Early life
Hayek was born in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico, daughter of Sami Hayek, an oil company executive, and Diana Jiménez, an opera singer and talent scout. [4][5] Hayek's paternal grandparents were of Lebanese descent and her mother´s family is of Spanish descent.[6]Catholic family, she was sent to the Academy of the Sacred Heart, Grand Coteau, Louisiana, at the age of twelve.[6] She was also an accomplished gymnast[7] The religious sisters running the Academy ejected Hayek citing behavioral problems, so she returned to Mexico. She was later sent to live with her aunt in Houston, Texas, where she stayed until she was seventeen. She attended college in Mexico City, where she studied International Relations at the Universidad Iberoamericana. To the chagrin of her family, she dropped out to pursue a career as an actress.[6] Raised in a wealthy, devoutly aspiring to compete in the Olympics but her father prevented her from being recruited by the Mexican national team.
