A Normal Family Life: Penelope Cruz Details Why Madrid Gives Kids Privacy With Javier Bardem
Why Madrid Feels Right
Cruz said she and Bardem chose Madrid partly because it is easier to preserve their privacy there than in the United States. Their relatives and friends from childhood and adolescence are also close by.
In an interview with The Perfect Magazine published Nov. 5, Cruz said those connections help them have a more normal life. She said maintaining privacy takes effort, but matters especially while their children are young. Cruz added that Leo and Luna should be free to decide later what they want to do for work, without being exposed to things while they are little.
A Relationship Still Evolving
Cruz has said she continues to discover new things about Bardem, despite knowing him for 33 years and being married to him for more than 16 years. She made the remarks to People in July.
Reflecting on relationships, Cruz said that people may never fully know themselves, and compared that ongoing process to understanding a partner. She connected the thought to the relationship between her and Edward Norton’s characters in The Invite.
Choosing When To Collaborate
Cruz and Bardem first met while filming Jamón Jamón in 1992 and became romantically involved after working on Vicky Cristina Barcelona in 2008. Cruz said they prefer to work together only occasionally.
In a 2019 interview with Marie Claire, she said they do not want to choose projects simply because working together would be convenient. She explained that keeping collaborations infrequent is partly about protecting their relationship.
Key points
- Cruz says Madrid makes it easier to protect family privacy than living in the United States.
- Her relatives and longtime friends are nearby in Madrid.
- Cruz says children should have freedom to choose their futures without early exposure.
- She and Bardem prefer to collaborate on screen only occasionally.