Penelope Cruz has revealed that she experienced a brain aneurysm scare while filming her movie The Black Ball last year. The 52-year-old actress shared the alarming news during the Cannes Film Festival, stating that she initially thought she was about to die after being informed of the health emergency, according to Variety.
Health Scare Details
Her doctor had advised her to take a break from filming to address the aneurysm, which is a weak, bulging area in an artery wall. According to the Mayo Clinic, a ruptured aneurysm causes bleeding into the brain and can be life-threatening. Cruz recounted the moment she learned of the condition: "When we were about to go out to shoot the movie, I was putting on my wig, and they said, 'Oh, apparently you have some brain aneurysm.'" She described the experience as "totally surreal" and admitted she thought it was a joke at first.
False Alarm and Return to Filming
Despite being told to take it easy, Cruz was determined to film a key scene and asked her doctors for permission to proceed. However, they later informed her that it was a false alarm and she was in good health, allowing her to return to work. "The shooting was not going to stop," she said. "It's important to share information about where such characters take you... despite all this, despite the hardship, you can move forward in life."
Role in The Black Ball
Cruz plays cabaret singer Nene in the film directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi. Despite her character having minimal screen time, she was drawn to the script. "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," she stated. The film explores the inter-connected lives of three gay men, and Cruz noted that the LGBTQ+ themes appealed to her sense of justice. "I have a very strong reaction towards anything that doesn't seem fair," she explained.
Festival Reception
The film received a 16-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival, which Cruz described as "one of the strongest, most powerful moments I have ever experienced at the festival."
