Salma Hayek Touched By 'Empowering Role' In MCU'S The Eternals

Salma Hayek: Mexican-American actor Salma Hayek declares that there’s “something really moving” about playing a superhero in the Marvel universe.

The 54-year-old actress has bagged the lead role in MCU’s upcoming film titled The Eternals. On this week’s episode of a podcast Just for Variety, she talked about her character Ajax and how it was “empowering” to be able to play the lead. 

When Hayek was asked about her reaction to seeing herself as Ajax for the first time, the actor mentioned that it was an emotional moment. She said that it was “empowering” and really moved her.  While speaking about her experience, she further mentioned that at the beginning of her career in the industry, she was told “It’s never going to happen for you here”. Recalling the days when she was bullied for being short, Hayek said that suddenly “it doesn’t matter”.

 “I am representing. It’s not because I’m putting on an outfit but we get the right to be superheroes today. I’m also 54. So there was something really moving, not just for me, but for everything, all the different stereotypes,” the actor elaborated. 

Later in the podcast, Salma reveals that this particular film has a “completely different DNA” compared to the other Marvel movies. “It’s shot different than all the other ones. It’s in real locations and they found some crazy extraterrestrial-looking locations,” she explains. 

In her Marvel debut, she would be seen as the leader of the Eternals. As per the comics, Ajax holds the power to communicate with The Celestials which is a group in the comics of Marvel was introduced in the Bronze Age of Marvel comics. 

Also, Hayek was the first one to be roped in for the Marvel Studios forthcoming film alongside the likes of Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, and Kumail Nanjiani. The Eternals, directed by Chloe Zhao, is scheduled to release in November of this year. 

Currently, Salma Hayek is promoting her indie film, Bliss, in which she plays the role of a homeless drug-addict named Isabel. She befriends a man, played by Owen Wilson, who has just lost his job. Bliss is a science-fiction film and will release on Amazon Prime Video on February 5, 2021.