Credited to Penelope Cruz: Bad Bunny along with helping her achieve what she describes as a significant milestone in parenthood. finally considered cool by his children. The 52-year-old actress revealed her experience meeting the musician during her recent appearance.During a ‘Hot Ones’ interview with host Sean Evans on Thursday, July 2, Cruz discussed the parenting benefits of taking her kids to a Bad Bunny concert. The actress explained that her two children, son Leo, 15, and daughter Luna, 12, are with her husband. Javier Bardemwas the first to introduce him to the gram-winning artist’s music. “So, I was like, ‘These lyrics are not for you,'” the actress joked about some of the mature lyrics of the musician. “You know, we’ve been trying to fight that for a while, but I seem to be constantly listening to myself.” He admits that while he initially resisted his children’s musical tastes, he eventually became a devoted listener himself.
Introduction to the music of Bad Bunny
Cruz shared that the family attended the opening of Bad Bunny’s residency in his native Puerto Rico and has since attended five shows on his current international tour. The experience proved to change his relationship with his teenagers and their perception of him.
The moment that changed everything
During the residency opening in Puerto Rico, an unexpected opportunity arose. “But the first one in Puerto Rico was when Benito came to me and asked me to go with him to say ‘Acho, PR es otra cosa,'” Cruz said, referring to the opening line of the musician’s song “VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR.” He went on stage with the artist to make this iconic moment from the show.That appearance proved to be the reason he stood with his teenage children. “And finally my kids came to me and said, ‘Mom, finally we can say you are cool,'” added Cruz while the host laughed as he recounted that moment. “Thank you Benito! It took me all these years,” he concluded with a laugh, acknowledging how long he had waited for his children to positively view him through that particular lens.
Penelope Cruz’s parenting philosophy
Cruz and Bardem, 57, married in 2010, and the actress has opened up about her parenting style in previous interviews. In 2024, he discussed his decision to keep his children away from cellular devices. “It’s very easy to manipulate, especially when you have a brain that’s still forming,” he said in a major publication of his reasoning. “And who pays the price? Not us, not our generation, who, maybe at 25, learned how a BlackBerry works. It’s a cruel experiment on children, on teenagers.”His protective stance on technology contrasted with his willingness to embrace his children’s musical interests, even if those interests initially gave him pause.
Bad Bunny’s recent success
Bad Bunny’s international recognition reached new heights with his sixth solo studio album, which served as a celebration of his native Puerto Rico filled with references to the flora, fauna and cultural traditions of the Caribbean island. The album received significant critical acclaim that earned him three Grammy Awards in 2026 for Album of the Year Best Música Urbana and Best Global Music Performance.After his Grammy success, the Puerto Rican musician took the stage to headline the ‘Super Bowl Halftime Show’ in February 2026 cementing his position as one of the most popular music artists in the world. He is currently on his DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS World Tour and will next perform at a venue in Nanterre, France near Paris on Saturday, July 4.