Women don’t need to have children to show their maternal instincts: Salma Hayek

Actor feels you can care about another being without birthing one

Salma Hayek loves being a mom to daughter Valentina. While she believes every woman has an inherent maternal instinct, she doesn't think that means every woman should be a mother, reported People magazine.

The actor was recently featured in HOLA! magazine alongside her own mother, and she spoke about their different approaches to parenting. "What my mom taught me was very important to me, but I don't pass that on to my daughter because she needs the opposite," Hayek said, adding that Valentina is "growing up in different circumstances."



Hayek also said she wants to be an example for her 9-year-old daughter. In addition to her work as an actor, she is a producer, activist, and owner of her own beauty brand. She and her high-powered husband — French businessman François-Henri Pinault — have set the stage for their daughter to pursue whatever she wants.

And while it’s no wonder their daughter is following along a business path, there’s a chance she could follow in her mom’s onscreen footsteps too. “Valentina and I are not very similar personality-wise. But she doesn’t have stage fright on camera,” Hayek shared. “In my family, everyone is very confident, graceful and light. Valentina and I are the ones who panic on stage. But she gets in front of the camera with no problem!”



Hayek has wholeheartedly embraced motherhood, but doesn't think her choice is universal — not every woman is meant to be a mom. What's important, she says, is giving a part of yourself to something else. "Every woman has a maternal instinct inside and I think that it's important that all humans try to have that experience and apply that maternal instinct to some living creature," she said.

"You don't have to have children, but be responsible and take care of animals or a plant. Take care of another being." To her, leaning into this instinct and caring for another living being is essential to one's development as a person. "That's very rewarding. You learn a lot about yourself when you do something for someone else."

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