Penelope Cruz's presence got Bardem excited about 'Pirates...'

Los Angeles, May 19 (IANS) Oscar winning actor Javier Bardem says he was happy to be part of "Pirates Of The Carribean" franchise because of his wife and actress Penelope Cruz.

The actor says he saw his wife having a great time while shooting for the 2011 film "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides", and he knew he would also have a great time. 

"My wife, Penelope Cruz, was in 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'. I was very happy to be part of the group because I saw them working on the movie and I thought they did a great job so, I knew it was going to be a great experience. I felt honoured to be part of it," Bardem said in a statement. 

Bardem will be seen in the fifth instalment of the franchise "Pirates Of The Carribean: Salazar's Revenge", slated to release in India on May 26. 

The actor says he was amazed with the power of make-up. 

He said: "It's pretty amazing what they've done with the make-up. It's outstanding. It took two to three hours in the make-up chair every day. Once it's on, it really helps you to get in the mood. But also, it doesn't kill your expression." 

Bardem added that his "greatest fear was that I would not be able to show emotion or feeling with the prosthetics on my face". 

"But that was not the case. I could do that, which is where you see the quality of those make-up artists. So yes, it was a long process of being in the chair every day, but also very rewarding because it helped me to see myself like that and to find the character. Make-up was a very important part of the process of trying to find that character," he said.