Salma Hayek Pinault Says Angelina Jolie Was 'My Motherly Figure' on the Without Blood Set (Exclusive)

Angelina Jolie brought motherly energy to No Blood set.

The Oscar winner wrote and directed the new drama, based on Alessandro Baricco’s 2002 book. Salma Hayek Pinault, who leads the cast alongside Demián Bichir, says the film set under the direction of her longtime friend Jolie “felt like home.”

“I was surprised, even though we’re very close and stuff, but I did [surprised by] how warm, generous and kind she was as a director towards the actors. It was really something,” Hayek Pinault, 58, tells PEOPLE/Entertainment Weekly suite at the Toronto International Film Festival, where No Blood premieres on Sunday, September 8.

“I’ve worked with great directors who are really focused, but maybe because she’s also an actress… anything she could have wanted someone to do for her, she did for us.”

Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek Pinault behind the scenes of “Bloodless”.

Stefano C. Montesi

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Hayek Pinault and Jolie co-star in the 2021 Marvel movie Eternals. About their dynamics, Hayek Pinault says: “In [Eternals] I was a bit of a mother figure to her. In this film, I felt like she was my mother figure because she would come to the set and run it like a family.”

“She was a very effective mother, but she was also there emotionally every step of the way,” he adds.

Jolie has previously directed films including In the land of blood and honey (2011), Unbroken (2014), By the sea (2015) and They killed my father first (2017).

Hayek Pinault told PEOPLE in 2022 that Jolie, 49, “is probably the best director I’ve ever worked with — and I’ve worked with some pretty good ones.” At that time, she added of Without Blood“I’ve always loved her as a director, but I think this might be her best, or one of her best.”

Angelina Jolie August 29, 2024

JB Lacroix/FilmMagic

The story of family, war and revenge captures the consequences of trauma, focusing on “a woman [Hayek] who witnessed the shocking violence of her family and a man [Bichir] who did it,” reads the description of the festival.

“Making this movie was a life-changing experience for me,” Hayek tells PEOPLE of the difficult role she played opposite Jolie. “After so many years, to feel that someone really listens to me, really sees me, really creates a safe space for me, really embraces me, really admires my talent and lets me know… I discovered things about myself as an actress. I Was so proud of myself, I was doing things I couldn’t believe I was doing and how easy it was.”

Her interest in Without Blood subject, Jolie, who also stars in the new film Mariarecently told The Hollywood Reporter“I’ve spent a lot of time in conflict zones and I guess I’ve seen the best of humanity there and the absolute worst.” She added: “It’s not always about why these horrible things happen. It’s really a lot about how people get through them.”

“The people I love and admire the most in the world are the people who retain their grace after all the damage that’s been done to them,” Jolie said. “I think these people are the most touching and I admire them.”

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