Bardem comes from a long line of filmmakers and actors that have been in movies throughout Spain since the cinema was introduced. He is the grandson of actors Rafael Bardem and Matilde Munoz Sampedro, and the nephew of screenwriter and director Juan Antonio Bardem. Both of his siblings are also actors. Javier grew up in Madrid, Spain, and was always known to be a shy child with a very vivid imagination. His film debut was at the age of six in the film El Picaro and he appeared in several television series before turning to painting and athletics. He was also once a member of the Spanish national rugby team. However, he drifted away from painting and arts once he realized that he had little talent.

Javier has always followed in his parent’s communist mindsets and he has forever been against the established churches of the world, constantly trying to do as much as he can to cause the church grief. He has reportedly supported abortion and legalizing gay marriage to help justify his hatred of the church.

Javier starred roles in some of his most successful films during the 1990’s, in movies such as High Heels, Live Flesh, Dias Contados and Boca a Boca. Constantly considered a Spanish sex symbol, Javier is said to best play the roles as the hunky protagonist of movies. Javier is considered an outstanding actor, having the ability to literally transform into his character so that he is only recognizable by his piercing eyes. However, Javier is very picky as to the movies he stars in, and he has refused dozens of roles if they come close to a character he had played before.

His role as a tortured Cuban writer in Before Night Falls in 2000 brought him an Oscar nomination, the first ever for an actor from Spain. He continues to play roles in mostly European films, but has played exceptionally well in two American films, a villain from No Country For Old Men and the Coen Brother’s film version of the Cormac McCarthy novel. Javier has starred in a total of 25 major motion pictures and dozens of television series. He is currently in a relationship with Penelope Cruz and is still acting in movies at the age of thirty nine.