Marvel Studios’ Eternals has slowly become one of the most anticipated films of 2021, with part of that appeal being the stellar all-star cast. Of course, the biggest draw was Marvel’s ability to recruit Angelina Jolie. Being the Hollywood star she is, this superhero film could’ve turned into The Angelina Jolie Show. However, that didn’t happen during the filming of the Phase Four film, according to Kumail Nanjiani. The actor spoke on what it was like being on set with Jolie for Eternals.
From the outside, Angelina Jolie can give off a mysterious aura, but that persona is far from the truth, according to her Eternals co-star Kumail Nanjiani. Being on set with the screen icon was fun and light, according to Nanjiani. He revealed how comfortable the Oscar winner was on set with her co-stars, saying:
Angie, she would not go back to her trailer. She always hung out on set. She was always with everyone. So, I realized what you do on camera is only part of the job.
But Angelina Jolie wasn’t the only co-star Kumail Nanjiani couldn’t stop gushing over. He went on to talk about the presence of Salma Hayek, who plays the Eternals' leader Ajak, on set. The Eternals star said this about the Oscar-winner being so gracious:
Salma was the one who would always have dinners and people over.
Thankfully, Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek were able to set the tone for the rest of the cast. Being the stars they are, both actresses could’ve been standoffish toward everyone, but they decided to open themselves up to their co-stars on and off the set. As Kumail Nanjiani pointed out, onscreen chemistry is one thing, but having camaraderie off camera is just as important.
The Eternals star threw more praise on Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek for how they carried themselves on set. Kumail Nanjiani told People that both actresses were very professional while shooting the Marvel film. He noted they were always on time and knew their lines and marks. Nanjiani admitted to Jolie and Hayek wanting to create a family while being pragmatic about their work, but it was the family aspect that stuck out to the Silicon Valley alum.
Creating a community on the set made Kumail Nanjiani appreciate his time with Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek even more. The experience with the two stars left an impression on Nanjiani. The Lovebirds star said about the atmosphere the two screen legends created on Eternals:
So much of it is how you are with people. You create a community, you create a family, you create a group. And both of them, they go on camera, they are movie stars. They are fantastic in the movie.
At least Kumail Nanjiani had an amazing time interacting with Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek on set. Nanjiani’s words only echoed the same sentiments Jolie and Hayek have expressed about their time filming the Marvel film. The actor has been just as hyped for the film as Marvel fans have. Of course, moviegoers won’t have to wait much longer to see Kingo, Ajak and Thena in action, as Marvel’s Eternals arrives in theaters on November 5.
