'Penélope Cruz Sánchez' (
pronounced ) (born
April 28,
1974, in
Madrid, Spain), better known as 'Penélope Cruz', is a
Golden Globe- and
Academy Award-nominated
Spanish actress. Originally a dancer, she soon moved into Spanish
television[1], and since then she has appeared in a string of films in
Spanish,
English,
French and
Italian.
Biography
Early life
Cruz was born in
San Sebastián de los Reyes,
Madrid,
Spain. Her parents are Eduardo Cruz, a retailer, and Encarna Sánchez, a hairdresser.
[2] 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 followed another calling after she bested more than 300 other girls at a talent agency audition. She received three years of Spanish Ballet training with Ángela Garrido. She also had jazz dance training with Raúl Caballero and she studied at
Cristina Rota (mother of
Juan Diego Botto) school in
Madrid.
She speaks Spanish, English, French, and Italian fluently.
Career
Cruz in April 2007.
Cruz first achieved fame when she appeared in the video clip ''La fuerza del destino'' for the Spanish
synthpop group
Mecano. She later started a relationship with
Nacho Cano, a member of the group.
[3]
She was a TV presenter for the teen-oriented program ''La Quinta Marcha''
. She also had early exposure in ''Série Rose'', a French erotic TV serial
[4] in which she played the role of a blind prostitute. She also directed Nacho Cano's video of "El waltz de los locos", in 1994.
Cruz's first major films were ''
Jamón, jamón'' and ''
Belle Epoque'', a film which won an
Academy Award for Foreign Language Film.
In 1997, she starred as Sofía Pangia, alongside
Eduardo Noriega in ''
Abre los ojos'', directed by
Alejandro Amenábar, and in 2000 she appeared with
Matt Damon in ''
All the Pretty Horses''. In 1999, she appeared in
Pedro Almodóvar's ''
Todo sobre mi madre'', which won an Academy Award for Foreign Language Film.
In early 2001, she appeared in the film ''
Vanilla Sky'', the Hollywood remake of ''
Abre los ojos''. She played the same role in both films.
In 2006, Cruz received highly favourable reviews for her performance in
Pedro Almodóvar's ''
Volver''. She won a
Best Actress ensemble award at the
Cannes Film Festival and has been nominated for an
Academy Award,
Golden Globe Award,
Screen Actors Guild Award and
BAFTA Award. She is the first Spanish Actress to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role.
[5]
In May, 2007, it was announced that Penelope and her sister Monica would be designing a 25-piece collection for the Barcelona-based fashion chain,
Mango[6].
On
7 July 2007 Cruz presented at
Live Earth.
Personal life
Cruz has a younger brother, Eduardo, a singer, and a younger sister
Mónica, who closely resembles her: a similarity exploited for some Spanish TV ads. In the 2000s, Mónica left her dancing career and achieved note on her own in the youth-oriented TV series ''Un Paso Adelante''.
Cruz claims to be a
vegetarian since 2000, though this fact is disputed
[7]. She speaks four languages: Spanish, Italian, French and English. Cruz has also donated a considerable amount of money and time to charity. In 1997 she volunteered in
Uganda for two months.
After appearing in 2001 in the film ''
Vanilla Sky'' with
Tom Cruise, they had a three-year relationship. They split up in January 2004.
After filming ''
Sahara'' in February 2005, she started dating actor
Matthew McConaughey. In May 2006, they released a joint statement to ''
People'', saying that they "have decided to take time off as a couple. Later that year they announced that they were "no longer intimate and separating was the best thing to do at this time."
[8]
Cruz had a short-term relationship with actor
Orlando Bloom in 2006.
It has been rumored that she's currently dating rocker
Lenny Kravitz.
[9]
Cruz is a close friend of actress
Salma Hayek. The two co-starred in the 2006 film, ''
Bandidas''.
[10], she's a close friend of the
Colombian singer
Shakira.
In April 2007 Cruz, who is now single, stated that she would like to have children one day and she feels the need to adopt. "Of course I want to have kids," Cruz, 32, tells the Spanish edition of Marie Claire in its April issue. "I want to have my own kids, but also adopt. For a while I've had the feeling that my life won't be complete if I don't adopt."
[11]
Selected filmography
Awards and nominations
'Academy Awards'
★ 2007 Nominated
Academy Award Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for: ''
Volver'' (2006)
'ALMA Awards'
★ 1999 Nominated
ALMA Award Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film for: ''
The Hi-Lo Country'' (1998)
★ 2002 Nominated
ALMA Award Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for: ''
Vanilla Sky'' (2001)
'BAFTA Awards'
★ 2007 Nominated
BAFTA Award Best Actress in a Leading Role for: ''
Volver'' (2006)
'Blockbuster Entertainment Awards'
★ 2001 Nominated
Blockbuster Entertainment Award Favorite Actress - Drama/Romance for: ''
All the Pretty Horses'' (2000)
'Cannes Film Festival'
- To the female ensemble cast.
★ 2006 Won Best Actress for: ''
Volver'' (2006)award shared with Carmen Maura; Lola Dueñas; Blanca Portillo; Yohana Cobo; Chus Lampreave
'David di Donatello Awards'
★ 2004 Won David Best Actress (Migliore Attrice Protagonista) for: ''
Non ti muovere'' (2004)
'European Film Awards'
★ 1999 Nominated
European Film Award Best Actress for: ''La Niña de tus ojos'' (1998)
★ 2001 Nominated Audience Award Best Actress for: ''Captain Corelli's Mandolin'' (2001)
★ 2003 Nominated Audience Award Best Actress for: ''Fanfan la tulipe'' (2003)
★ 2004 Nominated
European Film Award Best Actress for: ''Non ti muovere'' (2004)
★ 2004 Won Audience Award Best Actress for: ''Non ti muovere'' (2004)
★ 2006 Won
European Film Award Best Actress for: ''Volver'' (2006)
'Fotogramas de Plata'
★ 1999 Won Fotogramas de Plata Best Movie Actress (Mejor Actriz de Cine)for: ''La Niña de tus ojos'' (1998)
★ 2007 Won Fotogramas de Plata Best Movie Actress (Mejor Actriz de Cine)for: ''
Volver'' (2006)
'Golden Globe Awards'
★ 2007 Nominated
Golden Globe Best Actress in a Dramatic Role for: ''
Volver'' (2006)
'Goya Awards'
★ 1993 Nominated Goya Best Lead Actress (Mejor Actriz Principal) for: ''Jamón, jamón'' (1992)
★ 1999 Won Goya Best Lead Actress (Mejor Actriz Principal) for: ''La Niña de tus ojos'' (1998)
★ 2005 Nominated Goya Best Lead Actress (Mejor Actriz Principal) for: ''Non ti muovere'' (2004)
★ 2007 Won
Goya Best Lead Actress (Mejor Actriz Principal) for: ''
Volver'' (2006)
'
Imagen Foundation Awards'
★ 2003 - Creative Achievement Award
'MTV Movie Awards'
★ 2002 Nominated MTV Movie Award Breakthrough Female Performance for: ''Blow'' (2001)
'Ondas Awards'
★ 1993 Won Film Award Best Acting (Mejor Interpretación) Tied with
Javier Bardem (No award category given officially).
'Peñíscola Comedy Film Festival'
★ 1995 Won Best Actress for: ''Todo es mentira'' (1994)
'Razzie Awards'
★ 2002 Nominated
Razzie Award Worst Actress for: ''Blow'' (2001), ''Captain Corelli's Mandolin'' (2001) and ''Vanilla Sky'' (2001).
'Spanish Actors Union'
★ 1993 Nominated Newcomer Award for: ''Jamón, jamón'' (1992)
★ 1993 Won Award of the Spanish Actors Union Film: Supporting Performance (Secundario Cine) for: ''Belle epoque'' (1992)
★ 1998 Nominated Award of the Spanish Actors Union Film: Performance in a Minor Role (Reparto Cine) for: ''Carne trémula'' (1997)
★ 1999 Won Award of the Spanish Actors Union Film: Lead Performance (Protagonista Cine) for: ''La Niña de tus ojos'' (1998)
★ 2007 Won Award of the Spanish Actors Union Film: Lead Performance (Protagonista Cine) for: ''
Volver'' (2007)
References
1. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004851/
2. Yahoo Corazon!
3. Terra.com entry
4. IMDb entry - "Série rose" (1986)
5. ElPais.com - De un vídeoclip a la carrera de los Oscars
6. http://www.fashionunited.co.uk/news/mango.htm
7. International Vegetarian Union entry
8. Matthew McConaughey & Penelope Cruz Are 'Separating' - AOL
9. Are Penélope Cruz and Lenny Kravitz Dating. Gossip.com, May 10, 2007
10. Cruz on Hayek: Like Sisters! Not Lovers
11. Penelope Cruz says she wants to adopt. People.com, April 13, 2007.
External links
★
★
Penélope Cruz Cannes Interview
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