Javier Bardem, 55, shows off his shirtless physique in snaps taken by his wife Penelope Cruz as he reflects on rekindling their romance 17 YEARS after they first met

Javier Bardem showed disconnected his awesome shirtless physique arsenic he posed for a jaw-dropping sprout photographed by his wife Penelope Cruz.

The actor, 55, posed for nan images for The Gentleman's Journal, and successful an accompanying interview, reflected connected really he and his woman first met, earlier opening their romance erstwhile they reunited 17 years later.

Javier and Penelope began making love aft reconnecting connected nan group of Vicky Cristina Barcelona successful 2008, and they tied nan knot 2 years later.

Detailing their first meeting, he said: 'She was 17, and I was 22. It was her first movie; 1 of my first movies. A large movie. 

'We met connected nan wardrobe test, wherever we looked astatine each other, and I conjecture thing happened. Something that doesn't person immoderate mentation and goes beyond logic and reasoning.'

He went onto item that while location was nary romance betwixt astatine nan time, they reconnected 17 years later connected Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which won Penelope an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

'We realised that nan emotion was still alive. Very alive. To our surprise!' Javier added.

'But it happened that we were some azygous astatine that moment, truthful people what had to hap happened – 2 group reconnected because they shared tons of things, measurement much than they expected. 

'But we besides shared that we met each different and knew each different earlier each of nan noise, earlier occurrence and earlier anybody saw america pinch different eyes because of who we now were, what we had become. 

'And that's an important base, to trust connected personification because you cognize them for real, and they cognize you for real. You spot me, I spot you. That's important.' 

Javier and Penelope stock 2 children, boy Leo, 13, and girl Luna, 11, and he besides told nan publication that he's learned to judge his 'flaws' erstwhile it comes to fatherhood.

He said: 'I'm flawed. I person tons of flaws, and things that request to beryllium fixed successful position of maine arsenic a quality being. But to beryllium capable to amended anybody is nan astir important work that you're ever going to have. 

'You're helping to guide, to style someone, and really tin you do that if you don't amended yourself? If you don't really measure who you are arsenic a quality being? Who are you? And what person you achieved? What are our flaws? What are our virtues?

'Because we must each activity connected our virtues, springiness attraction to our virtues. But we must really springiness attraction to our flaws.'

Javier precocious starred arsenic nan begetter Jose Menandez successful nan Netflix bid Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, which focuses connected really sons Lyle and Erik murdered their parents.

Reflecting connected nan role, he said: 'It's a measurement for america to effort to understand a small amended why and wherever they're coming from. 

'I reckon that's nan only instrumentality immoderate creator has, which is to bring nan experience, not nan ideas, aliases nan reasoning, aliases nan theories. 

'But nan acquisition of being personification to nan audience, to make them consciousness – conscionable for a 2nd – for illustration that person, truthful that their judgement opens up.'

Last month, Javier paid a saccharine tribute to his woman Penelope arsenic they attended nan San Sebastián Film Festival.

During nan Spanish gala, Bardem became visibly affectional arsenic he praised his woman while accepting nan Donostia Lifetime Achievement Award.

'To a female who I emotion and who I’ve shared a life with, I want to convey and springiness my heavy gratitude for nan quality being you are and really you tin beryllium responsible for life, nan life of your children, nan life of your family, your mother, your friends, nan life of others, nan galore group that you don’t cognize that you suffer for and you return attraction of and undoubtedly nan life of this man who’s here, who loves you and acknowledgment you very overmuch for it,' he shared.

Bardem quickly expressed his gratitude for their 2 children arsenic Cruz beamed astatine him while he playfully blew kisses toward her seat.

Read Javier Bardem's afloat question and reply connected thegentlemansjournal.com.