Edward James Olmos Says His Throat Cancer Journey Taught Him 'How Delicate Life Is' (Exclusive)
Edward James Olmos Says His Throat Cancer Journey Taught Him 'How Delicate Life Is' (Exclusive)
Cara Lynn Shultz, Abby SternThu, May 28, 2026 at 6:36 PM UTC
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Edward James Olmos at the 'Office Romance' premiere on May 26, 2026
Credit: Etienne LAURENT / AFP via Getty
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Edward James Olmos tells PEOPLE exclusively that his body almost "gave up" when he struggled with throat cancer
The actor underwent chemotherapy and radiation for the disease in 2022 and faced significant physical challenges afterward
Olmos says he is now feeling strong and grateful, appreciating "how delicate life is"
Edward James Olmos is feeling grateful for his health after being diagnosed with throat cancer in 2022.
"There were moments in time when the body almost gave up," the actor, 79, told PEOPLE at the May 26 world premiere of the Netflix movie Office Romancein Hollywood, Calif.
Olmos — who underwent chemotherapy and radiation for his cancer in 2022 — said treatment "wasn't easy. He adds that the experience have him perspective. "That's when you really have to understand how delicate life is and how beautiful it is," he says.
He credits his family for helping him get through it.
"One of my children who took care of me is a Zen Buddhist monk," he says. "He kept me pretty well centered in the now and the understanding of life."
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Edward James Olmos in June 2022 in Hollywood, Calif.
Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty
He praised his "brilliant" doctors, telling PEOPLE, "I'm going three years now since my throat cancer … I'm very grateful that I got past it."
The Selenaalum has previously spoken about how brutal the aftermath of treatment was for him. “Once they stopped all of the chemo and all of the radiation and all the treatment is when the body gave up. And that's when it really became difficult," he said in 2024.
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He explained that his throat was "annihilated" by the treatment, saying, "You can't swallow, you can't talk, you can't eat, you can't drink, you can't do anything.”
"But past that, into 90 days, 100 days past that, I was in much better shape," he said, "and today I feel very strong.”
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
