Penelope Cruz’s other half, acclaimed Spanish actor Javier Bardem, is famously outspoken when it comes to politics at the best of times. But at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, he delivered one of the most politically-charged interventions yet.
When the No Country For Old Men Oscar-winner spoke to the Mirror and other press at Cannes, for the debut of Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s The Beloved – for which he is receiving rave reviews – he did not disappoint.
Playing the lead role in a psychological drama about an Oscar-winning director attempting to reconnect with his actress daughter who he has been estranged from for 13 years, Bardem – who has a son, Leo, and daughter, Luna, with his wife of 16 years, fellow Spanish superstar Penelope Cruz, 52 – was asked about the flick’s theme of absent fathers, and the effect it has on those left behind.
Bardem then opened up in an expletive-laden outburst about toxic masculinity and his own upbringing in Spain. The 57-year-old star, who spoke passionately about genocide and ‘blacklisting’ in Hollywood, also took aim at the American president, Donald Trump.
View 2 ImagesJavier Bardem with his fellow Spanish actor wife Penelope Cruz(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
He said: “That problem also goes to Mr Trump and Mr Putin and Mr Netanyahu, the big b***s man saying, ‘My big, my c*ck is bigger than yours, and I’m gonna bomb the sh** out of you. It’s a f***ing male toxic behaviour that is creating thousands of dead people, so yeah, we have to talk about it. And I think we are talking about it…”
Bardem continued: “We are more aware of it, thankfully, because maybe 20 years ago [this] was something that nobody will pay attention to as a problem. And I think this movie speaks about that… in this movie there are three people that say ‘No’ to [his character] Stephan: three women.”
The Hollywood star went on to say that he had experienced toxic masculinity growing up in his native Spain, but his mother had taught him to be ‘strong’ and not to be afraid. He also spoke of his horror at the amount of women in Spain being killed by former partners.
Bardem has previously credited his mother, Spanish actress Pilar Bardem, as the defining force in his life. Raised by her as a single mother, he has often praised her “lioness-like strength”, sacrifice, and unyielding defence of human dignity.
Toxic masculinity has also been a major talking point closer to home, with both multi-award-winning drama Adolescence – which swept the boards during awards season – and documentary-maker Louis Theroux’s recent eye-opening doc Inside the Manosphere, both of which are available to watch on Netflix.
During the press conference, Bardem also opened up on rumours that his outspokenness had led to him being one of the leading names being ‘black-listed’ by certain production companies.
He said: “The fear does exist, granted. But one has to do things – even if you feel a bit scared or afraid. You have to be able to look at yourself in the mirror, look at yourself in the eyes – and that was my case. My mother taught me to be the way I am. There is no plan B. This entails consequences, which I am fully ready to shoulder.”
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