MEXICO: Hollywood stars Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek premiere their latest movie "Bandidas" in Mexico City

Record ID: 301397

  • Title: MEXICO: Hollywood stars Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek premiere their latest movie "Bandidas" in Mexico City
  • Date: 23rd February 2006
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SALMA HAYEK, ACTRESS, SAYING: "I don't think we would have been able to do this movie if it hadn't been a European production because in the United States they would have said 'that will never catch on, who wants to see two female cowboys?' Of course, now they are paying because two gay cowboys are devastating the box office."
  • Embargoed: 10th March 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Reuters ID: LVAD9452E5FUKMIOLT2FP658W6ZZ
  • Story Text: Hollywood stars Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz appeared together in Mexico City on Thursday (February 16) for the premiere of their latest movie Bandidas.
    Speaking at a press conference to promote the new film, which tells the story of two Mexican women who become bank robbers in order to seek revenge on an American banker, Cruz told journalists that the scenes she had to film on horseback were one of the movie's greatest challenges for her.
    "The horses demanded a lot in the action scenes. I rode, and Salma did too, and we love horses, but from one point to another and at really dangerous speeds, there were times where I couldn't wait for the day to be over to get into bed," she said.
    Her Mexican co-star said that they would never have been able to make the movie if a French producer, Luc Besson, hadn't come on board.
    "I don't think we would have been able to do this movie if it hadn't been a European production because in the United States they would have said 'that will never catch on, who wants to see two female cowboys?' Of course, now they are paying because two gay cowboys are devastating the box office," she said.
    The two Spanish-speaking women have been friends for eight years, although the movie is the first time they have worked together. Cruz paid tribute to Hayek, saying the Mexican actress inspired her to be less of a worrier about things.
    "I am Miss Worrier and before something happens I'm already turning it around and if it happens I worry a lot about other people, about health, about trips, about accidents, all the dangers in life. So she is a good influence on me in that, she helps me to relax a lot and live in the moment more, and not be so afraid," said Cruz, who has starred in movies like Vanilla Sky
    For her part, Hayek acknowledged that it had been Cruz who had the idea to do a Western.
    "I want to clarify, the idea that it be a Western movie was Penelope's. At first I said, 'Really? Yeah, sure, let's go to Mexico, yeah, and make a comedy, yeah, we're the heroes.' And it was really fun," said the actress whose performance as Mexican artist Frida in the movie of the same name won her critical acclaim.
    Bandidas, which has already premiered in France, was directed by Joachim Roenning and Espen Sandberg.
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