Ryan Reynolds Hilariously Recalls Being Slapped By Salma Hayek On The Set Of The Hitman’s Wife's Bodyguard

Ryan Reynolds, Salma Hayek and Samuel L. Jackson in The Hitman’s Bodyguard’s Wife
(Image credit: (Lionsgate))

Since her Hollywood debut in Desperado in 1995, Salma Hayek has proved she had the chops to be an action star, and over 25 years later, she’s ready to show she’s still got it with The Hitman’s Wife's Bodyguard, alongside Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson. The actress will have a lead role in the film after her small role as Kincaid’s wife Sonia in the 2017 movie The Hitman's Bodyguard, and she didn’t hold back on her costars.

The 55-year-old actress has a major year in front of her as we count down to Marvel’s Eternals and awards contender House of Gucci later in 2021. But first up is The Hitman’s Wife's Bodyguard, which will have Sonia stepping up the action. Ryan Reynolds recently spoke about his experience working with her with a hilarious anecdote:

In Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, I’m slapped in the face twice by Salma and once by Samuel L. Jackson. 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.

Classic Ryan Reynolds. The Deadpool actor told Variety that Salma Hayek really went for it when she had to slap him for the movie. Of course, the actor is known for his snarkiness, so chances are he’s being a bit dramatic with the “sting” bit, especially since they wrapped back in 2019. Either way, it’s a funny tidbit ahead of audiences seeing the movie. Do you think we can catch which slap was the one that Reynolds will never forget on screen?

I wouldn’t be surprised if Ryan Reynolds has insurance on his cheekbones somehow, but nonetheless, there should be a special clause for icons like Salma Hayek, because that’s honestly an honor. It’s a great tease for Hayek reprising her role as the wife of Samuel L. Jackson’s Kincaid, Sonia. Check them out in the movie’s trailer below:

The movie will follow Ryan Reynolds’ Michael Bryce four years after the events of the original, where he is on a company mandated sabbatical from bodyguarding. That is, until Salma Hayek’s Sonia rescues him from an assassination attempt and asks Michael to help her save her husband. Bryce does so, but is not allowed to use firearms or weapons due to his sabbatical.

The Hitman’s Wife's Bodyguard will also star Antonio Banderas as the movie’s villain, Aristotle Papadopolous, who is a powerful mobster. It’ll be exciting to see Salma Hayek working again with her Desperado costar. The movie is set to come to theaters this summer on June 16 followed by Salma Hayek’s Marvel debut in Eternals this November.

Sarah El-Mahmoud
Staff Writer

Sarah El-Mahmoud has been with CinemaBlend since 2018 after graduating from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in Journalism. In college, she was the Managing Editor of the award-winning college paper, The Daily Titan, where she specialized in writing/editing long-form features, profiles and arts & entertainment coverage, including her first run-in with movie reporting, with a phone interview with Guillermo del Toro for Best Picture winner, The Shape of Water. Now she's into covering YA television and movies, and plenty of horror. Word webslinger. All her writing should be read in Sarah Connor’s Terminator 2 voice over.