Born into a Latino-Lebanese family in 1966 in Verucruz, Mexico, she dropped university studies to pursue a career in acting. It was in 1994 that her star began to really rise when El Callejón de los Milagros (Miracle Alley) won more awards than any movie in Mexican history.

It was in Desperados with Antonio Banderas in 1995 that she caught Hollywood’s attention. A string of forgettable movies (including Wild Wild West) followed though she gave another memorable performance in Once Upon a Time in Mexico. She began her forays into producing movies – including her first, El Coronel No Tiene Quien Le Escriba and her unforgettable Frida which earned her an Oscar nomination.

Her production of the hit sitcom series Ugly Betty (based on a Colombian telenovela Yo Soy Betty La Fea) has garnered rave reviews for both the show (Golden Globe for Best Comedy Series of 2007) as well as her performance as a guest acrress (nomination at Primetime Emmy Awards).

She now runs her own film company Ventanazul and is expecting her first child with fiance Francois-Henri Pinault, CEO of PPR, whose father owns luxury goods brands Gucci and Yves St Laurent.

I’m sure she has many many more fruitful years of her career to consolidate her rightful place as one of the most unforgettable Hispanic icons of our time.