Javier Bardem

Birthday: 1 March 1969, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain

Birth Name: Javier Ángel Encinas Bardem

Height: 181 cm

Javier Bardem is the youngest member of a family of actors that has been making films since the early days of Spanish cinema.He was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, to actress Pilar Bardem ( ...Show More

[on how has fame changed his life] Mostly, it's the same. I put on a hat and dark glasses and I can Show more [on how has fame changed his life] Mostly, it's the same. I put on a hat and dark glasses and I can walk anywhere. But there are still questions which invade your privacy. I don't really know why people need to know personal details about other people's lives. It's out of control. For a lot of people, the press is now the enemy. Hide

[on Biutiful (2010)] It's like a Francis Bacon painting. It's ugly. Some people can't take it. But s Show more [on Biutiful (2010)] It's like a Francis Bacon painting. It's ugly. Some people can't take it. But some people can stay still, look at the picture, and see the hope, the compassion, the love behind the horror. Hide

What does my performance have to do with Russell Crowe's? Nothing. If I play Gladiator (2000) and we Show more What does my performance have to do with Russell Crowe's? Nothing. If I play Gladiator (2000) and we all play "Gladiator" with Ridley Scott in the same amount of time, maybe we have a chance to see who did it best. Hide

We are so scared about talking about death that we are letting people die in silence. It is good to Show more We are so scared about talking about death that we are letting people die in silence. It is good to talk publicly. Hide

[on his girlfriend Cristina, who is a translator and coaching him in English] I'm in love with my En Show more [on his girlfriend Cristina, who is a translator and coaching him in English] I'm in love with my English teacher. We have many of our lessons in bed. Hide

[on his Oscar nomination for Before Night Falls (2000)] It's exhausting, almost a full-time job. Las Show more [on his Oscar nomination for Before Night Falls (2000)] It's exhausting, almost a full-time job. Last time I found it was too much about bringing attention to yourself. Hide

We actors always say how difficult and physically demanding a role was. But give me a break, it's on Show more We actors always say how difficult and physically demanding a role was. But give me a break, it's only a movie. Hide

I had the amazing opportunity to meet Brad Pitt a couple of times. What a beauty. He is beautiful an Show more I had the amazing opportunity to meet Brad Pitt a couple of times. What a beauty. He is beautiful and his physicality is so amazing to see. But the beauty really comes from different places - the way he talks, the way he's interested in what you're saying. And that body is like - wow! It's amazing, no? He really made me feel very, like... I don't know, like, I could fall in love with him! Hide

[on being a temporary stripper] I danced one night in a place, there was a club. And they asked for Show more [on being a temporary stripper] I danced one night in a place, there was a club. And they asked for a guy to kind of make a striptease and I did it... It was for ten minutes. I needed money. My mother was there in the audience. She was so proud. Hide

It would be amazing to think your film or your performance had the power to make changes, but it's e Show more It would be amazing to think your film or your performance had the power to make changes, but it's enough that it makes people talk and think. Maybe they shouldn't do anything anyway. The Church has strong feelings and we respect that. Hide

[on No Country for Old Men (2007)] I think the movie speaks of a lack of meaning in violence. I embo Show more [on No Country for Old Men (2007)] I think the movie speaks of a lack of meaning in violence. I embody violence, I am violence itself in the movie, and there is a man... who is trying to understand the meaning of it and at the end there is no meaning. Hide

I like to take a year off between films. Some actors need to work for the money, but money is not a Show more I like to take a year off between films. Some actors need to work for the money, but money is not a priority for me. I don't have the need for a lot of cars or houses. Since I am a tomato in the market, I have a price. They have to pay the price, but money is not my biggest priority. Hide

All of the good movies are based on how that story was told. And you cannot do it with a bad script, Show more All of the good movies are based on how that story was told. And you cannot do it with a bad script, that's for sure, no matter who. Hide

[on his preference between playing a villain or a romantic lead] I try to taste both of them with th Show more [on his preference between playing a villain or a romantic lead] I try to taste both of them with the same intensity. If you're playing a bad guy whose mind is broken, you have to get in there and find out what triggers those feelings. And once you're on the other side, you have to take that and throw it away. Somebody said "The difference between an artist and a person that's crazy is that the artist has a two-way ticket and the crazy person only has a one-way.". Hide

[on any concern he may have with being typecast] I'm not worried. I always try different things. My Show more [on any concern he may have with being typecast] I'm not worried. I always try different things. My dream would be, when I'm old, to put all my characters in a room and realize that they can't talk to each other because they don't have anything to share. Hide

[on his character of Chigurh in No Country for Old Men (2007)] All the work I usually do: imagining Show more [on his character of Chigurh in No Country for Old Men (2007)] All the work I usually do: imagining the past, the circumstances of the character in this case I didn't do it. We all saw him as a force of nature, the embodiment of violence. Hide

[on working with Alejandro Amenábar again] I wish I could work with him again. He's so secret. He d Show more [on working with Alejandro Amenábar again] I wish I could work with him again. He's so secret. He doesn't even tell me and I go, "Give me a break, man. Give me a role." He works secretly. I guess he will be shooting soon. I hope so, because he's amazing. Hide

Sometimes I say to myself, "What are you doing in this absurd job? Why don't you go to Africa and he Show more Sometimes I say to myself, "What are you doing in this absurd job? Why don't you go to Africa and help people?" But I cannot help people because I'm a hypochondriac. Hide

One of my dreams came true when [Julian Schnabel] showed the movie [Before Night Falls (2000)] to Al Show more One of my dreams came true when [Julian Schnabel] showed the movie [Before Night Falls (2000)] to Al Pacino and he called me at 3 a.m. Spanish time and told me he liked my performance. I told him, "There are two things I believe in, God and Al Pacino" [Bardem has, himself, corrected this statements saying "I always said that I don't believe in God, I believe in Al Pacino"] Hide

I do respect people's faith, but I don't respect their manipulation of that faith to create fear and Show more I do respect people's faith, but I don't respect their manipulation of that faith to create fear and control. Hide

I'm getting more comfortable now, but it will never get to the point as if you are doing it in your Show more I'm getting more comfortable now, but it will never get to the point as if you are doing it in your own language. When I say, "I love you" or "I hate you" in Spanish, many things come to my mind, aspects of my own life. When I say it in English, I don't have the memories. Hide

I live in Spain. Oscars are something that are on television Sunday night, basically, very late at n Show more I live in Spain. Oscars are something that are on television Sunday night, basically, very late at night. You don't watch, you just read the news after to see who won or who lost... The award is important in order to bring people to the movie theater. That's the only principal meaning of any award. Hide

When the Coens called [about casting him in No Country for Old Men (2007)], I said, "Listen, I'm the Show more When the Coens called [about casting him in No Country for Old Men (2007)], I said, "Listen, I'm the wrong actor. I don't drive, I speak bad English, and I hate violence." They laughed and said, "Maybe that's why we called you.". Hide

The only thing I can do is act, but it's not something I even feel comfortable doing. It costs me a Show more The only thing I can do is act, but it's not something I even feel comfortable doing. It costs me a lot, because I'm a shy person, even if I don't look it. Hide

I truly consider myself non-sexy, which is fine for me. I don't have any problem with that. Sometime Show more I truly consider myself non-sexy, which is fine for me. I don't have any problem with that. Sometimes I would like to have Brad Pitt's body. But that's not something that obsesses me in a real way. And second, I truly believe that what I would like to portray on-screen or on stage are human beings, and human beings usually are not as handsome as movie stars. But most times being handsome on-screen or being handsome for real life, has to do much more with your vanity and your profound need to be liked by the rest of the people, be loved by the rest of the people. Hide

I always say "I don't believe in God, I believe in Al Pacino" - and that's true. If I ever get a pho Show more I always say "I don't believe in God, I believe in Al Pacino" - and that's true. If I ever get a phone call saying "Would you like to work with Pacino?" I would go crazy. Hide

Everybody in Spain is sick of me. But in America, there's a curiosity about the new kid on the block Show more Everybody in Spain is sick of me. But in America, there's a curiosity about the new kid on the block who doesn't speak English very well. The attention makes me feel vulnerable, which is something I hadn't felt in a while. But I like it. Hide

I'm proud of the fact that I got so many people to sit down and watch a story like Before Night Fall Show more I'm proud of the fact that I got so many people to sit down and watch a story like Before Night Falls (2000) even at the expense, I felt, of some of my personal life. Hide

Javier Bardem's FILMOGRAPHY

as Actor (76)

The 70th Primetime Emmy Awards

Loving Pablo

The Graham Norton Show - Season 29

The Oscars (2019)

The Graham Norton Show - Season 30

The Last Face

Eat Pray Love

The Graham Norton Show - Season 21

The Ages of Lulu (Las edades de Lulu) [Audio: Spanish; Castilian]

The Counselor

The Beat with Ari Melber - Season 7

Collateral

The Sea Inside (Mar adentro) [Sub: Eng]

Tacones lejanos

Late Night with Seth Meyers - Season 11

The Tonight Show Fallon - Season 7

The Roads Not Taken

Biutiful

The 89th Annual Academy Awards

The Oscars (2022)

Perdita Durango

The Graham Norton Show - Season 27

The Graham Norton Show - Season 25

The Eternal Memory (La memoria infinita)

Goya's Ghosts

The Graham Norton Show - Season 28

Javier Bardem'S roles

Pablo Escobar

Felipe

Reiner

Juan Antonio

Paco

Felix