Javier Bardem

Born the youngest member of a family of actors in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain, in 1969, Bardem's first role came at the age of six with the film El Picaro (aka The Scoundrel). Bardem was a shy boy who immediately took to acting. Numerous television roles as well as a stint touring with an independent theatre company found the young rugby enthusiast increasingly dedicated to the stage. An interest in painting led Bardem to study at Madrid's Escuela de Artes y Officios, but following a series of odd jobs and the realisation that he would never develop the skills to become a great artist, he eventually drifted back into acting.

Moving into the 1990s, Bardem's collaborations with such filmmakers as Pedro Almodóvar (High Heels in 1991 and Live Flesh in 1997) and JJ Bigas Luna (Jamón Jamón in 1992 and Huevos de Oro in 1994) found his popularity as a Spanish screen star growing. Goya-nominated for his performances in both Jamón Jamón and Huevos de Oro, Bardem took home the award for his roles in Dias Contados (1994) and Boca a Boca (1995), and it was becoming increasingly clear that a formidable international talent was emerging.

A turning point in Bardem's career came with the release of 2000's Before Night Falls. A thoughtful look at the life of Cuban poet and novelist Reinaldo Arenas, Bardem took over the role after Benicio Del Toro abandoned it, and his physical transformation stunned audiences worldwide. Arenas was an ultimately tragic figure who eventually committed suicide while living in poverty in New York City. Bardem prepared tirelessly for the role by changing his diet, immersing himself in Arenas' works, traveling to Cuba to speak with those who knew the writer personally and to learn the Cuban dialect. In addition to drawing the actor international accolades, the role also found Bardem making history as the first Spanish actor ever to be nominated for an Academy Award.

Though the offers came flooding in following the success of Before Night Falls, Bardem remained steadfast in his resistance to the Hollywood system. Turning down roles in such blockbusters as The World is Not Enough, it became increasingly obvious that Bardem was indeed sincere in his intentions to remain thoughtful about his career choices. Following his role in actor John Malkovich's directorial debut, The Dancer Upstairs (2002), Bardem's role as an unemployed dockworker in Fernando León de Aranoa's Mondays in the Sun (also 2002) again found the actor drawing praise. Though the film ultimately didn't take home the Oscar for Best Foreign Film, it did net Bardem another Best Lead Actor ‘Goya’ in addition to being voted Best Film at the awards.

The actor's most recent triumph: writer-director Alejandro Amenabar's The Sea Inside/Mar Adentro (2004). In the movie, Bardem played Ramon Sampedro, a quadriplegic bedridden for over 25 years who begins passionately lobbying for the right to end his life, despite the protests of his family, friends and the local authorities. His absorbing, brilliantly believable performance formed the centerpiece of a challenging, emotionally involving film built on a thorny moral issue.

Bardem continues to be an enduring figure in the world of films.

Compiled by Cultural Correspondent