I am happy to report that Oscar nominee Salma Hayek (“Frida”) is ready for her return to film.
Hayek has been mostly AWOL since having baby Valentina two years ago with husband Francois Pinault.
But she’s been back in force here at Cannes as Pinault–handsome. blonde, blue eyed– has been underwriting few events as the head of Gucci (and just a few other famous brands). Gucci sponsored Vanity Fair’s Saturday night soiree at the Hotel du Cap’s splendiferous Eden Roc restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean.
Pinault, in fact, told me over the weekend that he will continue the Alexander McQueen fashion line as a tribute to the late designer.
But it’s Hayek who people want to know about. In fact, there was such a crush on the red carpet one night that Hayek was pushed up against me. The top of this reporter’s hand was slashed by accident by Hayek’s bracelet. There was some blood and now a long scab.
“You should tattoo Salma’s name over the scar,” Pinault joked. Well, Cannes is war, we all know that!
As for Hayek: she’d like to see a Broadway musical of “UglyBetty,” the now cancelled beloved sitcom she brought from Mexico and produced on ABC. Hayek did lament the cancellation. “ABC just kept moving it around. No one knew what night it was on!” She praised one “Betty” star who’s already on Broadway–Vanessa Williams, who stars in “Sondheim on Sondheim.” “She’s ready!” Salma said.
Hayek next appears in two comedies, each with a connection to Adam Sandler— “Grown Ups.” in which she co-stars with Sandler. And another, “Here Comes the Boom,” in which she plays the love interest of unlikely movie star Kevin James. a Sandler crony. Only in Hollywood could Kevin James get Salma Hayek!
Meanwhile, the Vanity Fair party was its usual knockout. There were three major directors–Martin Scorsese (whose film restoration foundation was honored), Oliver Stone, and Pedro Almodovar. Vanity Fair parties reverberate with stars, and so it was everyone from Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony to Frank Langella, Meg Ryan, Josh Brolin, Diane Lane, Simon Pegg and Kate Beckinsale to Julie Taymor, Pharrell Williams, Harvey Weinstein, Ellen Barkin, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Benicio del Toro (who now likes to be called “Benny” by his friends). Michael Douglas opted to stay on the yacht of friends, which was too bad. He missed a good time. And no Mick Jagger, despite the presence of his consigliere, auto heir and road manager Johnny Pigozzi.
Image: PRphotos.com
