Javier Bardem On Returning To ‘Dune’ & The Challenges Of ‘Being The Ricardos’ [Interview]

discussing their respective roles in “No Time to Die” and “Being the Ricardos” as part of Variety’s annual “Actors on Actors” series in which thespians politely grill each other for their fans’ viewing pleasure.During the laughter-filled bro chat, Craig dropped a gender-bending bombshell about their time working together: “I remember you were in drag — but I know that’s a whole other story.”Bardem went on to admit that he popped “out of a cake” to surprise his co-star on his birthday.“I was supposed to be the Bond girl that night, and oh, my God, I was,” he revealed. “I sang ‘Happy Birthday  to You,’ my best Marilyn Monroe impersonation.

When it comes to birthday celebrations, Javier Bardem goes all out for his friends.

Zack Sharf Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem became close friends during the making of Sam Mendes’ 2012 James Bond tentpole “Skyfall,” so much so that Bardem once serenaded Craig for his birthday in Marilyn Monroe fashion. True to the spirit of their friendship, Bardem did so while dressed in drag as a Bond girl.

Daniel Craig (“No Time to Die”) and Javier Bardem (“Being the Ricardos”) sat down for a virtual chat for Variety’s Actors on Actors, presented by Amazon Studios. For more, click here.Since starring together as hero and villain of 2012’s “Skyfall,” Daniel Craig and Javier Bardem have continued to test themselves on screen. Last year, Craig finally bid farewell to James Bond with “No Time to Die,” a moody sendoff for his iteration of the British superspy.

EXCLUSIVE: The Santa Barbara Film Festival will be getting a touch of Lucy and Desi by way of honoring another pair of major stars.

Apple has put in development a television series adaptation of Pedro Almodovar’s 1988 black comedy Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, with former Jane The Virgin star Gina Rodriguez set to star and executive produce, sources have confirmed to Deadline.

Mónica Marie Zorrilla “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown,” Pedro Almodóvar’s hit dark comedy starring Carmen Maura and Fernando Guillén, will be adapted for an Apple TV Plus series.Gina Rodriguez is attached to star as Pepa Marcos, Maura’s original role in the 1988 film, and Almodóvar is slated to executive produce the show via his El Deseo banner. Rodriguez, in addition to being cast as a lead, will also executive produce via her I Can and I Will Productions banner alongside partner Molly Breeskin.The Hollywood Reporter, which was the first to report the news, was told by sources that the movie’s adaptation will be bilingual — a mix of English and Spanish.

Javier Bardem definetly has a lot of special memories from his successful acting career, however he also has some very interesting stories to tell, including one involving his wife Penélope Cruz and the iconic singer Prince, describing it as his “Hollywood star story.”The actor revealed he once made the singer start one of his live performances an hour late, admitting during his latest interview that he was personally invited to the concert, saying “sorry” in advance before diving into the story.Bardem told Jimmy Fallon that the couple were even invited to have dinner backstage before the concert started, and the actor recalls being confused after no one told them it was time for the performance.“We were having a few drinks and we were like, ‘Nobody’s coming to pick us up,” the actor continued, “So I step out of the room and say ‘Hey, we are here!’” the star shared.The couple quickly realized that the audience had been waiting an hour, with the concert starting right after they were took their seats.

In 1952, the second season of CBS sitcom I Love Lucy set viewing records that, 70 years later, have yet to be beaten. The star was Lucille Ball, a lovable klutz from New York, and her husband Ricky was played by her real-life spouse—Cuban refugee Desi Arnaz. Together they founded Desilu Productions, soon to be the No. 1 independent TV company in America. In 1957, however, a scandal surfaced that threatened to tear it all down: Lucy was a registered Communist. Or was she? That fraught time is brought to life by Aaron Sorkin in his Amazon Studios release Being the Ricardos, starring Nicole Kidman as Lucy and Javier Bardem as Desi. Damon Wise sits down with all three to discuss the forgotten legacy of a most unlikely power couple.

Prince an hour late to his own concert.The Being The Ricardos actor recalled the incident on The Tonight Show on Monday (January 17), explaining to Jimmy Fallon how Cruz, who Bardem has been married to since 2010, was friends with the late musician.Bardem explained that he and Cruz were having dinner at Prince’s home in London with Jordi Mollà before one of Prince’s shows.“We were having dinner and we took the dessert and we were having a drink, two drinks, and we were like, ‘Nobody’s coming here to pick us up,’” Bardem said.Watch the video here:“So I step out of the room and I say, ‘Hey, we are here.’ ‘Are you finished?’ ‘Yes.’” Then Prince came and said, ‘Are you done?’ ‘Yes.’”The actor said Prince then sent Bardem and Cruz to their seats, and started the show very quickly afterwards. “We were like, ‘Oh my god, they’ve been waiting an hour for us to finish the dinner,’” Bardem said.“So that’s my Hollywood star story – I made people wait for an hour.

Javier Bardem once caused a Prince concert to start an hour late.

Javier Bardem once accidentally made late music icon Prince an hour late for his own concert.

Britney Spears isn't putting much weight or thought into her sister's tell-all interview with ABC News. In fact, the pop star is said to be "rolling her eyes" at Jamie Lynn Spears.Brit's sister and one-time confidant spoke to ABC's Juju Chang to promote her upcoming memoir, "Things I Should Have Said." During that chat this week, Jamie spoke about her fractured relationship with Britney and even said the "Toxic" singer was "erratic" and "paranoid" leading up to her since-terminated conservatorship."Britney has been deeply hurt by her family, and this isn't helping matters," a source told Page Six.

Javier Bardem faced many challenges in bringing Desi Arnaz to life in Amazon’s Being the Ricardos, and he is being recognized for his efforts by his peers with a Screen Actors Guild nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama on Wednesday.

The director of “Being the Ricardos” is pushing back on criticism of the film’s casting.