Bardem relishes villain role in latest Pirates romp
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maniacHe won assassinan Oscar Anton for Cigurhhis in No Country For Old Men and he earned great reviews for the twisted Bond villain Raoul Silva in Skyfall.
“I’ve played bad guy roles in very powerful movies,” Bardem says, “so I guess the echo is bigger.”
Add ghostly pirate hunter Captain Armando Salazar in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead
Men Tell No Tales to the Spanish actor’s list of creepy portrayals.
It is Salazar who is after Captain Jack Sparrow in the fifth high seas romp, which features lots of special effects action and broad comedy while including some old and new players.
The friendly Bardem, 48, offers his thoughts:
On how a set visit with his wife Penelope Cruz, who played Angelica in the fourth Pirates film, convinced him to come aboard:
“Yes, I knew that the production value was going to be fantastic,” Bardem says. “I saw how everything worked out so well. My concern was more about how to play Salazar.”
On collaborating with producer Jerry Bruckheimer and co-directors Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg:
“We worked together on how Salazar would talk and thought about where he would come from and what his looks were,” Bardem says. “You would think everything is by the book on a big production, but it is the opposite. They really encourage you to bring your input.” On enduring the makeup to get the bizarre Salazar look: “It was just me with sunscreen,” Bardem jokes. On the actual daily ordeal:
“It was three hours of makeup every day,” Bardem says. “Yeah, it drives you nuts. The first thing they do is to give you a coffee. They’re nice. It’s five in the morning. It’s cold.
“The second thing they do is to put glue all over your face with a brush... and then they put these things that look like chicken breasts on you, and then you sit; can’t talk, eat or drink for three hours. And finally when they say, ‘Action,’ you have the rage of the character.” On dealing with Salazar’s digital hair:
“The (effects) came after the performance,” Bardem says. “They adjusted to my performance, which is good, because I was worried about that.” On defining the vengeful Salazar in a comedy:
“I thought of my character as being a wounded bull,” he says. “But, I decided, when I play rage, I play rage. And then it will be on them to decide how to tune it up or tune it down.” On improvising with Depp as Captain Jack:
“He would do and say everything he wanted, and it would be brilliant, because he knows the character so well,” Bardem says.
On reuniting with Depp, who co-starred in 2000’s biopic Before Night Falls (the Bardem portrayal of gay artist Reinaldo Arenas earned the actor his first Oscar nomination.)
“It was bad, because he looks exactly the same from 17 years ago,” says Bardem of the reunion. “I think, ‘Oh man, what happened?’ I think I’ve aged. He hasn’t.” On how Depp’s acting approach has changed:
“He’s exactly the same as back in the day,” Bardem says. “He’s a gentle guy and a nice, caring, generous actor. I remember I was a little bit starstruck when he first came to the (Before Night Falls) set.” On their intimate moment in Before Night Falls: “We have a kiss,” Bardem says. “Then he kissed my wife in Pirates 4, so it’s kind of keeping it in the family.” On Bardem’s reaction to seeing the original Pirates film: “It had been a long time since I saw any pirate on screen,” he says. “Now we see and enjoy (Captain Jack) so easily, but back then Johnny really took a risk ... and I loved that.” On hoping his children, Leo, 5, and Luna, 3, like the new Pirates film: “When you are a father,” Bardem says, “you want to make a movie that entertains, that brings joy and laughter to people.”