Salma Hayek Pinault stars in Angelina Jolie’s drama Without Blood
Salma Hayek Pinault has opened up about the emotional challenge of starring in Angelina Jolie’s upcoming drama Without Blood, revealing that she initially did not want to take on the role.
The actress recently discussed the project and described the part as one of the most demanding roles of her career. Her comments come just days before Without Blood is scheduled to arrive in U.S. theaters on September 18, 2026.
Hayek Pinault revealed that her first reaction to the project was not enthusiasm but concern about how emotionally difficult the character would be.
The actress plays Nina, a woman whose life is shaped by violence and trauma following an attack on her family. The story later brings her face-to-face with a man connected to the events of her past.
For Hayek, portraying Nina required her to access extremely difficult emotions while maintaining control throughout the performance. In a recent interview with The Cut, she explained that she was afraid of taking on the part because she did not want to spend weeks experiencing such intense emotional suffering while working.
Her comments were also discussed during her appearance on TODAY, where she described the role as the hardest part she had taken on.
Although Hayek initially resisted the project, Angelina Jolie eventually convinced her to take the role.
Jolie wrote and directed Without Blood, adapting the film from Italian author Alessandro Baricco’s novel. The two actresses had already developed a friendship after working together on Marvel’s Eternals.
Their previous relationship helped create a level of trust that became important during the production of the emotionally demanding film.
Hayek has said that Jolie understood the character and the performance she wanted from her. That creative relationship ultimately helped convince the actress to take the role.
One of the biggest challenges for Hayek was portraying a character carrying years of trauma without simply turning every scene into an emotional outburst.
In her conversation with Jolie published by The Cut, Hayek explained that the performance required her to reach an emotional breaking point while still maintaining restraint. Jolie, meanwhile, wanted the character’s strength and anger to serve a deeper purpose within the story.
That approach became an important part of Hayek’s preparation for the role.
Rather than simply portraying revenge, the film explores what happens when people are forced to live with the consequences of violence, loss and memory.
Without Blood is set against the aftermath of an unnamed conflict.
The story follows Nina, who survives a violent attack when she is young. Years later, she encounters Tito, a man connected to the traumatic events of her past.
The meeting becomes an intimate conversation about violence, guilt, memory and the possibility of healing.
The movie is based on Alessandro Baricco’s novel and was written and directed by Angelina Jolie. Hayek Pinault stars opposite Demián Bichir, with Juan Minujín also part of the cast.
For Jolie, the movie was an opportunity to explore the human consequences of conflict rather than focus only on the violence itself.
The filmmaker has described the story as being connected to themes of trauma, memory and healing. The film’s intimate approach puts considerable emphasis on the actors and their ability to communicate the characters’ internal struggles.
Jolie has also praised Hayek and Bichir for the emotional commitment they brought to the project.
The relationship between Hayek and Jolie became an important element of the production.
The two previously appeared together in Eternals, released in 2021, and became friends. Their familiarity with each other gave them a foundation of trust when working on Without Blood.
Hayek has spoken positively about the creative freedom she experienced while working with Jolie. The actress said the environment allowed her to approach the character honestly rather than feeling that she had to force herself through the emotional material.
The film is scheduled for a U.S. theatrical release on September 18, 2026, through Brainstorm Media.
The movie first premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024, before its U.S. theatrical release was set for September 2026.
With its release approaching, Hayek’s comments about initially being afraid of the role have added another layer of interest to the film.
Her experience also highlights how demanding emotionally complex characters can be for actors, particularly when a story deals with themes such as war, trauma and forgiveness.
Although Salma Hayek initially did not want to take on Without Blood, the experience ultimately became an important part of her career.
The actress has described the role as exceptionally challenging, but her recent discussions about the movie show how deeply she connected with the character and the filmmaking process.
As audiences prepare to see Without Blood in theaters, attention will now turn to Hayek’s performance as Nina and Jolie’s approach to adapting Baricco’s story for the screen.