Penélope Cruz has opened up about one of the most frightening moments of her life — and it happened not on a red carpet, but right in the middle of an active film shoot.
The acclaimed actress revealed the alarming health scare during a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival on Friday, May 23, leaving audiences stunned. The revelation came just moments after her new film, The Black Ball (La Bola Negra), received a roaring extended standing ovation at its premiere inside the iconic Grand Théâtre Lumière.
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A Doctor’s Warning That Stopped Everything
The Bride star Cruz, 52, was deep in production mode — preparing to step out for a round of late-night performance scenes — when everything suddenly shifted. In the film, she portrays a cabaret entertainer performing for soldiers, a physically demanding role that required intense singing and dancing sequences.
She was in the middle of getting ready, wig and all, when the news landed.
“And then when we’re about to go out, I was putting on my wig, and they said, ‘Oh, apparently you have some brain aneurysm,‘” Cruz recalled, as reported by Variety.
The reaction was immediate and visceral.
“I thought I was about to die,” she said. “This is something that was totally surreal in my life.”
Cleared to Film — And Back on Set the Next Day
Despite the terrifying warning, Cruz received reassuring news shortly after. A doctor examined her and medically cleared her to continue with the physically demanding production, including the singing and dancing sequences that defined her role.
True to her dedication to the craft, she was back on set the very next day.
The experience, she said, profoundly shifted something inside her.
“I thought, ‘It’s a total miracle. I have to, I must have this in me,‘” Cruz said, per Variety.
A Cast, a Crisis, and a Film Contending for the Palme d’Or
The Black Ball boasts a remarkable ensemble that includes Glenn Close, Miguel Bernardeau, Lola Dueñas, Carlos González, and Guitarricadelafuente. The film is currently in contention for the Palme d’Or — one of the most prestigious prizes in world cinema — at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Cruz also praised the film’s production team for standing by her through the ordeal, connecting her personal experience to the movie’s larger emotional message.
“You experience these things together, yet despite all this, despite the hardship, you can move forward in life,” she reflected, according to the outlet.
The Black Ball is slated for a Spanish theatrical release on October 2 through Elastica Films.
What’s Next for Cruz
Beyond The Black Ball, Cruz is keeping her schedule packed. She is set to appear in the upcoming film The Invite, directed by and co-starring Olivia Wilde, with Seth Rogen and Edward Norton rounding out the cast. That film is scheduled to hit theaters on June 26.
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