What Really Happened Between Salma Hayek And Edward Norton?

Salma Hayek and Edward Norton were a high-profile couple who avoided the spotlight, and mostly avoided drama. The pair started dating in 1999 after reportedly being set up by their chiropractor, per Vanity Fair.

One of the rare times the duo faced public turmoil involved an ex-girlfriend. Prior to dating the "Desperado" star, Norton had a relationship with Courtney Love. Even though the singer was the one who decided to call it quits, she eventually regretted the decision. "I should have married Edward," Love told Breaking News in 2006 (via Metro). "I left him for a bad man who stole all my money," she added. While Norton and Hayek were dating, Love showed signs of jealousy when she threw a jab at the couple claiming the "American History X" actor would not stay with Hayek cause he could "barely understand half of what she's saying," per the National Enquirer (via Glamour). The "Doll Parts" singer faced blowback for her words about her ex-boyfriend's girlfriend and later issued an apology to Hayek while recanting her claim. 

Another time Norton and Hayek were embroiled in drama involved the biopic "Frida," which was a passion project for Hayek. The film was her directorial debut, and her boyfriend had a small on-screen part, but played a major role in rewriting the screenplay. Norton discussed his frustrations in a 2003 interview with GQ while also avoiding discussions about his rumored breakup from Hayek.

After four years together, Salma Hayek and Edward Norton broke up in the summer of 2003. The announcement of the couple's split came from an unlikely source. Daryl Sabara — who was 12 years old at the time — was making the media rounds to promote "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over," which co-starred Hayek. While discussing his co-star, young Sabara let it slip that she was single. "She isn't with Ed Norton anymore," he told Matt Lauer on an episode of "Today" (via People). Lauer cut Sabara off. "You're going to get yourself into trouble," the host said.

Later that year, the "Fools Rush In" actor discussed her relationship with Norton, and why the pair decided to keep their love life private. "I mean, how much do you really know about that relationship?" Hayek said while speaking to the Independent in 2003. "We did thousands of things and nobody knows," she said. The celebrity couple preferred to let their on-screen work do the talking for their careers. "Let's face it ... you can become very popular by exploiting your personal life," Hayek said. The "Everly" star mentioned how frustrating it was when details about her and Norton leaked. "I would get more angry if I picked up the paper and thought 'Oh My God, how did they find out?'" she said.

No further specifics were revealed about Hayek and Norton's breakup, but they managed to stay in each other's lives afterwards. 

Before marrying billionaire businessman Francois-Henri Pinault, Salma Hayek was concerned that she may never settle down. "I was so worried, and I dated some people I shouldn't have dated," she told Allure in 2015 while discussing her dating history. "I also found some pretty good guys," Hayek added. Judging by their post-breakup relationship, it would appear that Edward Norton fell into the "good guys" category.

Norton made the guest list when Hayek married Pinault in 2009. The "Birdman" star was photographed in Italy for the luxurious ceremony, per CBS News, and he brought girlfriend Shauna Robertson on the trip. After dating for six years, Norton and Robertson married in 2012. Keeping with the actor's low-key approach to relationships, the couple did not have an extravagant event and instead opted for a secret ceremony, per Us Weekly.

Hayek and Norton kept in touch, and once again collaborated when they appeared in the raunchy animated comedy "Sausage Party" in 2016. According to Seth Rogen — who wrote and produced the film — it was Norton who recruited "The Hitman's Bodyguard" star. "I'm 100 percent sure Salma Hayek would not be in the movie if it wasn't for him," Rogen told Deadline in 2016 while discussing Norton's invaluable contributions to the project.