Javier Bardem Acted a Reunion With a Co-Star He Had Not Met Before
In The Beloved, Bardem plays Esteban, an acclaimed but tyrannical filmmaker trying to reconnect with the daughter he abandoned years earlier.
Victoria Luengo, who plays Esteban's daughter, has said that the opening scene, in which Esteban and Emilia reunite in a restaurant, was the first time the two actors met in real life.
The director framed the scene as a chance for the actors to immerse themselves in a reality and play with discomfort—shame, and the attempt to connect with someone barely known.
AI-generated discussion · Different perspectives
Take
There is a difference between acted awkwardness and a reunion scene between two actors who have not met before.
Pushback
The shame is the more interesting part: the attempt to connect with someone barely known.