Penelope Cruz says it's 'risky' working with husband Javier Bardem as the couple team up for their ninth film

Penelope Cruz has opened up about her marriage to Javier Bardem as they kick off promotions for their new psychological thriller Bunker.The couple, who have been married for 16 years and have two children, have starred in nine films together.'We don’t want to do it too much, but once in a while it’s great,' she revealed in Elle magazine's 2026 Women in Hollywood Portfolio issue.'It’s just not something we want to do all the time. It would be too risky,' she continued.Reflecting on their marriage, the 52-year-old said that she and Bardem have been friends for 33 years.'Of course, a lot of things are the same, but you both have changed and grown together. And that's going to be present in the work… you can see and understand each other with one look.' Penelope Cruz has opened up about her marriage to Javier Bardem in the new issue of Elle magazineCruz and Bardem first starred together in the 1992 Spanish film Jamón Jamón, which shot them both to fame. They continued to act together for several more Spanish films, including in Pedro Almodóvar's Live Flesh, before doing their first English film together by headlining Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona in 2008.The couple then starred in Ridley Scott's 2013 thriller The Counselor, which was a critical and commercial disaster. They then did two more Spanish films, and will next be seen in Florian Zeller's Bunker with Patrick Schwarzenegger.The psychological thriller follows a London architect who is asked to build a survivalist bunker for a tech billionaire, which makes his wife question their relationship as they get drawn deeper into a world of extreme wealth, paranoia and fear. Cruz is currently gracing the cover of Elle's latest issue in a tight white frock with a plunging neckline.She's one of the frontrunners for a Best Supporting Actress win at next year's Oscars thanks to her roles in The Invite and the gay Spanish drama La Bola Negra. Cruz, 52, has been married to Bardem, 57, for 16 years, and the couple share two children; son Leo, 15, and daughter Luna, 13. The couple are pictured at the premiere of their upcoming thriller Bunker at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival Cruz is pictured in the psychological thriller, which is about an architect who is hired to build a bunker for a tech billionaire While both stars were born and raised in Spain, their rising Hollywood careers meant they spent years living across Los Angeles, New York and London.But in 2013, they made the decision to move back to Madrid to raise their children close to their deep Spanish roots.In a recent interview with Perfect magazine, Cruz shared a rare insight into why raising their kids in the Spanish capital is easier than in the US.'All our families are there, and the friends from childhood and from our teenage years; it’s easier to have a normal life, you know?' she said.'Yeah, you have to make an effort to keep a part of your life private, but I think when you have children, it’s really important.'The Volver star continued: 'Later, they can decide what they want to do in terms of their work and everything.'Cruz added that they need 'freedom' and to 'not be exposed' to things while they are young. The 52-year-old actress stuns in a glamorous photoshoot for Elle magazine's 2026 Women in Hollywood Portfolio issue Cruz wore a tight white frock with a plunging neckline for the photoshootEarlier this year, Bardem revealed that he turns down roles if it means spending 'more than two weeks' away from his family.He shared that since the birth of their first child, he and Cruz have ensured that at least one of them is at home continuously when taking acting roles.Praising his spouse, the No Country For Old Men star added that he feels 'blessed' to have 'had the chance to be at the same time, in the same place, in life' as her.'I don't have musts in my contract that have to do with bigger trailers or luxurious suites,' he said.'The only thing I do pay attention to is, no more than two weeks away from my family.'