Javier Bardem: "That my nomination and Penelope's happen at the same time seems magical to me"

The Spanish actor Javier Bardem, who this Tuesday has been nominated for an Oscar for this year's edition for his performance in

, has given a press conference in Madrid this afternoon to assess his candidacy.

The 52-year-old interpreter has celebrated that he and the actress Penélope Cruz, who is also his partner, have been nominated at the same time, in her case for best leading actress for her role in the Pedro Almodóvar film

.

“On a personal level I am very happy, especially for Penelope.

I mean, I'm very happy about mine, but mine wouldn't have made sense without his, it wouldn't have been a celebration.

And the fact that it happens at the same time seems magical to me.

And the fact that her nomination is for a role in Spanish for the second time seems to me something extraordinary and historic, speaking of the Spain brand.

I also miss Pedro [Almodóvar], as a director and screenwriter”, he said in reference to the absence of nominations for the filmmaker from La Mancha in the nominations for best foreign film.

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Bardem, after his Oscar nomination: "On a personal level, I am very happy, especially for Penelope. Mine would not have made sense without hers. It would not have been a celebration. That it happens at the same time seems magical to me" https://t .co/b4C1E0tZO2 pic.twitter.com/J1g2rSUAwu

– THE COUNTRY (@el_pais) February 8, 2022

Bardem, who will compete for the statuette against Benedict Cumberbatch (

Andrew Gardfield (

Will Smith (

and

Denzel Washington (

has also lamented that the film by Fernando León de Aranoa

, in which he has the leading role, has not entered the Oscar nominations: "I have to say that I am very happy for some things and very sad for others, taking into account that I am sorry that

is not there .

I was hopeful that he could make it to that final quintet [of nominated films] because of how people in America were reacting.”

Asked why it would mean for him to win his second Oscar – he already won a statuette for his supporting role in

—, Bardem has replied that he does not see himself as a favorite and that the nomination is already an award in itself: “I am not going to get it, I am not Will Smith.

Well I do not know.

Sorry, sorry, what I said, it seems like Will Smith is in the race to get to ... he does a great job.

There is also Benedict Cumberbatch, who does a wonderful job, also doing something extraordinarily different in it, in a movie that I think is very good.

Then there is Andrew Garfield, who is a guy who does, and sings, and dances and does everything...”.

And he has added: “And then there is Denzel Washington, who is that animal that walks around, who does not care what he does.

Personally, whenever he opens his mouth, I stare at him because I know there's something wrong, a vital circumstance that interests me a lot.

The prize is the nomination, come on, and I celebrate it as such,

Bardem has also remembered his mother, the actress Pilar Bardem, who died in July 2021: “I know that my mother was very excited about these things, very much.

She always prayed to her saints and her parents for good things to happen to us.

And I know that my mother at this moment must be enjoying it and laughing.

And of course he's talked to her, before and after her, and I've dedicated it to her."

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Javier Bardem, after his Oscar nomination: "I know that my mother was very excited about these things. I know that at this moment she must be enjoying it and laughing. I have dedicated it to her" https://t.co/b4C1E0tZO2 pic.twitter.com/GaUIDGxy1T

– THE COUNTRY (@el_pais) February 8, 2022