If you were to encounter Javier Bardem in a dimly lit alley, you might feel a twinge of fear. Known for his portrayal of chilling villains—like the menacing Anton Chigurh in the Coen brothers’ No Country for Old Men—the Spanish actor has certainly made his mark in the realm of intense characters.
Despite the menacing roles he plays, Bardem is quite the opposite in real life. A committed pacifist, he steered clear of violence after an unfortunate nightclub brawl resulted in a broken nose. As an advocate for various human rights issues—such as the plight of the Sahrawi people, a group from Western Sahara—he even lent his voice to the 2012 documentary Sons of the Clouds, shedding light on life in refugee camps.
You might assume someone with his peaceful disposition would prefer softer music—perhaps classical pieces or soothing folk songs. However, it turns out Bardem’s musical taste aligns surprisingly well with his more fierce on-screen characters.
During an episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Bardem reminisced about attending a Judas Priest concert alone, as his friends declined to join him due to family or study commitments. “I went on my own,” he recalled fondly. The concert organizers gave him a bit of privacy by placing him in the midst of the audience and conveniently locating a nearby restroom, jokingly noting, “Heavy metal people, we also pee.”
Bardem further showcased his passion for the genre in a 2018 Golden Globes interview, where he revealed he spent much of the previous summer attending concerts of his favorite bands. “I saw Metallica, Judas Priest, Scorpions, Accept, Ozzy Osbourne, Kiss, Iron Maiden twice, and Pearl Jam, all in about a month and a half. My ears were bleeding, but my heart was full. I am very much into heavy metal,” he shared, adding with a hint of regret, “Unfortunately, my wife Penélope Cruz isn’t a fan. She’s more into other stuff.”
As for his plans to attend the upcoming Black Sabbath reunion show in Birmingham on July 5th, it would mark a significant moment—Ozzy Osbourne has announced this will be his final live appearance.
It’s amusing to note that while Bardem enjoys the loud energy of heavy metal, it doesn’t align with the quiet, introspective nature he exhibits off-screen. That’s just the captivating duality of metal, it seems.
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