Elizabeth Banks shares terrifying near-death experience

Elizabeth Banks has recounted a terrifying health ordeal where she feared she would choke to death.

The 50-year-old Hunger Games actress was happily eating lunch on the set of a film when a piece of food got lodged in her throat.

Sharing frightening details with Good Morning America on Tuesday, the actress said, "I was choking on a pea, a little green pea that I was eating for lunch. I was alone in my trailer. I threw the door open. Couldn't make any noise. I was so afraid. It was terrifying."

Fortunately, a crew member was passing at the critical moment and was able to offer assistance.

Elizabeth recalled, "I happened to see someone who said, 'Are you choking?' I gave them the sign to say yes. He came over very calmly. I backed right into him. He gave me the Heimlich manoeuvre."

Praising her rescuer, she gushed, "His name is Julius. He is my guardian angel. Julius, I love you."

She added, "He saved my life, literally, on the set. After that happened to me, I have used every opportunity like this one to tell people to learn the Heimlich manoeuvre."

Elizabeth went on to encourage viewers to brush up on their first aid skills, and reasoned, "Lot of people think, 'I'm gonna crack a rib or hurt someone.' They're dying! So crack their rib if you have to. I would have been fine with a cracked rib. I literally couldn't breathe. It was super scary."