Penelope Cruz recalls brain aneurysm scare while filming 'The Black Ball': Thought I was about to die
Los Angeles, May 23
Hollywood actress Penelope Cruz said she "thought she was about to die" after she suffered a worrying brain aneurysm scare during production on her latest movie, "The Black Ball".
The 52-year-old actress has revealed that she "thought she was about to die" after being informed of the health concern the evening before her night-shoot sequences on the drama film were due to begin.
Speaking at a press conference for The Black Ball at the Cannes Film Festival, Penelope said: "When we were about to go out, I was putting on my wig, and they said, 'Oh, apparently you have some brain aneurysm.' I thought I was about to die. This is something that was totally surreal in my life."
The Oscar-winning actress explained that she thought it was a "joke" at first but revealed that doctors gave her the all-clear to begin shooting the next day, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
Thanking her colleagues on the movie for their support, Penelope said: "The shooting was not going to stop. And for me, talking about these things is very important."
"It's important to share information about where such characters take you - you experience these things together, yet despite all this, despite the hardship, you can move forward in life, and I think they're the only people who knew all these details and they provided such incredible support."
The actress plays cabaret singer Nene in the movie from directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, and was attracted to star in the film because of the script, even though her character has minimal screen time in the movie.
"I don't base my decision on the number of minutes my character is in the script. I want to be part of things that are important, that speak to me. When I read this script, I discovered this fantastic story and I felt it would be wonderful to be part of something that's even more important than just one more film," she said.
The film explores the inter-connected lives of three gay men and Penelope explained that the LGBTQ+ themes at the heart of the picture appealed to her.
She said: "I have a very strong reaction towards anything that doesn't seem fair. So when I see people struggling and fighting for rights that should never be questionable, that creates a very, very strong reaction in me that I need to put somewhere. And fortunately, I've been able to put it in the films that I do through my characters."
— IANS
Reader Comments
Very brave of her to share this! In India, we rarely talk about such health scares openly. I'm glad she used her platform to create awareness. The part about supporting each other through hardship is something we can all relate to—our joint families teach us that. ❤️
I respect her focus on the LGBTQ+ themes and her reaction to injustice. But let's be honest—it's easy for a wealthy Hollywood star to talk about "fighting for rights" when she's not facing the daily struggles that ordinary queer people in many countries do. Just saying.
The real lesson here is about health awareness. In India, many ignore symptoms or avoid checkups until it's too late. If a top actress could almost miss this, imagine how many everyday people have undiagnosed aneurysms. Get your health checked regularly, everyone! 💪
I love how she chose the film for the story, not the screen time. In Bollywood, actors often demand bigger roles; but sometimes it's about the message. This reminds me of Irrfan Khan's words—he said great roles aren't measured in minutes but in impact. RIP to a legend who also faced health challenges bravely. 🕊️
To be fair, "brain aneurysm scare" sounds dramatic, but it's unclear if she actually had one or just a warning sign. Still, it's good that she's raising awareness. But I wish the article focused more on the film's LGBTQ+ themes—that's a more important conversation, especially in places like India where Section 377 was only recently decriminalized.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.