Elizabeth Banks Says ‘Skincare’ Crewmember Saved Her From Choking

Elizabeth Banks is thankful for the “guardian angel” who saved her from choking on the set of her upcoming movie, Skincare.

During a Good Morning America appearance earlier this week, the actress and filmmaker shared she had her “first-ever choking incident” after a “little green pea” she was eating for lunch got lodged in her throat. “I was alone in my trailer. I threw the door open, couldn’t make any noise; I was so afraid,” Banks recalled.

“I happened to see someone who said, ‘Are you choking?’ And I gave him the sign [of a thumbs-up signaling] yes, and he came over,” she continued. “He came over very calmly. I backed right into him and he gave me the Heimlich maneuver.” Banks noted that the crew member “had to do it twice” until the pea came loose.

“His name is Julius. He is my guardian angel,” she said. “Julius, I love you. He saved my life — literally — on set.”

Following the terrifying situation, Banks said, she has now used “every opportunity” to tell people to learn the Heimlich maneuver. “Make sure you know how to do it. Talk to your friends and family about it. There’s tons of videos about how to do it. It’s very easy,” she advised. “A lot of people think, ‘I’m going to crack a rib’ or ‘I’m going to hurt someone.’ They’re dying! So crack their rib if you have to. I would’ve been fine with a cracked rib.”

She added that she “literally couldn’t breathe, and it was super scary.”

Banks stars in Skincare as celebrity aesthetician Hope Goldman who finds herself in the middle of a scandal when a rival sets out to sabotage her life and career.

Director Austin Peters, who co-wrote the script with Sam Freilich and Deering Regan, presents a current-day take on the story. On GMA, Banks described Hope as an “old school” aesthetician who opened her shop 25 years ago and gets taken advantage of while receiving advice from younger people who encourage her to brand herself on social media. “They dox her and mess with her and she loses her mind while she tries to stay relevant,” explained the Skincare star.

The film hits theaters on Aug. 16.