MEAWW.COM / NEWS / CELEBRITY NEWS

Did 'The Eternals' cast get Covid? Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek in self-isolation

Disney confirmed four stars and director Chloé Zhao are isolating and will participate virtually in press events for the new film after Covid scare

The Covid-19 pandemic is so concerning, it has even superheroes in isolation. On October 19, a Disney spokesperson confirmed that four 'Eternals' stars along with director Chloé Zhao are isolating, because of possible exposure to Covid-19. The confirmation comes after the five sat out Elle's Women in Hollywood event the same day. That doesn't mean they'll be completely absent though, Disney did note that they would be attending all future events, albeit virtually for now.

The highly anticipated Marvel film recently held its premiere event in Los Angeles, where it was revealed Marvel chose to skip the post-credits scenes for the press. Nonetheless, early reviews have praised the latest entry into the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as "beautiful" and "epic". So clearly, fans are in for a treat. To add to the excitement, the film will feature music by BTS, news of which sent K-pop fans into a tizzy.

READ MORE

Matt Damon’s eldest daughter Alexia, 21, tests positive for coronavirus as he quarantines in Scotland

How did Sean Connery die? False COVID-19 rumors spark on the Internet

The film will release in theatres on November 5, but in the meantime, there's plenty to keep fans hooked. After the pandemic-ravaged releases of 'Black Widow' and 'Shang-Chi', 'Eternals' was expected to be a return to normal for Marvel, but unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case. A Covid scare means some events will be virtual, at least for the time being. 

Did the 'Eternals' cast get Covid?

According to Disney, stars Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Gemma Chan and Lauren Ridloff are all isolating along with Zhao. The confirmation came after Elle's editor-in-chief Nina Garcia addressed their absence at the October 19 event. "As you may have heard, the cast of Eternals, who we are honoring here tonight, was just exposed (to Covid), and to keep everyone safe those superheroes are now in super-isolation. Sorry, but that is the new reality," Garcia said in her opening remarks.

Thankfully though, it doesn't seem like any of them have caught the disease. A Disney spokesperson told Entertainment Weekly, "Earlier today we were made aware of a possible exposure to COVID-19, and while all of our talent have tested negative, out of an abundance of caution, we are pivoting to virtual appearances rather than in-person events." It's unclear if only the five women are isolating, or if the entire cast is, but Disney's statement appears to indicate everyone is taking precautions.

Jolie, Hayek, Chan, Ridloff, and Zhao were all on the red carpet for the LA premiere on October 18, along with fellow cast members Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Don Lee, and others. Jolie and Hayek also had their families in attendance. As footage from the event shows, no one was wearing masks so it is highly likely that is where they would have been exposed. It's unclear if any of the cast were unvaccinated since most of them haven't publicly spoken about getting the shot. 

Despite the setback, the films' press events are not expected to be majorly impacted. Chan was the only one to appear virtually at the Elle event, with Jolie and Hayek's remarks being delivered by fellow actors Eva Longoria and Demi Moore respectively. Judging by Disney's statement, it appears that there's nothing much to worry about. All the stars should be back out in public after 14 days or so.