Javier Bardem is a film actor who does not believe in anyone but Al Pacino. Bardem is a real destroyer of myths and stereotypes about overly passionate Spanish men with a woman-hungry look and a hooligan disposition.
Childhood and youth
Javier Angel Encinas Bardem was born on March 1, 1969 in a small Spanish town with the beautiful name of Las Palmas. The boy did not grow up as the only child in the family. He has a brother and sister. His parents were far from poor people. Javier's father was in the environmental business, and his mother was a fairly well-known actress in her homeland. When the boy was 2 years old, his parents divorced, and the mother had to move with her children to the capital of Spain, Madrid.
Love for cinema was passed on to Javier from his mother. As a child, he constantly thought about how he plays the space hero Han Solo, conquering the galaxy on the Millennium Falcon, or being James Bond, ridding the world of various bandits.
However, in addition to creativity in the cinema, Bardem also liked sports. The young man has been involved in boxing, weightlifting and even rugby for a long time. Moreover, he even made his way to the main composition of the national team in this sport.
Sports did not prevent the guy from playing in the school theater and painting at the local art school.
But such a comprehensive development and an abundance of hobbies led him astray. The guy was simply confused in himself and did not know who he wanted to be. However, admitting to himself that an artist from him, to put it mildly, useless, he began his career as a film actor, never having received an education at an art school.
Career
For the first time, what it means to be a master of the screen, the boy understood at the age of 6, when he appeared in a small episode of the television series "Dodger".
At the age of 20, the young man was attacked by hooligans, who beat the young man quite badly and broke his nose. But Javier's physical handicap became his highlight.
A year later, a picture was released called "The Ages of Lulu", where Bardem made his debut in a cameo role. The first professional work in the cinema brought considerable success to the novice actor, and already in 1991 he received his first leading role in the film "Ham, Ham".
At some point, the former glory of the mother-actress faded away and the family's financial situation deteriorated. At that time, the not yet very popular Bardem had to work as a stripper in order to get quick and easy money, while his mother got a job as a cleaner.
Javier still starred in minor episodes. In his arsenal appeared films with ambiguous titles, such as: "Mouth to Mouth", "Ecstasy", "Golden Eggs", "Titka and the Moon" and a number of others.
In 1994, the film “A Few Days” was released on the big screens, for his work in which the young man was awarded his first career award. So the actor becomes more and more famous.
Time passed, and the secondary roles were replaced by the main ones and vice versa. And then came 2008 - the most iconic year in Bardem's acting craft. Javier became the first Spanish film actor in history to receive the most prestigious film award in the world - the Oscar. His performance in a film called "No Country for Old Men" made a splash not only among the audience, but also among his colleagues. Moreover, thanks to this role, such awards as the Golden Globe and BAFTA appeared in the man's baggage.
The actor's filmography includes about 40 films. You can watch Javier play in such films as "Eat, Pray, Love", "The Counselor", "Pirates of the Caribbean - 5", "Escobar" and many others.
Personal life
Given the realities of the modern world, how Javier lives now may seem boring and atypical to many. For more than 8 years, the Spaniard has been married to the famous film actress Penelope Cruz. Happy husband and wife are raising two children: son and daughter born in 2011 and 2013, respectively.
