Growing old (dis)gracefully: Spanish masculinities and contemporary star-celebrity culture

Through the close textual analysis of Dolor y Gloria (dir. Pedro Almodóvar 2019), Todos lo Saben (dir. Asghar Farhadi 2018) and cross-media promotions, this article will argue that through costuming, facial hair and the body, Antonio Banderas and Javier Bardem offer intersecting, but diverging performances of visibly ageing masculinity. On screen, the spectator is offered sensitive and emotional explorations of Spanish masculine identities which represent Banderas and Bardem respectively, as forced to sacrifice those they love. Conversely, off screen in editorial photography and on the red carpet, their star-celebrity representations are characterised by flux and difference. Bardem’s persona offers an aspirational representation of heteronormative stability, whereas Banderas’ image is dominated by instability, playfulness and striving to retain his youthful sex appeal.