All About Salma Hayek and Her Husband François-Henri Pinault’s 10+-Year Relationship
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Salma Hayek and François-Henri Pinault are not only the definition of couple goals, but they *also* just so happen to be the definition of star-crossed lovers 🥺. Back in 2011, the iconic actor dished this to Latina Magazine (via the Daily Mail) after reminiscing on she and her husband's chance encounter in Venice, Italy: "I found a man better than any man I could ever in my life imagine existed. He found me, actually. I wasn’t even looking."
In the years since, while Salma has been open about most of her life as an A-list actor, she's kept her 'ship with François a bit more private. Here's what to know about Salma and her husband's 17-year romance.
François and Salma met under v romantic circumstances
While the deets are just between them, Salma did manage to drop a few hints in a 2019 Town & Country interview when she confessed that it was "such a romantic, amazing story." But the actor explained she prefers to keep the specifrics to herself and François because they hold a special place in her heart, which, very fair! "I don’t want to vulgarize it by making it into a story to make myself interesting," she added.
People did report back in 2009 that the couple likely met at a gala at the Palazzo Grassi, a marble palace owned by the François's family, so do with that intel what you will!
Their wedding was the definition of iconic
In 2009, François and Salma tied the knot in Paris...and on Valentine's Day, of all dates 🥺❤️. But according to the actor, her first wedding (yes, there were multiple) was pretty spontaneous: "I didn't even know I was getting married that day," the celeb confessed in a February 2023 interview with Glamour. "It was like an intervention. I don’t think I ever told this story. No, they just took me to the court. My parents, my brother, they were all ganging up on me. I had a phobia of the marriage thing," she continued.
After the ceremony, the celeb's nerves fully subsided: "Afterward I said, 'Oh, it’s okay. I don’t feel any different.' And then a little bit later I said, 'Okay, this is kind of exciting.' And [François was] like, 'Can we have a party now?'"
Enter: The couple's second, joyful wedding celebration in Venice, which took place roughly two months later. And because Salma knows how to give the people what they want, we got a sneak peek into those festivities c/o the actor herself on Instagram:
Eventually, the couple decided to have a third ceremony to renew their vows in Bora Bora in 2018. Well, ya know what they say: Good things come in threes! *Cries in broke*
They have a close-knit family
François welcomed two children during his previous marriage with interior designer Dorothée Lepère: daughter Mathilde and son François. Dorothée and François's union ultimately ended in 2004. The businessman also separately shares a son, Augustin James, with model Linda Evangelista. The more you know!
As for François and Salma, they share a child together named Valentina Paloma and announced Salma was expecting in March 2007.
Though Salma and her first-born daughter obvi share a tight bond, the actor is also close with all of François's other children too. "I always wanted to have a lot of children, and I was not able to. My body, as a miracle, had one," she told Red in 2017. "The huge blessing I've had is that my husband has three other children. So I have four. And they are all so different."
^ Aww look at this cute photo of Salma, Valentina, Augustin, and *checks notes* KIM KARDASHIAN?!
François is a fashion titan
And that's putting it mildly! Way back when François was a baby, his father (also named François) founded Pinault, a timber and building materials business. Then in 1999, the company made a v good business deal and bought a 42 percent stake in Gucci, eventually scaling the business and rebranding as Kering. Just a few other names on the company's roster, you ask? Oh, ya know, just Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Boucheron, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen, among others. Casual.
And he helmed his family's entire company at 40
In 2005, 40-year-old François officially became the CEO of Kering. Of the move, he dished to the New York Times, "I knew it was coming, but I never expected it to happen so fast." In the years since taking over, the businessman has also focused on tons of incredible initiatives, including sustainability in the fashion industry.
At the 2019 Copenhagen Fashion Summit, François pleaded, "Business is the way to contribute to a better world and to a better future. It is our duty, not only to be at the forefront of the sustainability crusade but also to share our findings and indeed this has nothing to do with competition."
And of course Salma has been right beside her man and cheering him on throughout his career trajectory, even praising his work-life balance: "My guy, finished work, no matter how hard it was—and trust me he has a lot of responsibilities—big smile on his face, happy to be home, happy to see me and the kids, make us laugh," she dished during an episode of the Armchair Expert podcast.
"We go on vacation, he completely shuts off, he's in the moment. It's not just an insult to me. I'm not the one being judged only. They cannot begin to imagine what a joy that human being is," she added.
Oh, and he's got tons of other businesses on the side
As in, François is the owner and founder of holding company, Artemis S.A., which owns French soccer team Stade Rennais F.C. Per an interview the businessman did with the New York Times, he's been a fan of soccer ever since he was a child.
But wait! There's more...👀. François *also* owns Christie's, French construction company Vinci, and French wine estate Château Latour, according to The Sunday Times. And clearly business is doing well considering Celebrity Net Worth estimates his total fortune to be a whopping $7 billion...like, with a "b." No thoughts, just:
He's super supportive of Salma's career
He even bonded with Salma's Magic Mike cast-mates, according to a February 2023 interview with People. "There was especially one [cast-mate who] would come and ask him advice for business," Salma recalled during the convo. "He spoke French and he knew everything about François. He says, 'I'm a big fan.' He reacted more to François than to me!"
The couple even hosted everyone at their home once filming wrapped. "By the end of the movie they all came to the house," Salma said. "They were all hanging out with me. Then François was saying, 'You're right, they're adorable, they're lovely.'" Protect this man at all costs 😭.
And that's pretty much all we know! Be sure to check back here for any and all updates on these two lovebirds.
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