With big films like Spider-Man: No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it's easy to forget some of the newcomers fans welcomed into the Marvel Cinematic Universe last year. Among them were the likes of Kang the Conqueror, Monica Rambeau, Sam Wilson's new Captain America, Yelena Belova, and Kate Bishop. However, the biggest group to join the party was the Eternals.
In Chloé Zhao's cosmic epic, fans were introduced to over a dozen new characters. Most among them were the heroic team of beings who have been on Earth for 7,000 years. Big names such as Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, and Kumail Nanjiani joined the MCU's ranks and became new heroes for fans worldwide to look up to—well, apart from Madden, given his shift in allegiance.
There have been many great stories from behind the scenes of the picture, such as Jolie helping deaf co-star Lauren Ridloff or hearing about how much fun Harry Styles had on set in his brief time there.
Now, thanks to Marvel Studios: Assembled, fans have learned how the movie helped star Salma Hayek overcome one of her own fears.
Salma Hayek Overcame Her Fear
In the newly released Marvel Studios Assembled, fans got to see just how Eternals came to life. Within the many new tidbits of information, it was revealed how Salma Hayek was able to overcome a big fear of hers during filming.
The actress recalled how she "had an accident with a horse many, many years ago" while riding a horse. Thanks to the opportunity presented by one of the scenes in the movie where she rides a horse, she was able to "[free herself] from [her] past:"
“I had a very important moment for me in this film, personally. I have a scene where you have to ride a horse. And I had an accident with a horse many, many years ago. So, I didn’t get on horses. And I freed myself from my past, from my fear. And I was able to just gallop with the horse and feel…And I really didn’t know if I was gonna be able to do it. But I wanted to do it. And I think it even helped me with the character. For the character, it was a freeing experience for me.”
The Eternals Solution
Stories of how people on these larger-than-life blockbusters are able to use their experiences on them to better themselves or others are always inspirational. In this case, a very simple horseback riding scene, which appeared on screen for only a few seconds, was able to help Hayek overcome a traumatic event in her past. The magic of movies at work.
What's a shame is how little the actress' character ended up in the final product. She was the first member of the main cast to die, and her other appearances were brief and did little for Ajak's character—usually only serving characters she was speaking with.
Seeing how these Eternals are synthetic and can be basically manufactured, there's a good chance that fans will see Salma Hayek on the screen once again. Though the Ajak audiences meet then might be very different than the one briefly glimpsed in the first film, she'd be a welcome addition to any future film.
Eternals is now streaming on Disney+.
