Salma Hayek Details Near-Fatal Bout With COVID-19: 'My Doctor Begged Me to Go to the Hospital'

Hayek, who will be in the upcoming Marvel film 'Eternals,' revealed in an interview with 'Variety' that she had a rough battle with COVID-19.

Salma Hayek attends British Vogue's Forces For Change
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Image via Getty/David M. Benett/Dave Benett

Salma Hayek attends British Vogue's Forces For Change

Salma Hayek had a rough battle with COVID-19 in the midst of the global pandemic. 

In her new interview for VarietyHayek revealed that she has spent the last year reeling from the coronavirus. 

“My doctor begged me to go to the hospital because it was so bad,” she said when explaining how she was overwhelmed by the symptoms. “I said, ‘No, thank you. I’d rather die at home.’”

Hayek spent seven weeks in isolation in her London home with her husband, François-Henri Pinault, and their 13-year-old daughter, Valentina. At one point, she was placed on oxygen. The 54-year-old said she’s still recovering, stating that her energy levels aren’t back to normal.

Despite still working herself back to health, Hayek is making her return to the screen. She will star in House of Gucci alongside Lady Gaga and Adam Driver. She explained that House of Gucci was “the perfect job to just get back into it” because she didn’t have to spend a lot of time on set since she’s still very “tired.”

Hayek will also appear in the upcoming Marvel movie Eternals which will come out this year as well as Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard with Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds. Hayek appeared on-screen for just a few minutes during the film’s 2017 prequel, but her role will be expanded dramatically for the upcoming film. In fact, she has a scene-stealing exchange with Ryan Reynolds.

“Salma is a writer. She comes to set with a writer’s mind and outlook. She’s constantly improving, rewriting, and reminding us all what the scene is actually about. She comes to play and build,” Reynolds said, perVariety. “In Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, I’m slapped in the face twice by Salma and once by Samuel L. Jackson. For the record, it was Salma who didn’t pull the punches. Not even once. I can still feel the sharp sting of her tiny hand working its way into my soft Hollywood cheekbones. May God have mercy on her soul.”

Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard will be out on June 16 while Eternals is scheduled to drop on November 5, 2021.

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