You grew up in Madrid, loving American as well as Spanish films.
That’s true: I don’t believe in God, but I believe in Al Pacino. The other day I was watching ‘‘Dog Day Afternoon’’ again, and I see a man who is so true, so interesting and I understand more about the world from his performance. And you go, ‘‘C’mon, it’s only acting.’’ Well, wouldn’t you say that a good book or a good painting allows you to see the world in a different way? When I see a great performance, I feel more alive.

Portrait of a Lady Killer: Javier Bardem – New York Times

Quick, fascinating interview with Javier Bardem on acting and playing two very different roles in No Country and Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Full of good tid-bits like the one above, as well as:

With Chigurh, I saw him as a man with a mission that was beyond his control. Someone chose his fate for him. I thought of him as a man who never had sex. He doesn’t like human fluids, even his own. [Pauses] I don’t want to get into too many details, but I even imagined how Chigurh would masturbate.