Salma Hayek Pinault goes sensual for 'Magic Mike's Last Dance'

Cinema Bravo

Feb 2

For the third installment of the "Magic Mike" saga, Academy Award-nominee Salma Hayek Pinault ("House of Gucci," "Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard") brings sensuality in new musical comedy film "Magic Mike's Last Dance." She is paired with Channing Tatum in Warner Bros. Pictures' latest offering.

In the film, "Magic" Mike Lane (Tatum) takes to the stage again after a lengthy hiatus, following a business deal that went bust, leaving him broke and taking bartender gigs in Florida. For what he hopes will be one last hurrah, Mike heads to London with a wealthy socialite Maxandra Mendoza (Hayek Pinault) who lures him with an offer he can't refuse…and an agenda all her own. With everything on the line, once Mike discovers what she truly has in mind, will he—and the roster of hot new dancers he'll have to whip into shape—be able to pull it off?

Hayek Pinault was excited to sign on, having observed the unexpected similarities between her character and Mike. "Maxandra meets Mike in a moment where she, too, feels a little bit lost. It happens out of the blue, and she does something out of character, just once, she thinks, because she's going through so much in her life. But something happens to her, and she gets inspired by him; he reminds her of a part of her she had lost, and he gives her the strength to explore another side of herself."

And it's not just Mike and Max who connect—Tatum and Hayek Pinault formed a fast friendship on set. "Salma is a force to be reckoned with," he smiles. "She made every single scene better and she's beyond special. It's not a surprise at all that she's the icon she is. She came to work every day with real passion."

"I love working with Channing," she returns. "He's professional and extremely kind, and also just really fun to act with, really such a joy. His brilliance is in how easygoing and natural he is, nothing feels pushed. He's also very thoughtful, a great partner, and we enjoyed discovering our characters together. There's a real, solid love story in this film. I think that women in the audience will of course love the sexiness, but also the romance and the complex aspects of the relationship."

Soderbergh says the chemistry between the two leads is palpable on camera. "There is an early scene, when Mike and Max first meet, and they still have their clothes on, but Channing and Salma made it very sensual. In American cinema it's not exactly typical to find that level of sensuality and eroticism in a film without being explicit, but they really conveyed it beautifully."

A Warner Bros. Pictures Presentation, "Magic Mike's Last Dance" slides into theaters across the Philippines beginning February 8.

Join the conversation online and use the hashtag #MagicMikesLastDance

Photo & Video Credit: "Warner Bros. Pictures"