Q&A with Javier Bardem, the lead actor in Biutiful — AARP V... Movies for Grownups
Q& A With Javier Bardem
The Spanish actor digs deeply into his character Uxbal the protagonist of < i> Biutiful< i>
Q. What does this film say about conditions in Spain today? A. It’s not really only about Spain, but every other major city in the world; it could be New York, Paris. The scenario of the situation [is that] there is an immigrant community, and they are living very harshly, and in some cases they are used like slaves. This could happen in a lot of places in the world, and is happening, actually. Q. What’s your process? How do you get in touch with a character like this? A. This role has an emotional release, in a very emotional way. [He laughs.] There is no way you can do it by coming in and coming out. You have to be the role itself. It was five months of shooting, which made it difficult. There are certain roles [in which] there is no way to play them without becoming them, being in a place emotionally and psychologically that is not your place anymore. Alejandro [González Iñárritu,the director] and I like to go to the bone, and we did. Q. You’re about to become a new father. What did you learn about being a dad from your role in Biutiful? A. The relationship with the kids in the movie is where the heart of the movie belongs. For a man, it’s about how important it is to feed them, but once he’s facing what he’s facing he realizes they also need empathy, compassion — and that’s something for all of us to learn. Beyond feeding them physically, he has to feed them emotionally. We all need the same things — empathy, compassion, affection — and I think this movie shows that to us in a number of ways. Q. What do you want the audience to get from this film? A. I would like one thing that I know happens, because I’ve been there at the screenings and seen the reaction: They’re going to remind themselves and the ones they love how important it is to not be alone in this world. And how lucky we are, even in hard situations, to have someone close to us. And how important it is to remind that person how important it is to be close to you. Featured AARP Member Benefits See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > See more Entertainment offers > Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures
Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.