Salma Hayek Slams "Racist Hollywood"  4/6/06

Frida star Salma Hayek has slammed Hollywood for their discrimination against Mexican actors.

The actress insists she faced huge problems trying to overcome her "outsider" status in American cinema.

She says, "Mexicans are not the most welcome outsiders in America. I remember going to audition for a sci-fi and the studio being aghast at the idea of a Mexican in space. One casting director even told me I should take advantage of my Middle-Eastern sounding name and pretend I was Lebanese.

"The accent is a big problem. I had some tough times trying to establish myself as a film star."

Hayek stars alongside Colin Farrell in upcoming film Ask the Dust - which portrays racial tensions in Depression-era Los Angeles.