Newly married Javier Bardem has made his first red carpet appearance since tying the knot, hand in hand with a beautiful Hollywood actress. But those hoping to catch a glimpse of the Spanish star with his new wife Penelope Cruz will have to wait a little longer.
The actor was escorting his co-star Julia Roberts to the New York premiere of their film, Eat, Pray, Love. Dapper in a smart blue suit – but without a wedding band - the 41-year-old arrived on the arm of Julia. The actress looked radiant in a chic pair of shorts and a matching blazer, teamed with her famous million-dollar smile.
Appearing on the big screen alongside Julia certainly made a big impression on Javier. "The moment I was on set with her I felt totally relaxed," he said. "That’s enormous value for any actor, to feel you're working with somebody who's creative, intelligent, generous, but also makes you part of the journey."
And Julia was relieved to discover her leading man was just as much fun to work with. "I was a little terrified to be around him after No Country for Old Men," the 42-year-old brunette revealed. "I said to him near the end of filming, 'You know I thought you'd be so intense and weird, and I'd need to be like, handling you, but you're just so sweet and funny, and it's just so easy."
Making a dazzling appearance at the screening, Julia showed no sign of the weight she claimed to put on during filming for the drama. "When we were in Naples, we started shooting at eight in the morning, and I think by 8.45 I'd eaten eight or ten pieces of pizza," she told a US publication. "Pizza was what I ate all day that day. By the time we left Rome, I was seven to ten pounds heavier."
Based on a best-selling memoir of the same name, Eat, Pray, Love also features performances from Billy Crudup, Richard Jenkins, James Franco and Doubt's Viola Davis. It tells the story of a married woman who, while trying to get pregnant, realises her life needs to go in a different direction. After a painful divorce, she sets off on a round-the-world journey, spending four months in Italy eating and enjoying life, four months in India finding her spirituality, and four months in Bali where she finds love.