AceShowbiz - Imagine enjoying a simple lunch alone and the next moment fighting for your life because a pea decided to get stuck in your throat. That's exactly what happened to Elizabeth Banks, and now she's on a mission to raise awareness about life-saving first aid techniques.

The 50-year-old star of "The Hunger Games" and "Pitch Perfect" recently revealed on "Good Morning America" a harrowing incident that happened on the set of her upcoming thriller, "Skincare." While taking a break alone in her trailer, a small green pea she was eating for lunch became lodged in her throat, cutting off her ability to breathe.

"I had my first-ever choking incident. 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," Banks recounted.

In a fortunate turn of events, a crew member named Julius happened to walk by at the critical moment. Noticing her distress, he quickly and calmly performed the Heimlich maneuver, a first-aid procedure that involves applying abdominal thrusts to expel the object blocking the airway. "He had to do it twice. His name is Julius. He is my guardian angel. Julius, I love you," Banks said, praising her rescuer.

Since the terrifying ordeal, Banks has been using her platform to encourage others to learn the Heimlich maneuver. "After that happened to me, I have used every opportunity like this one to tell people to learn the Heimlich maneuver," she said.

"Make sure you know how to do it. There's tons of videos about how to do it. It's really easy. 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."

Her story serves as a potent reminder that life can turn on a dime, and knowing simple first aid techniques can mean the difference between life and death. Banks highlighted a common misconception about the Heimlich maneuver, where people hesitate out of fear of causing physical harm. Her message is straightforward, "They're dying, so crack a rib if you have to."

Elizabeth Banks has turned her frightening choking incident into a powerful advocacy for first aid education, ensuring that more people are prepared for such emergencies. As she urged on "Good Morning America," "Talk to your friends and family about it."

Her upcoming film "Skincare," based loosely on a real-life story, is set to hit theaters on August 16. Knowing how to save a life could not only make you a hero in real life but also ensure that we all get to enjoy many more films starring our favorite celebrities.