Back in 2017, Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson teamed up in the buddy action flick The Hitman’s Bodyguard and now they’re reuniting for The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard which will see Salma Hayek in a much bigger role. An exciting red band trailer was released for the movie last week, and some recent interviews with the cast are bringing hilarious behind-the-scenes stories to light. In a recent interview with Variety, Reynolds talked about getting slapped in the face by Hayek.
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“In Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, I’m slapped in the face twice by Salma and once by Samuel L. Jackson,” Reynolds shared. “For the record, it was Salma who didn’t pull the punches. Not even once. I can still feel the sharp sting of her tiny hand working its way into my soft Hollywood cheekbones. May God have mercy on her soul.”
“Salma is a writer,” he added. “She comes to set with a writer’s mind and outlook. She’s constantly improving, rewriting, and reminding us all what the scene is actually about. She comes to play and build.” Director Patrick Hughes expressed a similar sentiment when speaking with Variety. “Salma is just a creative ball of energy, and she brings so much to the table,” Hughes shared. “When we were in pre-production in London, I’d go over to her place once a week, and we’d work on the dialogue. She’s always bringing endless ideas.”
“Quite frankly, I was shocked,” Hayek told Variety when asked how she felt about being asked to star in the sequel. “I’ve been in many movies where we get the call: ‘Oh, my God, you’re one of the most liked characters in the film.’ So many times. But for the first time, there was a director that said, ‘I’m gonna listen to the audience.’ But I didn’t trust him. At the beginning, I said, ‘Oh, he’s just exaggerating. He’s just being nice.’ But then when we started talking about it, he told me the storyline, and then I realized, ‘Oh, my God, this guy is not only for real, but he also wants me involved in the process.’ Then I said, ‘Let’s make it really interesting and talk about menopause in a funny way.’ Imagine if you have a character that’s already crazy and then add those hormones.”
Here’s the official synopsis for The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard: “Bryce – still unlicensed and under scrutiny – is forced into action by Darius and his wife, the infamous international con artist Sonia. As Bryce is driven over the edge by his two most dangerous protectees, the trio get in over their heads in a global plot and soon find that they are all that stand between Europe and a vengeful and powerful madman (Antonio Banderas). Joining in the fun and deadly mayhem is Morgan Freeman as… well, you’ll have to see.”
The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard is set to hit theaters on June 16th.
