Eternals Helped Cure Salma Hayek's Oldest Fear
They might've been largely useless throughout Earth's history, but Eternals at least helped Salma Hayek overcome a long-standing fear. Directed by Chloé Zhao, Eternals is unique among Marvel's litany of cinematic releases. The narrative stretches across 7000 years of history, the ensemble is packed with actors you wouldn't necessarily expect in a superhero movie, and — most unusual of all — critical reaction from MCU fans was... mixed. More than any other Marvel movie, Eternals also explores themes of family, and how those bonds can transcend time, purpose, and even morality.
The matriarch at the head of the Eternals family is Salma Hayek's Ajak. The group's Celestial-appointed leader, Ajak is the only Eternal capable of communing directly with Arishem when Eternals begins. She's also the healer of the group, mending her family's (many) battle wounds with cosmic energy. After the Eternals go their separate ways during the Aztec era, Ajak retreats to South Dakota, living humbly on an isolated ranch and enjoying the rural delights of her surrounding grassland. During this time, Ajak's affinity for humanity continues to grow… and her doubts about the Emergence along with it.
Related: Eternals Perfectly Flips One Of The Best Actor Trends Of The Last 5 Years
Eternals' modern day timeline shows Salma Hayek's Ajak riding a horse on her ranch — but filming this scene wasn't as straightforward as it looks onscreen. Speaking on the Disney+ Marvel Studios Assembled: Eternals behind-the-scenesdocumentary, Hayek reveals how she suffered a serious fear of riding horses, tracing all the way back to an incident from childhood. Having carried this phobia throughout her entire career, Hayek joined Eternals knowing she'd face a challenge
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