Salma Hayek Details Nightmare Emergency Plane Landing With Penélope Cruz

'Maybe we were going to die. But we were going to die together,' Hayek recalled Cruz saying.

By Ashley Turner

In a candid conversation with Vogue Arabia, Salma Hayek Pinault opened up about a harrowing experience she shared with her close friend and fellow actress Penélope Cruz. The star revealed details of a nightmare plane ride they endured together. The frightening incident unfolded during a flight when their aircraft encountered a critical issue, forcing it to make an emergency landing in a remote area of Mexico. 

Recounting the tense moments, Hayek explained, "I knew it was going to happen because I saw the flight attendant coming out of the cockpit and grabbing oxygen." With Cruz's well-known fear of flying, Hayek took her friend's hands and urged her to remain calm despite the dire circumstances. "I said to you that we're going to be OK. There is something wrong with the plane, but I need you to calm down," Hayek recounted.

Hayek admired Cruz's resilience in the face of such a dangerous situation. "I could see you struggling to calm yourself down," she said, adding with some humor, "You've always had a fear of flying, and you always give me instructions of what to do if you die in a crash!"

As the gravity of the situation intensified, Cruz uttered words that Hayek described as "something so beautiful" and unforgettable. Cruz told her, "I thought maybe we were going to die. But we were going to die together. And we were going to be OK." The harrowing ordeal, which could easily be the premise for a gripping film, according to Hayek, illustrates the unbreakable bond between the two actresses.

Cruz had previously revealed the story behind her tight friendship with the House of Gucci star to E! News in November 2023. Their journey together began when Hayek welcomed a young and wide-eyed Cruz into her home during the Spanish actress's early days in Hollywood.

Reflecting on their meeting, Cruz recalled, "The way I met her was really special, because she picked me up from the airport on my second trip to L.A. when I was there with a contract and a two-way ticket, and I didn't know anybody." According to Cruz, Hayek left a lasting impression on her. "She didn't let me go to a hotel. She said, 'You're coming with me to my house because you don't know anybody here,' so it really became like family from that moment."

Their bond has only grown stronger over the years. "It's like a sister," Cruz expressed. "It's like we can tell each other everything. We really trust each other. I've known her for 30 years."

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Hayek echoes this sentiment, taking to social media in April 2023 to share a heartfelt video montage celebrating their ]friendship and Cruz's birthday. The clips showcased their on-screen chemistry in their 2006 film Bandidas and candid moments, punctuated by Hayek's affectionate description of her "fantastic," "enigmatic," and "extraordinarily beautiful" best friend.

Despite their strong-willed personalities, as Cruz acknowledged to E!, "We love each other, and we don't like fighting, but we are both strong-minded people," their connection remains unshakable. In Hayek's words from her April 2023 Instagram post, "When a new year arrives, there is comfort to know that we are not alone, and you and I will have each other through this old friendship, which is the only thing getting old, because you and I aren't!"

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