EXCLUSIVE: Salma Hayek talks about her close friendship with Blake Lively

Actress talks EXCLUSIVELY to Marie Claire about motherhood and how Hollywood needs more strong female leads

She plays a ruthless, cold drugs cartel in her latest film, Savages, but in real life Salma Hayek couldn’t be sweeter.

When Marie Claire met up with the Oscar-nominated actress to discuss her new film, Savages, which follows two young marijuana growers who unwillingly wage a war against a dangerous Mexican drug empire, Salma Hayek discussed her own battle, winning over famed director Oliver Stone.

'The image of what that strong character was going to look like, I was able to pretty much design on my own. I had to fight with him and prove to him what was the best choice but he let me go with it. It was fun,' she said.

The Mexican beauty may play the tough villian Elena Sanchez in the thriller, also starring Blake Lively, John Travolta, Benicio Del Toro, Aaron Taylor-Johnston and Taylor Kitsch, but viewers do get to see her character's one soft spot, her teenage daughter.

Being a mother herself allowed Salma to show that vulnerable side, she says: 'Of course it influenced me and I also think that Elena's softness come from her being a mother and her ruthless and coldness also comes from being a mother because all the really monstrous things she does, she does to protect her family.'

BLAKE LIVELY SMOULDERS AT SAVAGES PREMIERE

She may play the female villian, but Salma says she thinks it's still unusual for women in Hollywood to be given these leading tough roles. 'It’s definitely the most Oliver Stone has given to women in any of his films,' she says.

'Especially because he puts us in the position he usually gives to men because the head of the drugs cartel is a woman, but also there’s a threesome in the movie and usually threesomes are one man and two women but in this case it’s one woman, Blake, and two gorgeous men.'

The actress, 46, also gushed about her friendship with co-star Blake Lively, saying: 'I loved her, we became very good friends. It’s great to do a film you’re proud of and even greater if you makes some friends out of it on top of it.'

Savages is out in cinemas nationwide today.

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