In an unexpected interview, Javier Bardem has made a U-turn in his public life. The actor has broken his usual silence and revealed the severe postpartum depression that Penélope Cruz suffered after the birth of their first child. This confession has moved the public and shows a new side of one of the most respected actors in international cinema.
The news has made headlines around the world. The couple, who have always fiercely protected their private life, have become the focus of headlines due to statements filled with emotion. What has motivated Bardem to open up now about one of the most difficult chapters in his relationship with Penélope?
U-turn in Javier Bardem's life as he confesses the depression Penélope Cruz suffered
The interview with The New York Times hasn't gone unnoticed. Far from the usual promotional speech that accompanies his work, Javier Bardem has spoken from the heart. The actor, with an established career in Hollywood and a stable life in Madrid with his family, has decided to open up like never before.
For the first time, he has put into words an episode that Penélope Cruz experienced in silence: her postpartum depression. Bardem admits that he didn't know how to see it or support her as she deserved. This self-criticism reveals not only his partner's vulnerability but also his own.
"The pregnancy wasn't so bad, it was the depression afterward. She wasn't able to express it, and it was very new for her," Javier Bardem confessed in the interview. With these words, the actor has revealed the difficult period Penélope Cruz went through after giving birth to their first child.
This is a reality that affects thousands of women in silence. But, in this case, Bardem himself has given voice to that experience. "She's better now, but 14 years ago (14 años), she asked herself: «Is it okay to share this with my husband? Is it okay to feel this way when I'm supposed to feel the opposite?»" he added, recalling his partner's emotional confusion.
According to his words, it wasn't until much later that he understood the magnitude of what they were experiencing. "Unfortunately, I couldn't understand the magnitude of what it was, but later, I understood. She's an unbelievable, brave, strong, and beautiful woman, and she was able to share it," he stated emphatically.
Javier Bardem also admits he went through a period in which he suffered from depression
In the same interview, the actor recalled that not only Penélope has gone through dark times. He has also faced difficult moments during the filming of No Country for Old Men, one of the roles that marked him the most professionally. "I felt disconnected from the pleasure of life," he says as he remembers that period.
At that time, he had ended a romantic relationship and fell into a state of deep sadness. "I never reached a point where I thought dark things, but I was sad. It took me a while to get out of there," he explained.
This parallel between both emotional experiences gives even more weight to Bardem's testimony. By understanding his own sadness, he was finally able to understand what his partner had gone through years before.
The beginning of the relationship between Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz
Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz met when they were young, but their story didn't begin until years later. It was during the filming of Vicky Cristina Barcelona, under the direction of Woody Allen, when they met again. That project not only marked a milestone in their careers, but also in their personal lives.
"We had our moment there," Bardem recalls when talking about their first contact on Bigas Luna's set. "Later, we had another moment, but she was with someone or I was with someone. We were very young, and it wasn't the right time, but then it came, we knew it, and we tried to avoid it," he explained candidly.
During the filming in Barcelona, Bardem called three of his best friends to tell them about the situation: "It was complicated. She's an actress, I'm an actor. She travels, I travel. How do you do it?" he wondered.
However, it seems that everything changed in the final moments of filming that movie. "The last night on set, we had a couple of drinks, and since then it's been 18 years (18 años)," the actor summarized.
Today they live in Madrid with their two children, far from the media noise. When their schedules allow, they enjoy their most family-oriented side, away from the spotlight and closer to the normality they value so much.
There's no doubt that Javier Bardem's confession about Penélope Cruz's depression marks a U-turn in his public image. His testimony has further humanized one of the most iconic couples in Spanish cinema. Will this courage encourage others to also dare to speak openly about their own shadows?