Yahoo News Javier Bardem is singing and dancing with a reptile, and loving it
Expect some strange sights in the year ahead for Javier Bardem. He's set to reprise his role as blue-eyed Stilgar, the fierce Fremen warrior of Dune: Part Two (if Denis Villeneuve's sequel is faithful to the book, the role will be major). Bardem will also rule as Triton, benevolent king of Atlantica, in Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
Until then, we'll just have to make do with the Spanish actor having the time of his life playing bescarved theater impresario Hector P. Valenti in the family-friendly romp Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (in theaters Oct. 7). Hector's got a pet croc that he hopes to make a big star — if only Lyle can summon the confidence to sing. (Voiced by Shawn Mendes, you can bet he figures it out.)
If you ever wanted to see Bardem knee-slide while bonding with an animated character, watch EW's exclusive clip above. Like that moment when you discovered Christopher Walken is an incredible dancer, the revelation is both spooky and thrilling. We spoke to Bardem, 53, from Budapest, on a break from the Dune shoot.
Columbia Pictures
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: It's surprising to see you enjoying yourself in a musical. Do you have some kind of inner theater geek aching to come out?
JAVIER BARDEM: No, I don't. Actually Rob Marshall — the great Rob Marshall — with who I now have the luck and the blessing of working with in The Little Mermaid, was the very first one who believed that I could make some decent sounds back in the day when he was casting different actors for [2009's] Nine.
Oh, right!
Daniel Day-Lewis ended up doing it and he did a fantastic job, of course, but we always thought, Okay, we should do something one day. What I'm saying is, he kind of gave me the confidence to do something that I'm not at all good at. When you're surrounded by the right people, people that help you warm up your voice, hit the notes, understand how to sing the song, when there's a great mixer, a good music supervisor, a good editor, then, s--t — looks like you can sing.
You're being very deferential to your collaborators here.
Oh, my God, yes. It's so hard to be able to move and act at the same time. I'm only a man.
And not a dancing crocodile. Can you give us a little peek into that? Was Lyle a person in a motion-capture suit?
There were three different realities. First, there's an actor in the scenes where we have no singing. He will be wearing this [mo-cap] suit with these cables and things that are kind of funny to look at. He was doing a fantastic job because you need lots of patience. Then, when we are doing the musical numbers, it will be a dancer dressed the same as the actor, with those cables, dancing near you.
But most of the time, you are working with an empty space. That is strange, because you have to imagine everything. It took me a little bit to accommodate to that. But then once you get into that game of it, it's fun because then you are free to go, you are free to imagine. That's the reason why we do what we do. That was a good part of why I decided to be part of this project — to try to go out there and play, and imagine, and do things that I'm not used to.
Columbia Pictures
It really is fun seeing this side of you. Did you work with Shawn Mendes or was that all in post?
It was all in post. When we were doing the movie, the producers were talking about him, and of course it was like, Jesus, if that could happen, that would be amazing, because we are huge fans of Shawn Mendes at home, my kids and wife. What a voice. Then when it happened, we were all so excited, but I didn't have the chance to work with him. We recorded the songs separately because we both have different schedules. It's only now in the promotion where we are starting to know each other. It's fun because he's adorable, and his voice is crazy, huh?
That's fascinating. So you did your entire contribution to the film without even knowing that Shawn would ultimately be cast?
They were in talks, but you know how it goes. Things take time, especially when you are targeting such a big name like Shawn Mendes.
Did you have any kind of familiarity with the book, Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, maybe through your children?
I read the book years ago to my kids, one of them. I would say it's more popular in the States. We live in Spain, but we travel back and forth. Of course, my kids have to do a lot with the decision of me going out there to sing and dance with a crocodile. They were like, "Are you going to go on a motorcycle through New York City with a crocodile? We want to see that."
Sometimes you do one for the kids.
Absolutely. But more than that, I was very attracted to [Oscar- and Tony-winning songwriters] Pasek and Paul, because we are huge fans of The Greatest Showman at home as well, and that soundtrack is very good.
Did you feel a personal connection with Hector, your character? He is himself a showman and an entrepreneur and an actor, but also an unusually complex character for material like this, wouldn't you say?
One of the first questions I asked the directors was, "Why are you calling me? That's such a weird choice." They were laughing and said, "Well, I guess we are calling you because we want to you to bring that side of the character that doesn't belong to this world." In a way, I'm a foreigner in this genre. But Hector works hard and really puts in every effort possible to be part of it. Hector helped me to liberate myself, to be more like "Who cares? Go, have fun, enjoy, move freely."
Do people still quote No Country for Old Men back to you, friendo?
There are a lot of people out there that still think I'm killing with cattle air-gun machines.
I mean, if you're not smiling at them in the elevator, I get that.
To see someone's face going...[trails off] I say to them, "That was a movie. It was only a movie. Don't worry. I'm just going to my floor."
Meanwhile, that's another stranger you'll be haunting forever.
It's a movie that stays for long time in people's minds — and what a blessing to be part of that. To belong to a movie that is, for sure, one of the best Coen Brothers movies ever.
You're so iconic in it. Meanwhile, did your work on Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile have any effect on the shoot of Dune: Part II?
Well, it's a different monster. Dune is happening as we speak. I shot today, I shoot tomorrow, and it's a great experience to be on this set. There's so much talent in front and behind the camera that it's kind of scary. Again, it's one of those things that you pinch yourself everyday and say, "S--t, how lucky I am to be part of this." Stilgar — it's a different rhythm than Hector. Hector, he doesn't have any pressures. Stilgar, he has a whole tribe to look out for. There's more responsibility to Stilgar as a human being than Hector, let's say.
And fewer dance numbers.
In Dune? I tried to convince them they need to have an initial number with the sandworms, and they're thinking about it.
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile opens in theaters Oct. 7.
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