Oscar winner Javier Bardem has denounced his newfound status as a sex symbol insisting people only find him attractive because he is a movie star.

The No Country For Old Men actor - who is rumored to be dating Spanish beauty Penelope Cruz - is convinced he is very ordinary-looking and would not be considered so handsome if he had a more mundane job.

He says, "Would I be a sex symbol if I was working in a bar? No. It’s because you work in movies that people want to find something special, but if you work in an office you won’t be a sex symbol at all.

"If Brad Pitt works in an office he would be a sex symbol, no matter what. If he was a plumber, he’d be a sexy plumber."