Javier Ángel Encinas Bardem (Spanish pronunciation: [xa??je? ba??ðen];born 1 March 1969) is a Spanish actor. He has garnered critical acclaim for roles in films such as Jamón, jamón, Carne trémula, Boca a boca, Los Lunes al sol and Mar adentro.
Younger brother of Carlos Bardem and Mónica Bardem.
Son of Pilar Bardem
Nephew of director Juan Antonio Bardem
Grandson of Rafael Bardem
His Best Actor nomination for Before Night Falls (2000) made him the first Spanish actor to receive an Academy Award nomination and his Best Supporting Actor victory for No Country for Old Men (2007) made him the first Spanish actor to win an Academy Award.
Says in interviews that he doesn’t know how to drive.
Played rugby union as a teen and was on the Spanish National Team.
Ten years ago, a stranger in a disco asked him his name. When Javier replied, the man punched him in the face for no apparent reason, breaking his nose.
Javier’s original interest was in painting, and he studied at Madrid’s Escuela de Artes y Oficios. Eventually, deciding he’d never be a talented painter, he drifted into a number of odd jobs, working as a bouncer, a writer, a construction worker, and even a stripper.
To portray Reinaldo Arenas, Javier not only learned Cuban-Spanish, but Cuban-accented English, and lost 30 pounds to better resemble the smaller-framed Arenas.
Javier, his mother, Pilar Bardem, and his siblings, Mónica Bardem and Carlos Bardem, often appear in each other’s films.
To become Ramón Sampedro, a 55-year-old Spanish man who made headlines with a crusade to end his own life, Javier, who was in his thirties at the time, was on the set of Mar adentro (2004/I) at the crack of dawn for a five-hour makeup session that produced the necessary aging.
Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 2005
Spanish citizen.
Actors Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna list him as their favorite actor.
Beat out Johnny Depp for the role of Florentino Ariza in Love in the Time of Cholera (2007).
Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#73). [2007].
Dedicated the Oscar he won for No Country for Old Men (2007) to his mother, Pilar, whom he brought with him to the ceremony. At the end of his acceptance speech, Javier said to her (originally in Spanish), “Mom, this is for you, this is for your grandparents, for your parents, Rafael and Matilde, this is for the actors of Spain, who have brought, like you, the dignity and the pride to our job. This is for Spain and this is for all of you.”.
The Bardem family owns a restaurant in Spain called La Bardemcilla. The restaurant is managed by Javier’s sister, Monica.
Good friends with Josh Brolin.
Had a long relationship with Cristina Payés. They were together for ten years.
Is one of 8 actors to have won the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Critics’ Choice Award, Golden Globe Award and SAG Award for the same performance. The others in chronological order are Geoffrey Rush for Shine (1996), Jamie Foxx for Ray (2004/I), Philip Seymour Hoffman for Capote (2005), Forest Whitaker for The Last King of Scotland (2006), Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood (2007), Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight (2008), and Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds (2009).
Has been in a relationship with Penélope Cruz since they began working together on Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008).
Was originally cast as Guido Contini in Nine (2009), but he turned the role down and Daniel Day-Lewis was eventually given the part.
Was originally cast in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), but dropped out of the project and was replaced by Josh Brolin.
Vacationed with Penélope Cruz and his family (mother, Pilar Bardem and brother, Carlos Bardem) in Fernando de Noronha, a cluster of islands located directly off the Brazilian coast. [January 2010]
Married long-term partner Penélope Cruz at a friend’s house in the Bahamas in a small ceremony with just family members present.
Met Penélope Cruz for the first time on the set of Jamón, jamón (1992), but they wouldn’t become a couple until working together in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008). They also worked together on Carne trémula (1997), but didn’t share any on-screen time.
Brother-in-law of Mónica Cruz and Eduardo Cruz.
His wife Penélope Cruz gave birth to their son Leo Encinas Bardem at the Cedars Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California (22 January 2011).
Teamed up with The Enough Project’s co-founder John Prendergast to raise awareness about conflict minerals in Congo (2011).
