Salma Hayek has played a variety of different roles over the years, but Mavel's Eternals will mark the Mexican-American actress' first foray into the comic book movie world, and she's very excited for the opportunity to play a prominent Latino superhero.
“At 53 – finally! – I can be a superhero,” Hayek exclaimed during an interview with Total Film. “I play Ajak, who is the leader of the superheroes and all of them are people you would never have imagined. Except for Angelina [Jolie]. Angelina – she was born to be a superhero!”
This big-screen take on Ajak will certainly be a departure from the comic book version of the character. He's a man, for one, but he's also been depicted as a bit of a shady customer, and never took on a leadership role (he did lead The God Squad as a villain).
Hayek's interpretation will be quite different, and it sounds like that's what initially drew her to the part.
“The rest of us [Eternals] are like misfits, and we’re all superheroes, and I get to be the leader. That sounds really appropriate! Yes, why not? Let’s go! It just made me feel like, ‘Maybe they’re doing something different.’ And they are.”
We found out last night that Eternals has now been pushed to February 12, 2021. Directed by Chloé Zhao, the movie also stars Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Lisa McHugh, and Kumail Nanjiani.
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Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.