Has any other actor showcased Javier Bardem’s talents this year? this No place for old people The star previously played Jose Menendez, a terrifying patriarch in Ryan Murphy’s true crime series Monster: The Lyle and Eric Menendez Storyvoicing the whimsical purple man-eater in Vicky Jenseon’s animated musical obsessed. Only Baden’s fellow Spaniard Karla Sofía Gascón played a role both before and after the transition emilia perez,near.
Both roles were virgin territory for Bardem. Although he has played many unsavory roles in the past──”Zig the Mop-Headed Killer” no countrythe ghostly pirate hunter Captain Salazar Pirates of the Caribbean: Death without evidencesadistic cyberterrorist Raoul Silva heavy rain — Jose Menendez in monsterhis first major television role, was a new challenge. Murphy takes a Rashomon -esque approach to the over-revealed 1989 murder of Jose and Kitty Menendez by their sons, Lyle and Eric, depicting The parents’ perspectives and scenes reflect the brothers’ claims of years of violence and abuse.
“He’s a monster,” Bardem said of Jose Menendez. “He did some horrible things that we know about, and some horrible things that we’re pretty sure about. And there are some things that we’re not sure about, like sexual abuse. We may think it did happen or it didn’t happen. But for me The most challenging part as an actor, for me, is playing him in a way that you can think he’s guilty of sexual abuse or not guilty of sexual abuse. The audience has to make that decision, just like we as the audience. It’s the same decision that citizens of the world will have to make when they see the trial, but there’s no certainty yet.
Monster: The Lyle and Eric Menendez Story.
Miles Crist/Netflix
Even as he dug deeper into the case, Baden was still unsure of the truth. “Sometimes I think, oh, yes, of course, [José] Did it. Sometimes I wake up and think, you know what? I’m not sure, and that’s what makes it so fascinating.
The case’s broader implications on intergenerational trauma – Jose Martinez was shown to be both a victim of abuse and a predator – particularly resonated with the actors. “Once we learned that Jose Menendez was abused by his own parents, he didn’t express it because he never felt capable, or capable, and he passed that on to his children, making it they become victims of abuse [it really] This illustrates the domino effect of pain and harm that can last for generations if not handled properly.
But Bardem said playing Jose wasn’t as scary or painful as performing in an animated musical. obsessed. The film, released on Netflix on November 22, follows Princess Ellian, voiced by Rachel Zegler, as she embarks on a quest to reverse the fate of her parents, King Solon. Den) and Queen Ellesmere (Nicole Kidman) are transformed into monsters under a curse.
“I’m not a singer. I can barely sing,” Bardem admitted. “I have such admiration for all Broadway musical actors. How on earth can they sing, dance, and act at the same time? But it’s a movie, so I can retake it as many times as I want. And then there’s the editing, which is amazing, they make you It sounds beautiful. I know I’m not going to be where Rachel Zegler is, my God, she has such a great voice, but I’m like, ‘I don’t need to be Pavaro. Ti. It’s a purple monster. Relax, enjoy life, and do your best.
Fascinated.
Sky Dance Animation/Netflix
After making a career out of playing human monsters, Bardem, 53, who has two teenagers, 12 and 14, with his wife Penélope Cruz, found himself turning to more PG-rated content. obsessed Follow the live action of Rob Marshall little mermaid and family-friendly Lyle, Lyle, crocodile.
“As a parent, sometimes your children ask, ‘Dad, where are you going? What is your job? No place for old people,” he said. “The first thing I did was Pirates of the Caribbean I thought: ‘Okay, this is what I do for my 7-year-olds’ so they can come and watch dad work and see what dad is doing when I’m not home.
For Baden, creating work that his children can view has become deeply meaningful. “The first time I showed my own movie to my kids, it was an experience I had never had before,” he recalls. “When you share something you love with the people you love most, all your hard work, your entire career, the ups and downs you’ve gone through suddenly make sense, and they appreciate you, and they understand who you are. .It was a beautiful, beautiful moment of awareness.
monster and obsessed Now streaming on Netflix.
