Perhapsyou recognizehimas thepsychopathichitman from
NoCountry forOldMen
(2007)oras theobjectof threewomen’saffections inWoodyAllen’s2008film
VickyCristina
Barcelona
.But theproudpeopleofhisnativeSpainknow theglobal box-officestaras the
firstSpaniard to takehomeanAcademyAward.
Theproverbial diewascast foractorJavierBardemashis theatrical rootscanbe
tracedback to theearlydaysof theSpanishcinema.Clearly, talent is in thegenes—his
grandparentswereactors, hismothera televisionandfilmactress, andhisuncle isawell-
knownfilmdirector. “With thatnumberof performers in the family, itmade it impossible
formenot tobe [anactor],”heexplains. “Itwouldbe like trying toescapenature. I studied
painting. Idid jobs thatyoungactorsdo.But in theend, youhave tobehonestwithyour-
self andyourcalling.Andminewasexpression throughsomeoneelse’swords.”
It’shard topigeonhole theversatile career of thehandsomeandbrawnyactorwho
oftenescapes thestereotypeofHollywoodheartthrobbyselectingoffbeat roles that
arechallengingbothphysicallyandemotionally. Hisportrayal of theCuban
poetReinaldoArenas in
BeforeNightFalls
(2000) earnedhimanOscarnomi-
nation forBestActorwhile
NoCountry forOldMen
garneredhim theOscar,
ScreenActorsGuildAward, andGoldenGlobe (amongotheraccolades) for
BestSupportingActor.Andmost recently, he receivedaprestigiousPalme
d’Or forBestActorat theCannesFilmFestival forhis roleasa terminally ill
hustler in thedrama
Biutiful
.
Born in theCanary Islands, the41-year-oldactor resides inSpainnear
familyand friends.Hespeaksproudlyofhiscountry, noting, “Spainhasa lot
ofdiversity. In food, thatmeansawholeworldofflavors. It isalsodiverse in
termsof landscape. Ifyou travel north, youcanhaveabeautiful coastwith
bigcliffsandstrongocean. Ifyougo to theSouth, youhaveverywarm, calm
Mediterraneanweather.Madrid is famous forbeing friendlyandbeingvery
open tonewcomers, for respectingwhatyoumaybringwithyou.Theydon’t
try tochange it.”
When thebusyactor isnotworking, he often frequentshis family’s
restaurant, LaBardemcilla, inMadrid. “It’s ahomeyplace that combines
traditional Spanish cuisinewith tapas,” saysBardem. His favoritedish is
a simpleone—a coupleof friedeggswith some fries andJamónSerrano
(aSpanish curedham).
Whileactingmayhaveseemed likeanatural careerpath,anearly inter-
est inpainting led tostudiesatMadrid’sEscuelasdeArtesyOficios (which
nodoubtcame inhandy forhisroleasBrotherLorenzo in theMilosFor-
manfilm
Goya’sGhosts
,about theSpanishartistGoya).Healsoplayed
rugby for16yearsandwasamemberof theSpanishNational team.
“I love rugby formany reasons, but if I have to choose one, it’s
becauseof the importanceof belonging toagroup. It’snotabout indi-
viduality,”hesays. “It’saboutagroupof peoplewhoarefighting
foradream tocome true.Eitheryoubelong to thedream, oryou
areoutof it.That isagood lesson for life.”
Next up for Bardem is the coveted role as the romantic
interest in thebest-sellingmemoir-turned-film
Eat PrayLove
(ColumbiaPictures, 2010). He stars asFelipe, aBrazilian-born
gem sellerwhomwriterElizabethGilbert (portrayedbyJulia
Roberts)meetsand falls in lovewithwhile inBali. Bardemex-
plains, “After doing themovie
Biutiful
, I felt Iwanted togo in the
other direction… togo to someplacewhere I could stretch some
COVER STORY
Javier Bardem
