Penélope Cruz

Penélope Cruz

Born
April 28, 1974 in Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain

Birth Name
Penélope Cruz Sánchez

Height
5' 6" (1.68 m)

Mini Bio
Known outside her native country as the "Spanish enchantress", Penélope Cruz Sánchez was born in Madrid to Eduardo Cruz, a retailer, and Encarna Sánchez, a hairdresser. As a toddler, she was already a compulsive performer, re-enacting TV commercials for her family's amusement, but she decided to focus her energies on dance. After studying classical ballet for nine years at Spain's National Conservatory, she continued her training under a series of prominent dancers. At 15, however, she heeded her true calling when she bested more than 300 other girls at a talent agency audition. The resulting contract landed her several roles in Spanish TV shows and music videos, which in turn paved the way for a career on the big screen. Cruz made her movie debut in El laberinto griego (1993) (The Greek Labyrinth), then appeared briefly in the Timothy Dalton thriller Framed (1992). Her third film was the Oscar-winning Belle Epoque (1992), in which she played one of four sisters vying for the love of a handsome army deserter. The film also garnered several Goyas, the Spanish equivalent of the Academy Awards. Her resume continued to grow by three or four films each year, and soon Cruz was a leading lady of Spanish cinema. Live Flesh (1997) (Live Flesh) offered her the chance to work with renowned Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar (who would later be her ticket to international fame), and the same year she was the lead actress in the thriller/drama/mystery/sci-fi film Open Your Eyes (1997), a huge hit in Spain that earned eight Goyas (though none for Cruz). Her luck finally changed in 1998, when the movie-industry comedy The Girl of Your Dreams (1998) won her a Best Actress Goya. Cruz made a few more forays into English-language film, but her first big international hit was Almodóvar's All About My Mother (1999), in which she played an unchaste but well-meaning nun. As the film was showered with awards and accolades, Cruz suddenly found herself in demand on both sides of the Atlantic. Her next big project was Woman on Top (2000), an American comedy about a chef with bewitching culinary skills and a severe case of motion sickness. While in the US, she also signed up to star opposite Johnny Depp in the drug-trafficking drama Blow (2001) and opposite Matt Damon in Billy Bob Thornton's All the Pretty Horses (2000). Cruz says she's wary of being typecast as a beautiful young damsel, but it's hard to imagine disguising her wide-eyed charms and generous nature. Fortunately, with Cameron Crowe's Vanilla Sky (2001) (a remake of Open Your Eyes (1997)) and a John Madden collaboration looming in her future, Damsel Penelope isn't likely to disappear just yet.

**gloster** · 16th May 2007, 16:22

Wonderful images of her. Thanks !

CB · 11th June 2007, 14:45

**jareb13** · 13th June 2007, 03:18

Thanx PB..I'll take both..

CB · 15th June 2007, 19:32

Actors Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz shoot a romantic beach scene on the set of Elegy in Tofino, BC. In this shot Penelope straddles Ben while he shoots some photos of her. Tofino. BC. 14/06/2007

**~~Patchy~~** · 20th June 2007, 05:03

Lucky old Bastard :Y

**~~Patchy~~** · 20th June 2007, 05:20

Penelope Cruz and Shakira @ Out Clubbing in Hollywood

**Dean** · 25th June 2007, 20:17

Same evening, going to eat at Mr. Chow's.

**Dean** · 27th June 2007, 03:07

Out clubbing with Aston and Demi.

\

CB · 7th July 2007, 15:07

shopping in Madrid - 5 July 2007

CB · 12th July 2007, 19:43

Spanish actress Penelope Cruz seen leaving the Plazza hotel in Paris, France on July 11, 2007.

CB · 14th July 2007, 12:36

Shopping at Dior in Paris - 13.07.07

**~~Patchy~~** · 15th July 2007, 17:35

**jareb13** · 21st July 2007, 04:23

Thanx Patchy... Looking great.

**kaneda** · 23rd July 2007, 21:55

Credit original source/poster.

**kaneda** · 12th August 2007, 21:48

Credit original source & palpatine @ Celebutopia.

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