Penélope Cruz thought she was 'about to die' after brain aneurysm scare during filming

Cruz said a doctor told her he believed she could have a brain aneurysm before she filmed a scene for 'The Black Ball'

Penélope Cruz revealed at the Cannes Film Festival that she feared for her life while filming The Black Ball after a doctor warned she may have had a brain aneurysm.

Speaking during a press conference for the film, Cruz recalled receiving a shocking phone call just before shooting a musical scene in which she performed on top of a tank. The actress said a doctor told her he believed she could have a brain aneurysm, leaving her terrified moments before filming began.

Cruz said she immediately began crying and thought she was “about to die,” but still asked the doctor whether she was physically able to continue filming. She was reportedly told she could proceed normally until undergoing additional tests days later.

Despite the fear, Cruz completed the demanding musical sequence and did not inform directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi about the situation until the following day. The actress later learned the diagnosis had been a false alarm.

Cruz described the moment as one of the “most surreal” experiences of her life and said she will likely remember standing on the tank believing she had an aneurysm for the rest of her life.

Directed by Calvo and Ambrossi, collectively known as “Los Javis”, The Black Ball premiered in competition at Cannes and received one of the festival’s longest standing ovations this year. The film explores interconnected stories involving homosexuality, Spanish history, and poet Federico García Lorca across multiple timelines.