"I was so insecure": When Javier Bardem opened up about filming an intense sequence in No Country For Old Men after months of preparation

In 2008, No Country For Old Men earned Javier Bardem much-deserved praise and acclaim for his performance as Anton Chigurh. Written and directed by the Coen brothers, this neo-western crime thriller brings the classic Cormac McCarthy novel to the screen. Much like the novel, the film includes many iconic scenes that show Bardem’s unhinged character building a sense of dread through his nuanced performance.

We never see Chigurh scream or be aggressive like conventional villains do. That makes him all the more terrifying. Yet, according to a Vanity Fair interview from 2019, Javier Bardem felt insecure while working with the filmmaking duo. At the time, the actor opened up about his experience filming the iconic “coin toss” scene. He said:

"It was a couple of takes – boom, done. I was like, "What? Really? After months of preparing this is it?" I was so insecure and uh, but, they are the Coens and they know what they’re doing.”

Javier Bardem's comments about working with the Coen brothers on No Country for Old Men, explored

Javier Bardem revealed that the Coen brothers decided to film only a few takes of the coin toss scene in No Country for Old Men. Usually, more takes allow actors to try out different ways of approaching a scene or parts of it. However, the Coens stopped at only a couple of takes, which made Bardem feel insecure.

That is not uncommon for actors, who want to put their best forward with their performance — and more takes can often help them in that direction.

Yet, Bardem felt similarly anxious while filming No Country for Old Men, despite having three decades of acting experience and an Oscar nomination under his belt by then. The fact that he mentioned it showed his humility. At the same time, it showed how great actors strive for better, even if they are as accomplished as Bardem.

Since starring in No Country for Old Men, Bardem has received two more Oscar nominations: the first for Biutiful (2010) and the second for Being the Ricardos (2022).

More about the coin-toss scene in No Country for Old Men

Javier Bardem’s Oscar-winning turn in No Country for Old Men is still seen as one of the finest portrayals of psychotic serial killers. However, as said before, that’s because he never overperforms and strikes just the right balance between intensity and aggression.

The film includes many classic scenes — whether it’s the motel shootout with next to no dialogue, or the tense motel scene between Bardem and Woody Harrelson. However, one scene that has struck a chord the most is the one in the gas station where Bardem’s Anton Chigurh speaks with the store owner.

On paper, it may seem monotonous. After all, it’s just two strangers talking about uneventful stuff. However, Bardem and his scene partner gradually amp up the tension with their clever back-and-forth. It begins when the store owner tries to make small talk. Chigurh seems almost offended by the owner’s line of questioning. So, their seemingly simple conversation turns into something like a chess game as they both try to figure out each other’s next move.

What stands out is the palpable fear in this scene — and Bardem credits his scene partner. In line with this, Bardem told Vanity Fair:

“The scary part of that scene is not so much my character but the actor [playing opposite Bardem] really recreates fear in an amazing way."

Bardem also spoke about how this clever scene partner in No Country for Old Men informed his acting choices:

"He's great because he really plays fear and insecurity to a different level. So, it reminded me of one of the golden laws in acting. When you're playing a king, you don't have to act like a king. You make sure that people around you treat you like a king."

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