ABC plots miniseries adaptation of 'Wicked' with Salma Hayek

Erik Jendresen (“Band of Brothers”) is writing the script, which looks to be turned into an eight-hour miniseries event for the Alphabet.

ABC Studios is producing, along with Ventanarosa Prods., the shingle run by Hayek and production partner Jose Tamez. Hayek, Tamez and Jendresen will all exec produce.

ABC and all of the broadcast networks have mostly gotten out of the made-for-TV and miniseries business, save for a few time buys and acquisitions. But the webs haven’t been anxious to get back into the longform biz – ABC, for example, has had the four-hour miniseries “Ben Hur” on the shelf for many months, but hasn’t yet figured out where or when to air it.

But “Wicked,” a retelling of the “Wizard of Oz” tale from the Wicked Witch’s point of view, may make a better fit for the Alphabet web.

The miniseries is based on the 1995 book “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West” by Gregory Maguire.

Maguire’s book – which recast the witch as a hero fighting for her homeland -- was turned into the wildly popular musical “Wicked,” which hit Broadway in 2003.

But the ABC miniseries will stick to the book and won’t be based on the musical, which was written by Winnie Holzman (and produced by Marc Platt and David Stone).

ABC does not have any rights to the musical, which has been in development as a feature at Universal (which was also an investor in the Broadway show) via Platt’s company.

Hayek is so far attached solely as an exec producer; it’s unclear whether she would take a role in the project.

As for Jendresen, the scribe is also writing the drama script “Voyage to Mars” for NBC through Sony Pictures TV. He’s exec producing “Mars” with Ross Fineman.

Jendresen, who’s repped by WME, wrote the bible and several episodes of “Band of Brothers” for HBO.

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Salma Hayek Illegal Immigrant? Yup, "I Did It," She Says

But the gorgeous Mexican leading lady admits that it was once a possibility because she was living as an illegal immigrant while she was here as a student.

So why exactly did she do it?

After Hayek moved to L.A. in 1991 to study acting, her visa expired. It was her second stint living in the country—as a kid she spent time attending at the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans.

"I was an illegal immigrant in the United States," Hayek tells the Spanish edition of V magazine. "It was for a small period of time but I still did it."

Hayek's rep confirms to E! News that it's true, but clarifies that Hayek's immigration status was quickly remedied.

"The matter was clearned up immediately as Salma went to Mexico and renewed it.," her publicist says.

The rep adds that Hayek, 44, is now a full-on American citizen—something the curvaceous actress is proud of, even though she once considered Hollywood racist.

"I had to endure the worst time of all in terms of racial discrimination in Hollywood when i first started out," she tells the mag. "It was inconcievable to American directors and producers that a Mexican woman could have a lead role."

But, she says, the film industry is finally coming around.

"Hollywood has definitely grown, in embracing the inclusion of Latinos in the world, because, for some time, we didn't exist. We were not part of any stories," she says.

"I was privileged to be part of a small generation of people who broke through that door first," she says name-checking Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin as fellow trailblazers.

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We Hear...

Salma Hayek's Daughter Charmed the 'Grown Ups' on Set

"Everybody brought their family [to set]," the actress, 43, told PEOPLE at Grown Ups's New York premiere Wednesday night. "Valentina had the best time out of anybody on the set, I think."

What did her young daughter do to keep entertained while mom was filming? She serenaded Hayek's costars.

"She does sing 'Twinkle, Twinkle [Little Star],' but the kids [in the movie] taught her other [songs]. Now they've got her into the soundtrack of Mamma Mia. She of course likes [the song] 'Mamma Mia,' but she also likes 'Honey, Honey.' "

With such musical abilities, Hayek says her daughter may have a future in showbiz, though she "wasn't hoping for that."

Another Grown Ups costar, Madison Riley, who plays Rob Schneider's daughter, says Hayek's daughter is full of charisma. "She's also a spitfire like her mom," she tells PEOPLE. "She's gorgeous, sweet and she walked around in a little strut."

And even the grown ups were charmed by her.

"Salma always says, 'Oh, [Valentina's] got a crush on you," David Spade says. "She doesn't – but it makes me go 'ohhh,' and I'm nicer to her!"

Demi Moore, Salma Hayek may have own comedy

Moore and Hayek attended the screening without mates Ashton Kutcher and Francois-Henri Pinault and ended up at Avenue for the club's one-year anniversary. "Demi was extremely friendly and joked around with the waitstaff," said a spy. Other guests included Harvey Weinstein, Q-Tip, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, who sat near the deejay booth to watch Knowles' sister, Solange, at the turntables.

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Salma Hayek: I Love Eating Bugs!

"Look, I'm salivating," Hayek, 43, told David Letterman Monday night about her taste for grasshoppers. "They're delicious."

The Mexican-born actress even has her favorite recipes from her native land for creepy-crawlies.

"These little ants fried are amazing – with a little guacamole," she explains on The Late Show. "And the worms … there are many different recipes for those. The little grasshoppers have a smoky flavor to them. It's the way they cook them, and it's really good."

But cooking up these savory treats can be a struggle, according to Hayek. "They're not that easy to find," she tells Letterman. "They're delicatessen."

Quickly correcting herself, Hayek, who married French businessman Francois-Henri Pinault in 2009, says, "Yeah, sorry. My French is getting a little better – [but] my English is getting a lot worse."

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