Jordana Brewster details undergoing brain surgery while awake

Jordana Brewster has described the "really weird" experience of undergoing brain surgery while awake.

In an interview for the SHE MD podcast this week, the Fast & Furious actress recounted how she was diagnosed with cavernous malformation (CVM), a cluster of abnormal blood cells in the brain or spinal cord, when she was 28.

But after suffering two "breakthrough" seizures in 2020, Jordana opted to undergo a craniotomy.

"They shaved this part," she began, gesturing to the side of her head. "They opened my skull and I was on my side and there was someone in front of me showing me cards and sort of testing my language and two brilliant neurosurgeons behind me."

Jordana went on to recall how she was in constant communication with the medical team.

"If I couldn't come up with a word association or if I couldn't answer a question, they knew, 'OK, we've hit a part of the brain we shouldn't hit and let's stay away from there,'" the 46-year-old explained. "You think it, you know the answer, but you're not able to say it, which is a really weird feeling. And it also made me question, 'Wait, what about patients that are in a coma or what about patients that can't articulate what they want to say but it's there, which is really frustrating?'"

Thankfully, the surgery was "successful," and Jordana hasn't had a seizure since.

"I kind of overhauled my life in 2020 and I think that helped also to give me the bravery to do something about the CVM," she smiled. "I got a divorce. I found the love of my life. It was like (2006 book) Eat Pray Love on steroids. I just wanted this out so that I wouldn't be burdened by it anymore."

Jordana shares sons Julian, 12, and Rowan, 10, with ex-husband Andrew Form. She married Mason Morfit in September 2022.