Salma Hayek and her billionaire husband, François-Henri Pinault, were two of the more than 1,500 guests to attend Saturday’s reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral more than five years after a fire tore through its iconic spire.
Hayek and Pinault joined an impressive list of international figures at the ceremony in Paris, including President-elect Donald Trump, first lady Jill Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Britain’s Prince William and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In 2019, Pinault’s family company, the French luxury group Kering, which is home to famed fashion brands including Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Balenciaga, pledged $113 million to help rebuild the 850-year-old church.
“Honored and standing in awe at the reopening of Notre-Dame—a true moment in history and a symbol of resilience and hope,” Hayek shared in English before translating into French in a post shared on social media.
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Pinault’s father, François, founded the $22 billion brand, which also owns Alexander McQueen and Christie’s auction house. Pinault has an estimated net worth of $7 billion.
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The Pinault family, along with LVMH Group and L’Oreal, pledged $565 million to restore the cathedral after fire tore through and destroyed the 19th century spire in April 2019.
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In addition to their donation, the Pinaults clarified they wouldn’t be taking advantage of French tax credits.
“Today more than ever I feel proud to be part of the Pinault family,” Hayek wrote on Instagram at the time. “Not only for their personal and heart felt participation in the reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris but also because their contribution wont be claiming any tax deductions from the government.”
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She added, “My husband and father in law are two generous french citizens, who sincerely understand the importance of this spiritual, cultural and historical treasure from Paris to the world.”
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Hayek was raised by a wealthy family herself in the coastal city of Coatzacoalcos in Mexico; her father was an oil executive of Lebanese descent and her mother was an opera singer. She rose to fame after starring in the 1995 film “Desperado.”
She married Pinault in 2009 and the couple has one daughter together, Valentina. She’s also stepmom to Pinault’s son with Linda Evangelista, Augustin “Auggie,” and his children from his first marriage, François and Mathilde.
