Salma Hayek Thought Angelina Jolie Would Be Cold and Distant When They Met for ‘The Eternals’
Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek worked together for the first time when they did the feature The Eternals. While collaborating for the Marvel film, Hayek met a different Hayek than she might’ve expected.
How Angelina Jolie surprised Salma Hayek in ‘The Eternals’
Hayek didn’t exactly know what to expect from Jolie on The Eternals. The 2021 Marvel film saw the actor teaming up with an ensemble cast to portray Godlike beings. Although the two bonded quickly, Hayek was prepared for Jolie to give her the cold shoulder. But Jolie was shockingly receptive to her Eternals co-star.
“I thought she was gonna be colder or distant… I was very surprised, she’s warm and lovely,” Hayek once told Ok!.
Jolie and Hayek both had plenty of time to explore their newfound sisterhood behind the scenes. They even shared a few playful moments such as when Jolie shoved Hayek’s face into a cake. This left Hayek feeling she found a kindred spirit in her co-star.
“Angie was different. I discovered a soul sister who is similar to me in so many ways. I felt like I’d known her for my entire life. I got to know her a little better than everyone else, and it’s very precious to me,” Hayek told Elle.
Why Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek both signed up for Marvel films
Neither Jolie or Hayek have ever dabbled in the superhero sub-genre before. In an interview with Empire (via MovieWeb), Jolie revealed she’d even been approached for an undisclosed superhero role before. But Eternals seemed to be the first time the Tomb Raider actor was actually interested in exploring the mythology.
“I don’t usually lean towards superhero or sci-fi films,” Jolie said. “It’s not usually what I’m looking to do. It felt like something else was happening in this film, though. It was very character-driven. These guys aren’t Spider-Man or Captain America or the Hulk. A lot of hardcore fans won’t know who the Eternals are. Introducing them all at once, that isn’t easy.”
Meanwhile, the Frida star almost rejected being in a Marvel movie, as she thought they were offering her an old supporting character for her to play.
“I said, ‘Forget it,'” Hayek once told Entertainment Weekly. “I said, ‘God knows what kind of grandmother they want me to play.’ I’m used to being [told] I’m going to be the extra or the old prostitute. And then they said the director was Chloe Zhao, and I said, ‘Okay! Let’s have the meeting!”
Jolie also asserted that Zhao motivated her and her co-stars to go deeper into their roles than perhaps they ever have before.
“I don’t think we realized that until we really got there,” Jolie said. “It really felt like she was pulling out of us something that was more personal, from a deeper side of ourselves. She wasn’t looking to put something on top of us, like a character. She was looking for us to reveal ourselves as the character.”
Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek have teamed up again for ‘Without Blood’
Jolie and Hayek decided to collaborate for a second time in their careers by doing the feature Without Blood. Not much is known about the film at this time except it will be Jolie’s fifth movie as a director. Jolie tapped Hayek to lead the film alongside actor Demián Bichir, who both impressed her with their performances.
“Salma and Demián are very authentic and brave in this film. I had been a fan of their work. I knew they would bring solid commitment and craft to the film but honestly, they both blew me away,” Jolie told People not too long ago.
Meanwhile, Hayek also praised Jolie’s ability as a filmmaker.
“Angelina is the best director I’ve ever worked with. I absolutely loved working with her; enjoyed every second of it. It’s a tough piece but it was so delicious to come to work every single day. She is a genius and I think this might be her best movie yet. She did an amazing job, really,” Hayek confided to Deadline.
