Eternals’ Salma Hayek Says She Fought With Director Chloé Zhao Over The Film’s Script

Marvel’s upcoming Eternals is set to be a sprawling epic introducing 10 new superheroes spanning 7,000 years and boasting a runtime that even towers over Avengers: Infinity War.

The film will be the third installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Four and will expand upon the cosmic aspects of the MCU, centering around beings known as Eternals who were created by the god-like Celestials.

Academy award-winner Chloé Zhao is bringing the story to life with an impressive ensemble lineup as well, including Kit Harington, Angelina Jolie, Kumail Nanjiani and Salma Hayek.

However, it seems getting such a star-studded lineup didn’t come without some give and take as there were reportedly some heated arguments that took place between Hayek and Zhao over the script at one point.

Speaking to Elle, Hayek recently divulged that although she said being selected for the film felt like being “acknowledged by somebody I admire and didn’t know she was watching me,” she added that she did get into fights with director Zhao over her character and the script.

“I had some problems with the script and we got into a serious fight at my house. We were both passionate. And she was like, ‘No, but that’s not how I designed it.’ The people outside my house were calling it a fight, because we were kind of screaming. We continued to talk and talk, and it went on for a long time. The people outside were so nervous that I was going to get fired. I came out and I said, ‘Wow, I’m in love with her brain!’ That was the best creative conversation I’ve ever had with a director in my life, and she felt the same. She told me, ‘Wow! That was amazing.’ It was just complete freedom. We found our middle ground. While finding it, we came up with other ideas. It was super exciting,” Hayek told Elle.

Hayek added that she thought Zhao was “super strong” and had “a clear vision.”

It just goes to show that the things we’re passionate about can be worth the ups and downs that the creative process brings in the end.

Eternals comes to Theaters on November 5th, 2021.