Salma Hayek Jiménez (born September 2, 1966) is a Mexican American film actress, director, and producer who began her career playing the titular character in the 1989 telenovela Teresa, then gained prominence in the United States for Desperado and received critical acclaim for her role as the painter Frida Kahlo in the 2002 biographical film Frida. Additionally, she voiced Kitty Softpaws in DreamWorks' Puss in Boots and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.