Spanish actor Javier Bardem was born (March 1, 1969) in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain, into a family  of film makers and actors, with a long history of being involved with Spanish Cinema. Being the son of Carlos Encinas and actress Pilar Bardem, he and his brother and sister were encouraged to become involved in the proud tradition of performance in this art of drama.

At the tender age of 6 and a half, was in his first film, El Pícaro. Throughout his childhood, he was in several Spanish TV shows. As a teen, he turned to painting. When Javier realized that he wasn't good enough to excel to the level of family excellence, he developed his soccer skills and played for the underage Spanish National Rugby Team.

However, acting was in his blood, so he eventually got drawn into the craft of acting once again, at the age of twenty.

Starting with THE AGES OF LULU, Javier had a successful run of 12 Spanish films, giving wonderful performances appreciated by Spanish critics and audiences alike.  His international breakthrough performance was his role in BEFORE NIGHT FALLS, and he has been on a roll since then, playing a variety of characters, which shows the depth of his talent and versatility.  Javier has done so as to not be type-cast as manly man eye-candy for swooning women.

He has worked hard in learning better English, as he is finding more and more meaty roles in English language films being offered to him.

AWARDS:

2008 ACADEMY AWARDS Oscar: Best Supporting Actor: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
2008 GOLDEN GLOBE: Best Supporting Actor: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
2007-SCREEN ACTORS GUILD - Best Supporting Actor: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

Goya Awards:
2005   Best Lead Actor, THE SEA INSIDE
2003: Best Lead Actor, MONDAYS IN THE SUN
1996: Best Lead Actor, Boca a boca
1995: Best Supporting Actor, Días contados

NOMINATED:

2009: GOLDEN GLOBE For Best Actor in a musical or comedy, (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)
2005:GOLDEN GLOBE For Best Actor in a film drama, (THE SEA INSIDE)
2001: ACADEMY AWARD for Best Actor, (BEFORE NIGHT FALLS)
2001: GOLDEN GLOBE FOR Best Actor,  (BEFORE NIGHT FALLS)

Goya Awards for Best Actor:
1993 (JAMON, JAMON), 1994 (HUEVOS DE PRO), 1998 (CARNE TREMULA)

Javier Bardem's other notable credits include:

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA (2007)
GOYA'S GHOSTS (2006)
COLLATERAL (2004)
MONDAYS IN THE SUN (2002)
THE DANCER UPSTAIRS (2002)
WASHINGTON WOLVES (Los Lobos de Washington) (1999)
LIVE FLESH (1997)
MOUTH TO MOUTH ((Boca a boca) (1995)
The Detective and Death (El detective y la muerte) (1994)