For Penélope Cruz, Madrid is not just her hometown, but the place where her family can live closest to a normal everyday life. In an interview with Perfect magazine, the actress explained why she and Javier Bardem chose the Spanish capital as the home where they would raise their two children.
“Our entire family is there, as are our friends from childhood and our teenage years; it is easier to lead a normal life”, Cruz said.
The family returned to Madrid in 2013
Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem married in July 2010. Their first child, a son named Leo, was born in Los Angeles in January 2011. Their daughter Luna was born in Madrid in July 2013.
After periods of living and working in Los Angeles, New York and London, the two actors settled back in Spain. The decision was linked not only to their professional commitments, but also to their wish for their children to grow up close to their relatives and their parents’ friends.
Cruz explains that fame makes protecting one’s private life difficult, but that effort is especially important when there are children in the family. In her words, they should have the opportunity to grow up without constant public attention and later decide for themselves whether they want to be part of public life.
The two actors limit time apart because of work
Family rules also influence their choice of roles. Javier Bardem told Variety that he does not make special demands for luxurious conditions on set, but insists that he not be away from his loved ones for more than two weeks.
“The only thing I care about is not spending more than two weeks away from my family,” Bardem said.
The actor has said that after the birth of their first child, he and Cruz have tried to ensure that at least one parent is at home whenever the other accepts a professional commitment. In this way, their international careers are adapted to the family’s daily life, rather than the other way around.
Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem are among the most popular Spanish actors in world cinema. Cruz won an Oscar for her role in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, while Bardem received the award for No Country for Old Men. Despite the publicity surrounding their professional lives, the two continue to keep their children away from media attention.
Sources: tialoto.bg, theperfectmagazine.com, elpais.com