Shocked to bag 'Eternals' role, says Salma Hayek

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New Delhi: Hollywood star Salma Hayek, who is gearing up for the release of her Marvel superhero movie, 'Eternals', admitted she didn't originally envision herself in the role.

According to People magazine, Hayek told a magazine that she was surprised to book the part of Ajak, described by the outlet as "the leader of a group of immortal superbeings" in the upcoming Chloe Zhao (Nomadland)-directed film.

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Hayek said, "I was shocked to get that role in my 50s. I felt a sense of gratitude and excitement, not only for this but for what it meant about the possibilities for the future."
Oscar-winner Zhao told the outlet that Hayek is a great fit for the role of Ajak, whom she described as "the leader," adding, "She is full of wisdom and very perceptive -- a mother figure to all the Eternals."

While Marvel fans will have to wait until November 5 to see Hayek bring Ajak to life on the big screen, the actor did spill a few details about her character to another magazine.

"Chloe decided to tackle the concept of leadership from the perspective of motherhood," she said, adding, "I'm not a mother. I'm an alien. I can't have kids.

"However, my character used to be a man in the comics, now it's a woman. So instead of just changing the gender, I proposed to [Zhao] to really bring something that is very specific to womanhood."

Hayek, who celebrated her 55th birthday earlier this month, opened up about her perspective on ageing, telling, "Growing old, to me, has to do with repetition."

"Something gets old when you've done it for a long time," she said, before adding, "If you're always changing, if you're always curious, how can you be old? You're someone new today."

Hayek marked her birthday this year with a tropical getaway, where she posted a photo of herself on Instagram with the caption, "Happy 55th birthday to me, looking forward to new adventures #grateful."