Hands, feet and even nose: Bardem leaves his mark in Hollywood and honours his family's legacy
The actor takes centre stage at a moving ceremony in Los Angeles, paying tribute to his mother Pilar Bardem. Besides his hand and footprints, the Spaniard also pressed his nose into the wet cement.
Published on 17/06/2026 - 7:30 GMT+2
Spanish actor Javier Bardem left his prints in the historic TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood during an emotion‑filled ceremony in which he championed his family’s artistic legacy and remembered his mother, the late Pilar Bardem.
“It moves me because of the Bardem name, a name that has been in this profession for a very long time. I am nothing more than a representative of that name,” he told local media after pressing his hands, feet, signature and even his nose into the cement.
The actor stressed that the tribute had a special meaning for his entire family and added: “The fact that ‘Bardem’ is there makes me very happy for my mother, my uncle, my cousins, my brothers and sisters, my grandparents.”
During the event, Bardem recalled his mother as “the most important person in his development” and highlighted one of the lessons that shaped his career: “You must never marry success or failure, because both are a lie.” He also reiterated his social commitment, saying: “Never give up your voice in the face of injustice or for those who are not usually heard.”
The tribute was attended by film‑makers such as Denis Villeneuve and Michael Mann, who praised his professionalism, humanity and political engagement. Villeneuve joked as he recalled his first encounter with the actor, describing him as “a teddy bear”, while Mann highlighted a level of involvement that, he said, “goes beyond the immediate”.
Bardem, who has had a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame since 2012, is in the midst of a busy year with new releases and international projects, consolidating a career that is now also etched in Hollywood cement.
