Penelope Cruz recalls clown-costume plane scare with Salma Hayek
Synopsis
Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek were dressed as clowns when their Halloween flight suffered a mid-air cabin depressurisation — oxygen masks, panicked crew, and all. They landed safely, then boarded a second plane, still in costume, to make their film set. Cruz called it 'such a crazy bonding experience.'
Key Takeaways
Penelope Cruz shared the story on First We Feast's Hot Ones hosted by Sean Evans .
She and Salma Hayek , along with about 10 people , were in full clown costumes when their plane suffered a cabin depressurisation on Halloween .
The pilot announced oxygen masks; flight attendants rushed through the cabin with oxygen tanks before the plane landed safely.
The pair then boarded a second flight — still in costume — to reach a film set they were due on hours later.
Cruz and Hayek have been close friends since co-starring in Bandidas (2006) ; Cruz has called Hayek 'another sister for me.' Cruz's next projects include La Bola Negra , Day Drinker opposite Johnny Depp , and Bunker with husband Javier Bardem .
Hollywood actress Penelope Cruz has revisited one of her most unforgettable memories with longtime friend and co-star Salma Hayek — a genuinely alarming mid-flight cabin depressurisation that unfolded while both actresses were dressed as clowns on Halloween. Cruz shared the story on First We Feast's Hot Ones, hosted by Sean Evans.
The Halloween Flight That Went Wrong
Cruz, speaking on the show, described the evening as 'really crazy.' She and Hayek, along with roughly eight others, had boarded a plane in full clown costumes — wigs, outfits and all. 'I don't like clowns. They are scary no matter what,' she said, before recounting how the situation quickly turned from absurd to alarming.
'Imagine, 10 of us were dressed like clowns. And then the pilot said, 'Oxygen masks! We're having a depressurisation of the cabin,'' Cruz recalled. Flight attendants were reportedly rushing through the cabin carrying oxygen tanks as the emergency unfolded. 'We were very lucky, we landed safely. But that was such a crazy bonding experience,' she added.
Back on Another Plane — Still in Costume
The ordeal did not end with the emergency landing. According to reports, Cruz and Hayek had to board a second flight still dressed as clowns, because they were due on a film set within hours. The Oscar-winning actress noted with dry humour: 'Of course we were late on set. But alive.'
A Friendship Rooted in Bandidas
Cruz and Hayek, 59, first bonded on the set of Bandidas, the 2006 action-comedy in which they played an unlikely pair who become bank robbers. Cruz has described Hayek as 'another sister for me.' In a 2023 episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Cruz recalled how Hayek welcomed her when she first arrived in Los Angeles for a two-month stint and knew nobody. 'She picked me up and said, 'You're not going to the hotel. You're coming to my house because this is hard at the beginning and you're going to feel very lonely,'' Cruz recounted.
What's Next for Penelope Cruz
Cruz is set to appear in several upcoming projects, including La Bola Negra, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, Day Drinker opposite Johnny Depp, and Bunker alongside her husband Javier Bardem. The Halloween anecdote, though previously shared, continues to resonate as a rare glimpse into the off-screen chemistry that has kept the two actresses close for nearly two decades.
Point of View
But what it quietly illustrates is how sustained on-set chemistry between two major international stars can outlast a single film by nearly two decades — something Hollywood rarely engineers deliberately. Cruz and Hayek's Bandidas was a modest box-office performer, yet the friendship it forged has become one of the more durable personal bonds in contemporary Hollywood. The story also underscores how Cruz, despite her Oscar pedigree and European art-house credibility, remains genuinely accessible in American celebrity media — a balancing act few foreign-born actresses sustain this long.
NationPress
3 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened on Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek's Halloween flight?
Their plane experienced a cabin depressurisation mid-flight, prompting the pilot to announce oxygen masks and flight attendants to rush through the cabin with oxygen tanks. Cruz and Hayek, along with about 10 others, were dressed in full clown costumes at the time. They landed safely.
Where did Penelope Cruz share this story?
Cruz recounted the Halloween flight incident on First We Feast's Hot Ones, in an interview with host Sean Evans. She had also previously recalled the story on an earlier occasion.
How did Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek become friends?
The two actresses bonded on the set of Bandidas, the 2006 action-comedy in which they played unlikely partners-turned-bank-robbers. Cruz has described Hayek as 'another sister for me.' Hayek also reportedly welcomed Cruz into her home when Cruz first moved to Los Angeles and knew no one.
What are Penelope Cruz's upcoming projects?
Cruz is set to appear in La Bola Negra, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, Day Drinker opposite Johnny Depp, and Bunker alongside her husband Javier Bardem.
What is Bandidas, the film that brought Cruz and Hayek together?
Bandidas is a 2006 action-comedy in which Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek played an unlikely duo who become bank robbers. The film is credited as the foundation of their close, long-running friendship.
