Top astrologers confirm that the stars are aligned against best actor nominee Javier Bardem. It's safe to say Bardem, the first Spanish actor nominated for a best actor Oscar, will have to be content with simply being part of the race.
Still, Spain's King Juan Carlos II plans a special banquet in his honor. Bardem's American talent agency threw a party to introduce him to the Hollywood community. Even daytime TV host Rosie O'Donnell gushes about him on a daily basis. For Bardem's sake, one hopes that astrologers aren't predicting a serious romance.
Best Actor: Javier Bardem for Before Night Falls
Story: Reinaldo Arenas (Bardem) is a gay Cuban writer looking to escape persecution from Fidel Castro's government.
Bio: A major star in Spain, Bardem is best known to American audiences for his roles in the Pedro Almodóvar film Live Flesh and the Bigas Luna comedy Jamón, Jamón
Las Vegas Odds: 12-1
CityBeat Odds: In a just world, Bardem would take a gold statue back to Spain. In the real world, his acceptance speech stays folded inside his pocket.
Bardem on investigating Arenas' life: "I went to Cuba and I saw the place where Reinaldo lived the last five years before he left Cuba with Mariel (boatlift). It was like this table," he says, tapping a hotel room end table. "How can a person who lives in those conditions write what he wrote so beautifully?"
On playing Arenas: "He spoke English, and I don't speak English. He's homosexual. He was being chased and tortured. He writes. I don't write. He was an artist, and I don't consider myself an artist. So the point was to find a connection between that guy and me."
On accepting the role: "When Julian (Schnabel) talked about the story of Reinaldo Arenas, I said who is he? So he gave me some tapes and some books. I started reading, and I thought this can't be real. Then I went to Havana and talked with people and realized it was real."
