As the nu metal resurgence continues, fans are turning up in the unlikeliest of places. Case in point, acclaimed actor Javier Bardem. As it turns out, Bardem, 57, is an avid Slipknot listener.
Speaking with Kerrang, the Oscar-winning Spanish actor, known for iconic roles in films such as Skyfall, Dune, and No Country For Old Men, dished on his love of the Des Moine nu metal pioneers.
I can't live without it. It's what I listen [to] when I drive. It's what I listen [to] when I'm being driven. It's what I listen to before I go to sleep. Yeah, I listen to Slipknot to go to sleep. Yes. What happened?
Since the age of 10, when his older brother played him AC/DC's Highway To Hell, he's been a fan of hard rock and metal. For Bardem, it's more than just music:
For me, metal is a way of living. It's a way of feeling. It's a way of belonging to a community of people, music and what it means that music, that I'm in tune with.
Every time I listen to metal and hard rock, and also the great classics, like [Led] Zeppelin, [Deep] Purple, [Black] Sabbath, that's what I like. And the older I get, the more I like it, and the less I like the other options. I have to say.
I think I can listen to anything, because I really respect music and musicians. But the thing that makes my heart beat is metal and hard rock.
The topic arose when discussing getting into the character of Max Cady for the new AppleTV miniseries Cape Fear, the latest adaptation of John D. MacDonald's The Executioners. The role was previously portrayed onscreen in 1962 by Robert Mitchum in J. Lee Thompson's Cape Fear, by Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's 1991 remake, and channeled by Kelsey Grammer as Sideshow Bob in The Simpsons episode "Cape Feare."
For this latest incarnation of the obsessive criminal, Bardem and the makeup team "went for a metal look." But the metal influence didn't stop there. Bardem makes clear that his tastes include plenty of other modern metal and, yes, nu metal. Five songs in particular helped the actor to embody the vengeful spirit of Cady:
Two from Linkin Park: "Given Up," with the great Chester [Bennington], and "Up From The Bottom" from the last album, From Zero. I think [Emily Armstrong] is an amazing singer. She really brought it back. Those two songs really express frustration and the fight for raising up from [one’s] own ashes that [resonates] with Max.
And songs by Slipknot, Falling In Reverse and Bad Omens. I’m so bad with the names of songs, but they were in my head all day long before doing anything and helped put me in the mood.
Fans may recall a clip of Bardem rocking out at a Judas Priest concert in Madrid that went viral last summer. The actor also took part in the recent career-spanning documentary Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition. Bardem's love for rock includes bands like Metallica and Pantera but also Pearl Jam, which he credits for helping him learn English.
Bardem is just the latest actor to surprise with his love of Slipknot. Recently, Danielle Fishel (aka Topanga from Boy Meets World) quizzed the crew of American Idol to finish the following Slipknot lyric: "You can't see California..." Sadly, the only professional wrestler The Miz (aka Michael Mizanin) was up to the task.
The first two episodes of Cape Fear is streaming now on AppleTV. New episodes release each Friday now through July 31st.
