Salma Hayek initially suspected that the role of Ajak in Eternals would be another typecast for her

 

Chloé Zhao’s Eternals emerged as one of the biggest names in the list of MCU phase 4 films, with stars like Salma Hayek and Angelina Jolie joining the Marvel Universe. While the film couldn’t make its intended impact on the audience, it was undoubtedly a unique cinematic experience in the superhero genre. Hayek later revealed that she initially turned down the role, expecting it to be typecast.

Eternals
Eternals went on to collect $402 million worldwide, becoming one of the lowest-grossing MCU films. The film faced criticism for its screenplay and sluggish pacing but received praise for its themes and visuals.

 

Salma Hayek Initially Turned Down The Role Of Ajak

Salma Hayek in Eternals
When Salma Hayek was first approached to play Ajak in Eternals, little did she know that she was taking on a crucial leadership role in the film. Hayek initially thought that her role would be that of a “grandmother” and turned down the offer from the MCU. However, when she learned that Chloé Zhao was helming the project, the Desperado actress agreed to the role, indicating her trust in the Oscar-winning director.

Contrary to her initial views about the role, Ajak turned out to be the spiritual leader among the ten Eternals, acting as the bridge between them and the Celestials. Interestingly, the character was gender-swapped from the comics, allowing Hayek to lean into the femininity of the character and give it a ‘mother figure’. This marked a significant change for the actress, who revealed that most of the roles offered to her used to be extras or old prostitutes.

Hayek shared these behind-the-scenes happenings in an interview with Entertainment Weekly during the time of the film’s release. The Bandidas actress told EW:

“I said, ‘Forget it.’ I said, ‘God knows what kind of grandmother they want me to play.’ I’m used to being [told] I’m going to be the extra or the old prostitute. And then they said the director was Chloé Zhao, and I said, ‘Okay! Let’s have the meeting!’”
Several other actors in the film were also surprised to get a call, including Gemma Chan, who never expected to return to the MCU in a new role after Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel. The casting of Salma Hayek, along with others, was officially announced at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2019.

 

Salma Hayek Later Opened Up About Being Typecast in S*xy Roles

Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek in Desperado
In an interview with GQ Hype, The Hitman’s Bodyguard actress revealed that she was often typecast into s*xy roles, especially after her films Desperado in 1995 and From Dusk Till Dawn in 1996. She shared that she had always wanted to do comedy, but was denied the opportunity. She was told that she was not allowed to have a sense of humor because she was considered s*xy. She also gave a shout-out to Adam Sandler, who gave her a role in his comedy film, Grown Ups. Hayek told GQ Hype:
“I was typecast for a long time. My entire life I wanted to do comedy and people wouldn’t give me comedies. I couldn’t land a role until I met Adam Sandler, who put me in a comedy, but I was in my forties! They said, ‘You’re sexy, so you’re not allowed to have a sense of humor.’ Not only are you not allowed to be smart, but you were not allowed to be funny in the ’90s.”
However, Hayek revealed that she was not angry about it, as everything worked out well for her. She shared that she had proven wrong all those who thought she would have expired and had done roles in several genres in the last 20 years. The House of Gucci actress shared with GQ Hype:

“I was sad at the time, but now here I am doing every genre, in a time in my life where they told me I would have expired – that the last 20 years I would have been out of business. So I’m not sad, I’m not angry; I’m laughing.”
Eternals is now available for streaming on Disney+.