Entertainment journalist Marc Malkin recently shared details about his personal health journey after undergoing surgery for an aortic aneurysm at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Malkin, 55, revealed in an essay published in Variety that he had the surgery soon after covering the 2025 Academy Awards. He is now recovering and advocating for preventive heart health.
Malkin said he wants to mark Aortic Disease Awareness Month by encouraging people with high risk factors—such as family history, smoking, or muscle disease—to consider getting screened by a physician.
“I’ve always said if I can help one person, that makes it worth it,” Malkin said.
An aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the main artery running through the body. These aneurysms are often discovered incidentally, as was the case with Malkin. If left untreated and allowed to grow, they can rupture or tear, leading to internal bleeding and potentially death.
“Marc’s case is an example of how you can be young and healthy and have an aneurysm,” said Dominick Megna, MD, surgical co-director of the Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit and a cardiothoracic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai’s Smidt Heart Institute.
Aneurysms are especially dangerous because they typically do not cause symptoms.
“Aneurysms can be asymptomatic and undiagnosed until rupture, which is why they’re often referred to as a ‘silent killer’ or ‘time bomb,’” said Ali Azizzadeh, MD, director of the Division of Vascular Surgery at Cedars-Sinai. “We encourage all patients with risk factors or family history to get screened.”
Malkin initially visited cardiologist Erika Jones, MD, for high cholesterol management and heart health monitoring when she found an aortic root aneurysm in his chest.
“I was really scared,” Malkin said. “But both my cardiologist and surgeon said ‘knowledge is power.’”
He joined the Aortic Surveillance Clinic at Cedars-Sinai’s Smidt Heart Institute for regular imaging and screenings to monitor his condition as it progressed toward requiring surgery.
“When an aneurysm grows to 5.5 centimeters in men or 5 centimeters in women, patients are usually referred for surgery,” Megna explained. “Some people choose to get surgery sooner to end their worry. Each patient and their care team can make treatment choices specific to their emotional and physical needs.”
As senior culture and events editor at Variety, Malkin expressed concern that surgery might affect his career.
“I cried,” Malkin said. “And I’ve admitted this before: I asked my surgeon if we could wait until after the Oscars.”
He underwent surgery about one week following the awards show. Now focused on maintaining his health post-surgery, he works out three times per week at Cedars-Sinai’s cardiac rehab center where nurses and therapists monitor his recovery progress. He encourages others—celebrities or neighbors—to consult with cardiologists if they have any risk factors for heart disease.
“I tell patients they won’t feel totally differently physically, but mentally they’ll know they’ve corrected something to prevent future catastrophe,” Megna added.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center has been serving Los Angeles since its founding in 1902. The hospital admits tens of thousands of patients annually; its current president is Thomas M. Priselac (https://www.cedars-sinai.org/). The medical center includes pediatric services and functions as a training hospital.
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