Ray Romano suffered chest pains and anxiety making directorial debut

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Ray Romano setting sights on more serious roles

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Ray Romano is known for his comedic skills, but lately he has been opening up about the health issues he has been facing.

The longtime actor tried his hand at screenwriting and directing for the first time in his new movie, "Somewhere in Queens," and revealed that getting behind the camera caused him so much stress and anxiety that he had to consult a cardiologist.

"I got to New York for nine weeks of prep, second year of COVID," he explained in an interview with Entertainment Tonight about the early stages of the film, in which he also stars. "I'm with my wife and we go on location scout for Day 1 of nine weeks prep. And I realize it's happening."

"I called my agent at one in the morning because I couldn't sleep. I go, 'I can't do it, can't do this. I can't stay here for nine more weeks and have this anxiety.' By day 3, I'm not joking. I had to go to my cardiologist in New York and get on the treadmill and do a stress test because I was getting chest pains."

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Ray Romano had such severe anxiety over directing that he saw his cardiologist. (Theo Wargo)

This news comes just days after Romano admitted during a podcast interview that he had to have a stent put in his heart because 90% of his main artery was blocked after years of battling high cholesterol.

"I got kinda lucky that we found it," he said, adding that his particular kind of blockage is referred to as the "widowmaker."

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Speaking to ET, the actor said that even though he had written the script for his new film, which is partly based on his life, he was hesitant to take on the role of director.

Ray Romano attends the screening of "Somewhere In Queens." (ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)

"I wasn't going to do it and my agent told me I should," he said. "We were shopping [it] around and he said, 'Why don't you do it?' And I said, 'No, absolutely not. I really don't know about the technical side of it. I know what I want. I know what looks good. I know the color and the feel and the tone.' He told me, 'Listen, this is a personal story to you, don't give it to anybody else.' He twisted my arm and I finally said yes. And then I hated him for it."

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About the severe anxiety he faced, Romano acknowledged, "Yeah, it was all up here," meaning in his head. 

Ray Romano struggled with his cholesterol for 20 years before having a stent placed in his heart. (Jason Koerner)

"And it was nine weeks of that, muscling through, and then Day 1 of filming, it all went away. Now you're doing it. And there's no time for this and it was -- hate to give him credit for it -- I'm glad [my agent] made me do it."

Given all the anxiety he experienced, Romano said he was not sure if he would direct again. However, the only way he would consider it is if he wrote something else he felt as passionately about as he does with "Somewhere in Queens."

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"Because now I have the medication," he explained, "I have the treadmill. It ended up being that enjoyable."