While some Hollywood couples cannot even survive publicity,
there are other couples that wait for 15 years before they start dating, collaborate on several
projects, get secretly engaged and married and even simultaneously get Oscar nominations.
Well, not OTHER couples, just one and only couple: Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem.
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Penelope and Javier first met in 1992 while filming the Spanish comedy drama
Jamón Jamón . They instantly fell for each other. Bardem would say years later in one
of his interviews there was, quote, "obvious chemistry" between them,
but nothing happened because Bardem was very much aware that the Spanish actress was underage.
"One day we're going to have to show the kids — imagine!
'Mummy, Daddy, what did you do in the movies together?' 'Well, my children, you should
celebrate the movie as you're here because of it!' It was a very sexy film. It still is."
In the same interview, when asked whether he would allow his daughter to shoot a similar
steamy movie while underage, Bardem said he would never let her do that.
It took Cruz and Bardem 15 years to end up working together in another film.
In between those collaborations, we were following steamy relationship timelines, especially the
ones involving Penelope. The young star had dated a number of high-profile celebrities,
including fellow actors Tom Cruise, Josh Hartnett and Matthew McCounaghey. As far as Tom and Matthew
are concerned, both romances were born out of the movies where they starred together.
When Tom and Penelope began working together on the 2001's Vanilla Sky, he was still a married
man. Despite the timeline that might suggest that the co-stars hooked up while filming the movie,
over the years, Penelope has maintained that the two didn't get together on set.
"I've never fallen in love with someone I'm working with. It's always been afterwards.
If something becomes friendship, then maybe months later it becomes something else,
but you can never know. It's always a mystery. You can't plan those things."
One thing is evident, though: something extremely intimate and personal is happening on the
set of the movies featuring the Spanish actress. Thus, all the passion she puts
into her acting feels so real for a reason, especially when it turns into something real.
After having been together for 3 years, the two called it quits. Sources were saying the Top Gun
star had been madly in love with the actress and had planned on proposing, but Penelope
wasn't interested in tying the knot. The alleged reason will surprise you. Kidding, it won't.
"Penelope pulled the plug on the relationship because she felt that the Church of Scientology
was the third wheel in their relationship. Penelope doesn't have anything against the
Church, but it just wasn't her thing. She admired Tom's dedication to it,
but it wasn't her cup of tea and wasn't something she wanted to give her life up for."
But now back to Penelope and Javier. Thanks to Woody Allen and his film
Vicky Cristina Barcelona, the two got to work together again. But interestingly,
neither was bold enough to make the first move despite the evident mutual
affection. Bardem explained both were apparently trying to be too professional.
So they waited till the last day of filming… and guess what… nothing happened. Jaiver told GQ:
"So I thought, 'We better get drunk!' Luckily, a friend of ours threw a wrap party and,
well, the rest is history. Thank god!"
Two years after they started dating, the lovebirds got secretly engaged.
Us Weekly reported, referring to their sources,
that Cruz and Bardem tried to keep the whole thing (quote) "very private and quiet".
Cruz once said she was not sure if she believed in marriage and wanted to be a wife.
She also added she believed in family and children.
Look how the tables have turned regarding the marriage statement.
Already in 2010 the two Spanish stars tied the knot in a small private wedding.
This happened soon after their first public appearance at the Goya Awards.
Around the same time, when they attended the Cannes Film Festival,
Javier referred to Penelope in the sweetest way possible:
"I share this joy with my friend, my companion, my love:
Penelope. I owe you a lot and I love you so much."
Soon the couple started extending their family, and now they are the happy parents of two.
Their kids are definitely the priority, but both Cruz and Bardem keep working hard and
getting accolades for their performances. And now imagine two actor spouses that are so not tired of
each other that they continue collaborating on screen and enjoying the hell out of it.
Two collaborations in two consecutive years seem to have strengthened the bond even more.
However, Penelope mentioned in one of the interviews that working together is
not something they want to do that often, quote, "partly out of a desire to protect what we have.
You never know if that might mix things up too much. My instinct is that it would. I think
it’s better for it to just be once in a while, even though they’ve been very good experiences."
Now, if that power couple still doesn't feel powerful enough for you,
check THIS out. Most recently they made history becoming the 6th married couple to be nominated
for Academy Awards in acting categories the same year. Bardem admits it makes the whole thing
extra special for him. He also disclosed how they learned about the nominations.
"We were on the sofa, cuddled together, waiting to see what was going to happen. When they announced
my nomination first, I was very excited, but it wasn't a true celebration until we heard she
was also nominated. We would not be able to truly celebrate together if one of us was disappointed."
It is worth mentioning that Javier keeps gushing about his spouse and her talent.
It evidently makes him extremely happy to witness her achievements.
Probably, even happier than his own. Isn't it what true love is all about?
In this Oscar race, Bardem roots not only for his wife Penélope Cruz but also his co-star
Nicole Kidman, who has also been nominated. Fun fact unless you have already drawn this line:
two of Tom Cruise's ex-partners have been nominated for Oscar in one year.
If Penelope wins this year, it will be her first Best actress Oscar.
In a recent development, the 47-year-old actress received an award at the Santa
Barbara international film festival. The Parallel Mothers' star dedicated her awards
to the mothers of Ukraine experiencing a war while worrying about their children.
She delivered her acceptance speech with a shaky voice from welled-up tears in her eyes.
"What my character Janice goes through, she's afraid, afraid of maybe losing a child,
losing what she loves the most. And how many women in the world right now are going through
incredible challenges and horrors so, my heart is with all these women in Ukraine
and all these children, and men and everyone who's suffering this horrible situation."
Since the end of February, after the Russian troops brutally attacked the peaceful country
of Ukraine, many children have died and have been wounded. Putin's army
brutally bombs kindergartens, hospitals, maternity homes and residential buildings,
which results in horrifying losses among civilians.
It is worth mentioning that numerous Hollywood celebrities have shown their support to the
people of Ukraine. Some have donated their own money, some have raised huge funds,
and Benedict Cumberbatch even said he wants to take part in the government’s “homes for
Ukraine” scheme that will enable British people to take in Ukrainian refugees.
That's all for today. Support Ukraine, believe in Javier and Penelope,
and subscribe to Rumour Juice for exciting love stories.