“Sometimes we are too present in their lives.”
Javier Bardem has given a rare comment about his children, whom he raises with his wife, Penelope Cruz.
In a conversation with actor Richard Gadd for Interview Magazine, Bardem said that sometimes he feels like he and his wife are too involved in their children’s lives. The couple have a 13-year-old son, Leo, and an 11-year-old daughter, Luna.
“How valuable is the teacher’s work?” Bardem asked. “I was not a good student at all, and the teacher was the only one who paid attention to me as a person who needed care, love, support, which I did not have because my mother worked and my father was absent.”
“Today, I have two children, and we understand better how important it is to be present in their lives,” Javier continued. “Sometimes we are too present in their lives. But back then, that teacher was kind of a revolutionary for me, and he said, ‘This child needs to be seen and heard.’ And I will always remember those words.”
Cruz and Bardem don’t often discuss their children publicly. In January, the actress explained to Elle why they decided to remain private:
They will have to decide whether they want to have a job that is more publicly visible or not. They can talk about it when they are ready,
— Penelope said about her children.
