Penélope Cruz Biography

Originally getting her start on television shows in her native Spain, Penélope Cruz first gained the attention of American audiences in 1992's Belle Epoque, which won an Oscar for Best Foreign-Language Film. She stayed busy making films in Spain, remaining relatively unnoticed Stateside until her turn as a pregnant nun in Pedro Almodóvar's All About My Mother in 1999. That film also won the foreign-language Oscar and led to Cruz's 2000 American debut in Woman on Top. 2001 was the biggest year for Cruz, however. She starred in three American films (Blow, Captain Corelli's Mandolin and Vanilla Sky), and has become one of our most respected actresses.


1. She speaks Spanish, Italian, French and English.
2. She studied ballet for nine years.
3. Cruz is very political and active in social causes.
4. She's known for dating co-stars, both in Spain and the United States.
5. Her nickname is "Pe."


On acting in a second language: "It gives you an additional kind of freedom, because you don't hear yourself so much. With that freedom, I can take more risks. There is not so much self-criticism, which can destroy a performance."
— The Guardian, March 2, 2001


Ex-boyfriend: Matthew McConaughey, actor; met on the set of Sahara
Ex-boyfriend: Tom Cruise, actor; met on the set of Vanilla Sky


2007: Academy Award nomination: Best Actress, Volver; Golden Globe nomination: Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama), Volver


Vicky Cristina Barcelona - (2008) - Actor
Elegy - (2008) - Actor
The Good Night - (2007) - Actor
Volver - (2006) - Actor
Bandidas - (2006) - Actor
View all films


http://www.penelope-cruz.net
http://www.penelope-cruz.info
http://www.allpenelopecruz.com