Scenes are some of the most complicated moments for actors when performing fiction. Trying to convey the passion and love of the characters to the screen is a process that can be complicated and requires a lot of tact to be carried out professionally. Salma Hayek, for example, does not have very good memories of when she had to share a moment of that type with Antonio Banderas in the film Pistolero.
One of the most difficult aspects to address in films is the representation of scenes. Requiring exceptional authenticity, these sequences pose challenges for both actors and directors, who must balance artistic necessity with respect for privacy.
An example of this difficulty is found in the remembered film Pistolero, where Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas captivated the public with their on-screen chemistry. However, behind that connection hid Hayek's discomfort during a scene.
Salma Hayek coincided with Antonio Banderas in the film Pistolero, and in its sequel Once Upon a Time in Mexico, both directed by the Mexican Robert Rodríguez, which were extremely key to supporting the Hollywood stardom of both figures.
This experience meant the beginning of a great friendship for Antonio and Salma, who forged a bond that has overcome time and distance and has led them to work on several more films, including those starring Puss in Boots.
However, the Mexican actress has a somewhat uncomfortable memory of that first film where she shared the screen with Banderas, since during an interview, she commented that she had felt very uncomfortable sharing a scene with the Spanish star.
Salma stated that the passionate moment between the two was not foreseen in the original script: “It was required by the studio when they saw the chemistry test. I had a very, very bad time with that. “I didn't enjoy the scene,” she said on the subject in a podcast in which she was a guest.
The Mexican actress finally agreed to perform the scene, which was filmed on a closed set in which only the two actors were present, the director Robert Rodríguez (who acted as a sound technician and camera operator) and the then wife of the latter and producer of the film, Elizabeth Avellán.
But at the moment of realization, Salma began to feel very uncomfortable. “When we started shooting, I started sobbing,” and she added that she told those around her that she didn't know if she could do it.
According to her, one of the things that most intimidated her was the lack of fear that her scene partner felt: “One of the things I feared was Antonio: he was an absolute gentleman and very nice, and we are still very close friends, but it was very free. It was scary because to him it was nothing and that scared me because I had never been in front of someone like that.”
Faced with this situation, Salma felt desperate and began to cry. She also claims that everyone involved in making it was very kind and understanding towards her and that they tried to make her laugh to calm her nerves a little. "They were incredible. We did the best we could do at the time. They were so magnificent, this group of people. He (Robert Rodríguez) never pressured me.”
Finally, the actress was able to gain courage, and she managed to perform the passion scene satisfactorily. Leaving one of the most remembered moments of the film. Finally, she would return to play Carolina, the Mariachi's wife, in the sequel Once Upon a Time in Mexico.
Salma Hayek's experience shows how complicated scenes between actors can be, and how important it is for a performer to have a work team that knows how to accompany and contain when it comes to doing their job well.
