Javier Bardem showed off his impressive shirtless physique as he posed for a jaw-dropping shoot photographed by his wife Penelope Cruz.

The actor, 55, posed for the images for The Gentleman’s Journal, and in an accompanying interview, reflected on how he and his wife first met, before beginning their romance when they reunited 17 years later.

Javier and Penelope began dating after reconnecting on the set of Vicky Cristina Barcelona in 2008, and they tied the knot two years later.

Detailing their first meeting, he said: ‘She was 17, and I was 22. It was her first movie; one of my first movies. A big movie. 

‘We met on the wardrobe test, where we looked at each other, and I guess something happened. Something that doesn’t have any explanation and goes beyond logic and reasoning.’

The actor, 55, posed for the images for The Gentleman’s Journal , and in an accompanying interview, reflected on how he and his wife first met

Javier and Penelope began dating after reconnecing on the set of Vicky Cristina Barcelona in 2008, and they tied the knot two years later

He went onto detail that while there was no romance between at the time, they reconnected 17 years later on Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which won Penelope an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

‘We realised that the feeling was still alive. Very alive. To our surprise!’ Javier added.

‘But it happened that we were both single at that moment, so naturally what had to happen happened – two people reconnected because they shared tons of things, way more than they expected. 

‘But we also shared that we met each other and knew each other before all of the noise, before success and before anybody saw us with different eyes because of who we now were, what we had become. 

‘And that’s an important base, to rely on someone because you know them for real, and they know you for real. You see me, I see you. That’s important.’ 

Javier and Penelope share two children, son Leo, 13, and daughter Luna, 11, and he also told the publication that he’s learned to accept his ‘flaws’ when it comes to fatherhood.

He said: ‘I’m flawed. I have tons of flaws, and things that need to be fixed in terms of me as a human being. But to be able to educate anybody is the most important responsibility that you’re ever going to have. 

‘You’re helping to guide, to shape someone, and how can you do that if you don’t educate yourself? If you don’t really evaluate who you are as a human being? Who are you? And what have you achieved? What are our flaws? What are our virtues?

Detailing their first meeting, he said: ‘She was 17, and I was 22. It was her first movie; one of my first movies. A big movie’

He went onto detail that while there was no romance between at the time, they reconnected 17 years later on Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Javier and Penelope share two children, son Leo, 13, and daughter Luna, 11, and he also told the publication that he’s learned to accept his ‘flaws’ when it comes to fatherhood 

Javier recently starred as the father Jose Menandez in the Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story

Reflecting on the role, he said: ‘It’s a way for us to try to understand a little better why and where they’re coming from’ 

Last month, Javier paid a sweet tribute to his wife Penelope as they attended the San Sebastián Film Festival

‘Because we must all work on our virtues, give attention to our virtues. But we must really give attention to our flaws.’

Javier recently starred as the father Jose Menandez in the Netflix series Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, which focuses on how sons Lyle and Erik murdered their parents.

Reflecting on the role, he said: ‘It’s a way for us to try to understand a little better why and where they’re coming from. 

‘I reckon that’s the only tool any artist has, which is to bring the experience, not the ideas, or the reasoning, or the theories. 

Read Javier Bardem’s full interview on thegentlemansjournal.com

‘But the experience of being someone to the audience, to make them feel – just for a second – like that person, so that their judgement opens up.’

Last month, Javier paid a sweet tribute to his wife Penelope as they attended the San Sebastián Film Festival.

During the Spanish gala, Bardem became visibly emotional as he praised his wife while accepting the Donostia Lifetime Achievement Award.

‘To a woman who I love and who I’ve shared a life with, I want to thank and give my deep gratitude for the human being you are and how you can be responsible for life, the life of your children, the life of your family, your mother, your friends, the life of others, the many people that you don’t know that you suffer for and you take care of and undoubtedly the life of this gentleman who’s here, who loves you and thanks you very much for it,’ he shared.

Bardem quickly expressed his gratitude for their two children as Cruz beamed at him while he playfully blew kisses toward her seat.

Read Javier Bardem’s full interview on thegentlemansjournal.com.