Being one of the silver screen’s most enduring icons has its perks — namely, free sips of Kahlúa on set.
“I did that mistake while we were shooting and then I had to say the tongue twister,” Salma Hayek Pinault tells TODAY.com with a laugh. “Let me tell you, we did shoot with the real product, and at the end, when I had to say ‘Kahlúa Dunkin’ Caramel Swirl Cream Liqueur,’ I was a little suspicious.”
Hayek Pinault is starring in another high-drama commercial for Kahlúa, out Oct. 16.
This time, the leading lady promotes the newly released Kahlúa Dunkin’ Caramel Swirl Cream Liqueur in the brand’s latest telenovela-inspired spot.
The commercial begins with soap opera types (and a cute little chihuahua) lounging in a living room, when a gloved hand pours “Kahlúa” into a man’s glass. He is confused because instead of its usual dark brown color, the drink is much creamier.
That’s when our hero, Hayek Pinault, kicks through a door, declaring that the liquid in question is in fact not Kahlúa but “Kahlunkin,’” which elicits gasps, even from a little Munchkins Donut Hole Treat.
Our villain, wearing a big hairy mustache, reveals itself to be a Dunkin’ cup. But “Who. Is. In. The. Cup?” asks the ad. The mystery remains.
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According to a press release, Kahlúa Dunkin’ Caramel Swirl Cream Liqueur is the “love child” of Kahlúa and Dunkin’ and combines the flavors of coffee, caramel and cream liqueur.
Kahlúa and Dunkin suggest people enjoy the new flavor neat, chilled or over ice, perhaps garnished with a Munchkin.
“I also like it just on ice, especially this one; it’s like a dessert,” Hayek Pinault says, adding that she also enjoys it in an espresso martini, as well as on flan.
Hayek Pinault, who got her aacting start in the 1989 telenovela “Teresa,” says she thinks people will feel the energy and playfulness the cast and crew felt while shooting this send-up of the genre.
“It really does feel very organic and like a family, and it’s so fun. And because it’s also comedy, you know, we mess around, there’s a lot of freedom,” Hayek Pinault says. “There’s a lot of collaboration and freedom. And they come up with a lot of fun things that I have to laugh off a couple of times before I say them, because they’re so funny.”
And she even does her own stunts.
“That was me,” said Hayek Pinault about kicking the door in, adding that it felt like entering a “parallel universe.” “It’s so freeing. I love it. I do have to balance on high heels, on the other foot, but by now, I’m an expert on balancing on heels, so I’m the right person for the job.”
The mystery of who is in the cup will be answered at 10 p.m. ET on the Oct. 23 episode of Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.” The cup — and whoever is in it — will be manning the shakers behind the bar.
Fans can also join in on guessing who’s in the cup on Kahlúa’s website and Instagram for a chance to win free Dunkin’ coffee for a year.
But, if you are lucky enough to run into Hayek Pinault before then, don’t ask her if she knows the answer.
“I have no idea who it is,” she says. “I can’t wait to find out.”
