# Salma Hayek Pinault steps behind the camera

> The Oscar-nominated star of "Frida" wrote and will direct an epic romance called "Arena."
- Title: Salma Hayek Pinault steps behind the camera · Variety
- Summary: The Oscar-nominated star of "Frida" wrote and will direct an epic romance called "Arena." Salma Hayek Pinault is directing her first theatrical feature…
- Keywords: film, directing, salma hayek, casting, entertainment, culture, Salma, Hayek, Pinault, steps, behind, camera
- Source: Variety — https://variety.com/2026/film/awards/salma-hayek-pinault-arena-directorial-debut-yura-borisov-cara-delevingne-1236860801
- Author: Clayton Davis
- Published: 2026-09-14T16:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: film, directing, salma hayek, casting, entertainment, culture
## Hayek Pinault takes the chair
Salma Hayek Pinault, the Oscar-nominated actor of "Frida" and Emmy-nominated producer of "Ugly Betty", is making her theatrical directorial debut.

> Oscar nominee Salma Hayek Pinault is stepping behind the camera.
## The film is called Arena
Her debut is an epic romantic adventure titled "Arena". Variety broke the news exclusively.
## She wrote it too
Hayek Pinault is not just directing. She also wrote the script, so the debut is hers front to back.

> an epic romantic adventure she also wrote
## Financed outside the studios
"Arena" is independently financed, which gives her room to make the film on her own terms rather than a studio's.
## Yura Borisov leads
Borisov earned an Oscar nomination for Sean Baker's "Anora" and stars in Neon's upcoming "Artificial" from Luca Guadagnino.
## Cara Delevingne rounds out the cast
Delevingne co-stars, coming off this year's breakout hit "Club Kid".
## Key takeaway

Salma Hayek Pinault is directing her first theatrical feature, "Arena," from her own script, with Yura Borisov and Cara Delevingne starring.