Actor Javier Bardem is on top of the world these days. He's married to Penélope Cruz; he's won an Oscar -- who could ask for anything more?

But on 'The Tonight Show' (weeknights, 11:35PM ET on NBC), we learned that things weren't always so peachy for the actor. Once upon a time, he had to wear form-fitting tights and run around to a "zany" soundtrack.

It was Jay Leno's fault for bringing the whole thing up: "You never dressed maybe as ... Superman?" the host said. "Aw, jeez!" Javier replied. Yes, it's true. Back in 1989, when he was starting out as an actor, Bardem appeared on the Spanish comedy show 'El Dia Por Delante.' And yes, he had to wear a Superman costume. Javier watched, semi-mortified, as Leno replayed the ancient clip.

Once the awkward flashback was over, Javier said that the job made him question whether he wanted to be an actor at all. He described waking up at six o'clock in the morning to put on his red-and-blue tights, cape, and boots. "It's a hard job; a hard job," Javier concluded.

Yes, it is hard to make it to the top, no matter what your job is. ... And to add to the pressure, Bardem came from a family of actors -- and he wasn't even sure that he wanted to join the family business. In addition to the 'Superman' gig, Javier worked as a bouncer, construction worker, and even a stripper, before embracing his destiny as an actor. But hey, Superman himself could relate. Family expections can be tough, but in the end, we all become what we were meant to be.