Javier Bardem Shares Rare Comments About His Kids Leo and Luna with Wife Penélope Cruz

Mar. 15, 2025

Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz.Photo:Neilson Barnard/Getty

Neilson Barnard/Getty

Javier Bardemthinks he might be a little too involved in his kids' lives.Speaking with actor Richard Gadd forInterview Magazine, the actor, 55, revealed that he sometimes feels like he and wifePenélope Cruz, 50, know too much about what their kids are doing. Bardem shares his son Leo, 13, and Luna, 11, with Cruz.“How valuable is the work of a teacher, huh? I feel the same for a teacher I had when I was younger,” Bardem begins. “I was not a good student at all, and he was the only one that would pay attention to me as somebody that needed caring, love, support, and the presence that I didn’t have because my mother was working and my father was not there.““Now today I have two kids, and we are more aware of how important it is to be present,” Bardem says. “Sometimes we are way too present in their lives. But that teacher was kind of a revolutionary back then, where he was like, ‘No this kid needs to be seen and heard.’ And I will always remember him for that.“Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem.Momodu Mansaray/GettyCruz and Bardem don’t often discuss their kids in public, with the actress explaining toEllein Januarywhy they chose to remain private. “It’s for them to decide if they are going to have a job that is more exposed to the public or not. They can talk about that when they’re ready,” she said of her kids.In a 2021 interview with Rita Braver ofCBS Sunday Morning,Cruz spoke about howshe protects her two kidsfrom social media.The mom of two shared how she’s “very tough with technology” when it comes to her two children. “We can watch movies sometimes or some cartoons. How can I not let them watch movies?” she said. “That has been some incredible moments of happiness since I was a little girl.“Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz.Laurent KOFFEL/Gamma-Rapho/GettyStill, she suggested they won’t have phones “until they are much older,” and added, “No social media until at least 16.““I really see that that is protecting mental health, but I seem to be part of a minority,” Cruz concluded.Cruz and Bardem tied the knot in 2010.

Javier Bardemthinks he might be a little too involved in his kids' lives.

Speaking with actor Richard Gadd forInterview Magazine, the actor, 55, revealed that he sometimes feels like he and wifePenélope Cruz, 50, know too much about what their kids are doing. Bardem shares his son Leo, 13, and Luna, 11, with Cruz.

“How valuable is the work of a teacher, huh? I feel the same for a teacher I had when I was younger,” Bardem begins. “I was not a good student at all, and he was the only one that would pay attention to me as somebody that needed caring, love, support, and the presence that I didn’t have because my mother was working and my father was not there.”

“Now today I have two kids, and we are more aware of how important it is to be present,” Bardem says. “Sometimes we are way too present in their lives. But that teacher was kind of a revolutionary back then, where he was like, ‘No this kid needs to be seen and heard.’ And I will always remember him for that.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem.Momodu Mansaray/Getty

Momodu Mansaray/Getty

Cruz and Bardem don’t often discuss their kids in public, with the actress explaining toEllein Januarywhy they chose to remain private. “It’s for them to decide if they are going to have a job that is more exposed to the public or not. They can talk about that when they’re ready,” she said of her kids.

In a 2021 interview with Rita Braver ofCBS Sunday Morning,Cruz spoke about howshe protects her two kidsfrom social media.

The mom of two shared how she’s “very tough with technology” when it comes to her two children. “We can watch movies sometimes or some cartoons. How can I not let them watch movies?” she said. “That has been some incredible moments of happiness since I was a little girl.”

Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz.Laurent KOFFEL/Gamma-Rapho/Getty

Still, she suggested they won’t have phones “until they are much older,” and added, “No social media until at least 16.”

“I really see that that is protecting mental health, but I seem to be part of a minority,” Cruz concluded.

Cruz and Bardem tied the knot in 2010.

source: people.com