be the last time the actress played the straight guy to a group of funny men.

Look for de la Reguera in the upcoming big screen comedy “Cop Out,” opposite Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan as veteran police detectives. In it, she plays Gabriela, a kidnapped woman rescued by the detectives. You can also see de la Reguera in the HBO Latin American series “Capadocia.”