Netflix actor Craig Russell was told by doctors he could die before his brain tumor surgery

Craig Russell, who portrays Marc Antony in The Queen Cleopatra series on Netflix, has opened up about being diagnosed with a death-threatening brain tumor last year during the production of the controversial new series.

The Welsh actor was feeling fit, healthy and optimistic when he played the character. Russell has starred in shows like Eastenders and The Bill and Holby City before moving to Los Angeles in hopes of becoming a movie star.

Just seven months after that, he was sedated for an operation he didn’t know if he would wake up from. At the age of 45, Russell discovered that he had a brain tumor that could kill him within months unless it was removed.

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What Craig Russell said about his brain tumor surgery?

The tumor was growing for 15 years. (Image via IG @russandchips)

Craig Russell, who has created and stars in the new series, said he was feeling fit and healthy during its production. However, at the end of last year, he began to display out-of-character behavior and experienced severe migraines and hearing loss. He said:

"Just before Christmas, I walked into the spare room, and I couldn't remember how to get out. There was only one door it wasn't as if I had multiple exits to choose from."

He went to see a doctor and had a CT scan, which revealed that his brain tumor was the size of a lime.

Doctors estimated that the tumor had been growing for 15 years. The actor was told that he needed to have his brain tumor removed immediately and that he would go blind in his left eye.

"We need to get this out ASAP.' It was totally unexpected. I was very teary when I told my wife, Kate – but she was amazing."

The actor considered the risks and decided he "had to do it" for his wife and two children.

Just two months before the release of the Queen Cleopatra series, he underwent a risky surgery to remove the tumor. Surgeons removed part of his skull and put it back together with 55 staples.

The actor now has to undergo an MRI scan every six months for the next decade, but says that he's thankful that his GP sent him for the brain scan in the first place.

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The actor had a tumor in his brain removed. (Image via IG @russandchips)

Fortunately, Craig Russell's brain tumor was benign and was removed successfully.

The Netflix docuseries about Egyptian queen Cleopatra, where Russell plays her lover Antony, comprises four episodes, each of which covers a crucial moment in the historic figure's life.