Salma Hayek reveals she thought she was going to die during Covid-19 battle

The actress says she told medics 'I'd rather die at home' after they 'begged' her to go to hospital

Salma Hayek has confirmed she contracted Covid-19 last year. EPA

Salma Hayek has revealed she battled an aggressive case of Covid-19 last year, adding she feared she would not survive the virus.

The Mexican actress, who has Lebanese heritage, refused doctors' pleas to go to hospital, but was put on oxygen as she fought the coronavirus.

The Frida star, 54, revealed she was struck down by Covid-19 in the early days of the pandemic, telling Variety in a new interview: "My doctor begged me to go to the hospital because it was so bad."

Instead, Hayek said she told medics: "No, thank you. I'd rather die at home."

The actress, who is married to Kering chairman and chief executive Francois-Henri Pinault and with whom she has a daughter, Valentina, 13, said that she ended up spending seven weeks in self-isolation at her London home.

Hayek joins a number of stars who have spoken out about their personal battles with Covid-19, including Tom Hanks, Gwyneth Paltrow and Idris Elba.

It took her the best part of a year to recover from the virus and Hayek told Variety she still hasn't fully regained her energy.

Last month, the actress returned to work to film Ridley Scott's House of Gucci, which focuses on Patrizia Reggiani's 1995 killing of her ex-husband and Gucci heir, Maurizio Gucci.

"It was the perfect job to just get back into it. I had started doing Zooms at one point, but I could only do so many because I would get so tired," Hayek said.

The film is based on a book about the murder-for-hire of Gucci and the subsequent trial and conviction of his ex-wife. Adam Driver will play the fashion mogul while Lady Gaga portrays Reggiani. Hayek takes on the role of a clairvoyant who was convicted of helping Reggiani orchestrate the killing.

House of Gucci is scheduled to be released in cinemas in November.