Known outside her native country as the "Spanish enchantress",
Penélope Cruz Sánchez was born in Madrid to Eduardo (a retailer) and
Encarna (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.
Carne trémula (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 Abre los ojos
(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 La niña de tus ojos
(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 Todo sobre mi madre
(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 Todos los caballos bellos
(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 Abre los ojos (1997)) and a John Madden collaboration looming in her future, Damsel Penelope isn't likely to disappear just yet.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: IMDb Editors
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.
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 Abre los ojos (1997)) and a John Madden collaboration looming in her future, Damsel Penelope isn't likely to disappear just yet.- IMDb Mini Biography By: IMDb Editors
Spouse
| Javier Bardem | (July 2010 - present) (2 children) |
Trivia
After filming Todos los caballos bellos (2000), she became a vegetarian.
It was rumored that she donated her entire Hi-Lo Country (1998) salary to the Mother Teresa's
children's sanctuary in Calcutta after spending a week there
volunteering. This was later denounced by Cruz, according to a Reuters
news article in 2001.
Daughter of Eduardo (merchant) and Encarna (hairdresser).
Older sister of Mónica Cruz and Eduardo Cruz.
Academic curriculum: Finished 2º B.U.P. (2nd. year of secondary school). Had 4 years of dance performance with Cristina Rota,
several dance courses at New York, 9 years of classic ballet at the
Conservatorio Nacional and 3 years of Spanish ballet with Ángela
Garrido. Also had Jazz Dance course with Raúl Caballero.
She founded a non-government organisation (NGO) called Sabera Foundation. Together with Nacho Cano
and other Spanish entertainers, they have set up a home, a school and a
clinic for homeless girls and people suffering from tuberculosis in
Calcutta. Two documentary programs were made for Spanish TV on this
project. Unfortunately differences of opinion caused a collapse in the
project and Sabera Foundation tragically no longer exists.
She was named after the song "Penélope" by Joan Manuel Serrat.
Her sister Mónica Cruz is now a television star in Spain. She starred in Un paso adelante (2002) as a young dancer with a famous aunt.
Voted the 7th Sexiest Female Movie Star in the Australian Empire Magazine. [September 2002]
Best friends with actresses Goya Toledo and Salma Hayek.
Ranked #23 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World" (2002).
Likes to keep stray cats.
Learned Italian because she wanted her part in the movie No te muevas (2004) really badly. It paid off and she went on to win the Italian equivalent of the Oscars for Best Actress.
Speaks four languages: Spanish, Italian, French and English.
Was accompanied by Matthew McConaughey to the Grammy Awards in 2005. The couple met on the set of Sahara (2005).
Spanish citizen.
Bigas Luna was determined to have her starring as the lead character in the torrid Las edades de Lulú (1990), but Penélope was only 14. They agreed that she was too young for the role and Francesca Neri was cast instead. Two years later, Luna's fixation with Cruz resulted in her breakthrough performance in Jamón Jamón (1992), her first film, famous for her somewhat erotic scenes. They eventually collaborated again in Volavérunt (1999).
Ranked as #51 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement.
She claims her role in Bigas Luna's Jamón Jamón
(1992) psychologically scarred her for life. She was a teenager when
she was cast in the film which required her to do nudity and sex scenes.
Named #72 in FHM magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" supplement.
Good friends with ex-boyfriend Tom Cruise. She was one of the first people to visit his new-born baby daughter Suri.
Older sister of singer Eduardo Cruz (born 1986) and actress Mónica Cruz (born March 16, 1977).
Second Spanish performer to be Oscar-nominated. The first one was Javier Bardem.
Is a huge fan of Indian cinema and has expressed interest in working with Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan someday.
Ranked #58 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2007 list.
Choosen by Empire Magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Movie Stars in the World (#50) (2007).
Ranked #82 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2008 list.
Second Spanish performer to win an Oscar for acting. The first was Javier Bardem.
She is the only person to win an acting Oscar (Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)) and appear in two Oscar-winning Best Foreign Language Films (Todo sobre mi madre (1999) and Belle Epoque).
Has been in a relationship with Javier Bardem since they began filming Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) together in July 2007.
Her role-model is Meryl Streep.
Was in a relationship with Matthew McConaughey (March 2004-May 2006).
Married long-term partner Javier Bardem at a friend's house in the Bahamas in a small ceremony with just family members present.
Sister-in-law of Carlos Bardem and María Bardem.
Daughter-in-law of Pilar Bardem.
Was originally cast as Justine in Melancolía (2011), but dropped out before filming began in order to pursue Piratas del Caribe. En mareas misteriosas (2011). As a result Kirsten Dunst was cast instead.
She spoke Italian in the film Por amor, sólo por amor (1993), then again in the film Alegre ma non troppo (1994).
Good friends with Gwyneth Paltrow.
She and husband Javier Bardem are huge fans of Glee (2009).
Was awarded the 2,436th Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame by Rob Marshall, accompanied by her husband Javier Bardem and Blow (2001) and Piratas del Caribe. En mareas misteriosas (2011) co-star Johnny Depp (1 April 2011).
Half-sister of Salma Cruz Moreno (born February 24, 2012) via her father Eduardo Cruz and his 2nd wife, Carmen Moreno.
Aunt of Antonella Cruz Sánchez (born May 14, 2013), via sister Mónica Cruz.
Gave birth to her 1st child at age 36, a son Leonardo Encinas Cruz on January 22, 2011. Child's father is her husband, Javier Bardem.
Was 7 months pregnant with her son Leo when she completed filming on Piratas del Caribe. En mareas misteriosas (2011).
Returned to work 6 months after giving birth to her son Leo to begin filming A Roma con amor (2012).
Gave birth to her 2nd child at age 39, a daughter Luna Encinas Cruz on July 22, 2013. Child's father is her husband, Javier Bardem.
Launched the new clothing line which she created with her younger sister, Monica Cruz, in Spain. [July 2007]
Personal Quotes
The most difficult thing in the world is to start a career known
only for your looks, and then to try to become a serious actress. No one
will take you seriously once you are known as the pretty woman.
I'm strong and opinionated. Those qualities brought me a lot of
problems since I was a little girl in school, saying 'I don't agree' and
fighting with the children. It's part of my curiosity for life.
There's so much more I want to do. I refuse to get to 50 and wait
at home for the phone to ring. In Spain, actresses work until they are
old. That's my plan.
"I love the Italian culture, it's a beautiful culture. I love the
language, the Italian people, their music, their attitudes...I just love
it! Sometimes I think I'm an Italian trapped in a Spanish woman's body.
[on acting] In terms of the work, it always seems like it's a
first date. I mean, every time I go to the movie set and start a
project, I feel the same feeling - the butterflies in the stomach, not
having control over it - because acting is like that. That's the beauty
of it. You can always keep learning. There's always more.
I came to Los Angeles for the first time in 1994. I spoke no
English. I only knew how to say two sentences: 'How are you?' and 'I
want to work with Johnny Depp.'
Salary
| Vanilla Sky (2001) | $2.000.000 |
| Sahara (2005) | $1.600.000 |
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