Penélope Cruz Won't Let Her Kids Near a Phone — And Keeps Them Almost Entirely Off the Internet

Penélope Cruz has spent decades in front of cameras, yet her own children remain almost completely shielded from public view. That same instinct for protection shapes nearly every parenting decision she and husband Javier Bardem have made, right down to what their kids are allowed to see and do at home.

Her Kids’ Faces Rarely Make It Online

Cruz and Bardem have kept their two children, Leo and Luna, almost entirely out of the spotlight, a deliberate choice rather than something that happened by accident.

She’s explained that whether her kids eventually want careers exposed to public attention is their decision to make later, not one she’s willing to make for them now.

That privacy extends to nearly every interview she gives. Even basic details about their daily routines rarely surface, a contrast to many celebrity parents who share glimpses of family life online.

No Phones, No Social Media — And She Won’t Budge

Cruz has taken a firm, unapologetic stance against giving her kids phones or social media access while their brains are still developing. “It’s so easy to be manipulated, especially if you have a brain that is still forming,” she’s said, calling unrestricted access for teenagers a “cruel experiment.”

She’s pointed out that her own generation didn’t encounter this kind of technology until well into adulthood, making today’s version of childhood fundamentally different from the one she and her peers experienced. That comparison has clearly shaped how strict she’s willing to be on the subject.

She Turned Down Work to Be the One Raising Them

Cruz has structured her entire career around staying close to home rather than letting work pull her away for long stretches. “I don’t do long trips, and I try to work in my own city when I can, because I want to raise my kids myself,” she’s said, treating physical presence as non-negotiable.

That choice has meant passing on certain opportunities that would keep her away for extended periods. For Cruz, being physically available seems to matter more than any single role or project.

Javier Bardem Says They’re “Way Too Present”

Bardem has echoed the same philosophy from his side of the household, describing himself and Cruz as almost overly involved in their kids’ daily lives.

He’s traced that instinct back to a teacher who gave him attention and care he didn’t get at home as a child, something he’s said shaped how deliberately present he wants to be for his own kids.

That shared value of presence over distance runs through nearly every parenting decision the couple has described publicly. Whether it’s limiting screens or staying close to home, the throughline is the same: showing up consistently rather than compensating for absence later.

The Table Is Where Being Present Actually Shows Up

Cruz has spoken often about the Mediterranean diet she grew up on in Spain, built around shared meals rather than eating on the go. Spanish food culture treats the table as a gathering point, not a quick stop between activities, and that cultural instinct lines up naturally with her broader parenting philosophy.

She hasn’t detailed exactly what her kids eat on a given night, staying just as private about that as everything else.

What she has made clear is that the food she grew up with remains the standard she returns to, less about strict rules and more about sitting down together consistently enough that it becomes routine.