All drama or thriller or horror projects and no comedy makes Salma Hayek a dull girl. A painter who turned the tides in the 80s, a bombshell love interest to a hitman, a dangerous stripper in From Dusk till Dawn, and once again a stripper in Dogma, but never a character that would make you laugh. In the 90s, Hayek was a face that guaranteed masses in millions just through her good looks, and of course, the Mexican spice.

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The commercial appeal of Salma Hayek was clear to the filmmakers ever since her role in From Dusk till Dawn. But with Frida came critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination. The actress even won a Golden Globe, a Screen Guild, and a British Academy Award. But none of these appeared appeasing to the filmmakers in the Hollywood comedy genre. As Hayek reveals in her candid interview with GQ, no one wanted to cast her in a comedy. In comes Adam Sandler, a staple in 90s comedy hits, and casts Hayek in Grown Ups, making way for a redefined Salma Hayek.

How did Adam Sandler help Salma Hayek achieve her dream?

As it often happens when an actor excels at a particular role, they become the victim of typecasting. And Hayek, who stands as one of the most prominent actors in Hollywood today, was then climbing the stairs steadily but only as the “sexy actress“. “I was typecast for a long time,” she said in her recent interview with GQ. Despite proving her potential with Frida, the actress moved door to door, hoping to be cast in a comedic role but to no avail.

“They said, ‘You’re sexy, so you’re not allowed to have a sense of humor.’ … Not only are you not allowed to be smart but you were not allowed to be funny in the ’90s,” Hayek says.

That is, until Adam Sandler saw her potential and offered her Grown Ups in 2010, when Hayek was in her 40s. In Grown Ups, the actress got to keep both the sexy and the funny. This was a turning point and a milestone for Salma Hayek, who had long been told that she would be “expired” in a couple of years, a result of her being constantly typecast in roles that only required her to look beautiful while the actor did most of the heavy lifting.

Following Grown Ups, Hayek gave comedic hits with Grown Ups 2, Bliss, and most recently, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard. Hollywood may have refused her comedic roles earlier, but at 56, Salma Hayek is still sexy and is still laughing and making people laugh.

What other actors do you know who have been typecast for the longest time? Let us know in the comments below.