Oscar-winning film star reveals his secret past as an international rugby prop… but can you recognise him from his playing days?

A Hollywood star has revealed he played rugby until he was 23 and even represented his country, before eventually dedicating himself to acting full-time.

The one-time Academy Award winner played for Spain at international level and attended the Rugby World Cup semi-final between Argentina and New Zealand last month.

And despite acknowledging rugby suffered from a lack of support in his country, the actor packed down in scrums for some 15 years.

No Country for Old Men star Javier Bardem revealed ahead of the All Blacks’ semi-final win against Argentina that he played for Spain.  

‘I played for Spain,’ Bardem told former Scotland international Jim Hamilton.

The Oscar-winning actor played as loosehead prop for Spain before retiring aged 23

‘I started when I was nine years old and I played until I was 23. I love it, it is my passion.

‘I’m always saying that playing rugby in Spain is like being a bullfighter in Japan. 

‘It didn’t make any sense back then but now, thank God, there is a lot of support in Spain for rugby.’

Asked what made him fall in love with rugby, Bardem replied: ‘It’s my favourite sport of them all because of the ethics, because of the union of the team, because of the respect to the fellow players and the referees. 

‘The ethics of rugby are amazing.

‘I don’t like lately that people are whistling when the players are kicking. We are better than that. 

‘We have a lot of lessons to give to the kids and one of the things I love about rugby is the ethics – respect the kicker.’

The Skyfall star revealed he used be a prop and played alongside his brother, Carlos. 

‘I was a prop, believe it or not, a small prop, number three,’ he explained.  

Bardem revealed he played rugby from the age of nine until he was 23

The 54-year-old actor attended the Rugby World Cup semi-final between New Zealand and Argentina last month

‘My brother Carlos and I, we were called “Los Mendrugos”, which is the hard part of the bread.’

Unsurprisingly, however, Bardem does not regret swapping the oval for the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. 

‘I don’t have a 140kilograms train wreck coming towards me to tackle,’ he said.

‘I feel way, way safer making a movie than being there [on the rugby pitch] for one minute.’