penelope cruz

Biography

Early life

Cruz was born in Madrid and was named after a song by Joan Manuel Serrat. Her parents are Eduardo Cruz, a retailer, and Encarna Sánchez, a hairdresser. She was a dancer as a child and young teen. She completed 2º B.U.P. (2nd year of secondary school), but dropped out of school at the age of 15 after she beat more than 300 other girls at a talent agency audition. She received nine years of classic ballet training at the Conservatorio Nacional in Madrid, four years of dance performance with several dance courses at the Cristina Rota School in New York, and three years of Spanish Ballet with Ángela Garrido. She also had jazz dance courses with Raúl Caballero.

Career

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.

She was a TV presenter for the teen-oriented program La Quinta Marcha.

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 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 with Tom Cruise, which sparked a supposed three-year relationship with the actor. Vanilla Sky was the Hollywood remake of Abre los Ojos ("Open Your Eyes"), and she played the same part in both films.

Personal life

Cruz has a younger brother Eduardo, who is a singer, and a younger sister Mónica Cruz, 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. They are also distant cousins of Alexandra Cruz.

She has been a vegetarian since 2000.

She speaks four languages: Spanish, Italian, French and English. She learned Italian because she wanted a part in the 2004 movie Non ti muovere, and she went on to win the Italian equivalent of the Oscars for Best Actress.

She has 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 supposedly had a three year relationship. Cruise and Cruz split 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. Due to busy work schedules and so much time apart, they mutually decided four weeks ago that separating was the best thing to do at this time." [1]

Spanish press has been linking Cruz to Academy Award winner Adrien Brody, whom she co-stars in the upcoming film Manolete. Cruz herself has denied the rumors.

Selected filmography

• Passion India (announced) (2006) (announced)
• The Loop (announced) (2006) (announced)
• The Good Night (2006) (post-production)
• Manolete (2006)
• Volver (2006) directed by Pedro Almodóvar
• Bandidas (2006) Maria
• Chromophobia (2006) Gloria
• Sahara (2005)
• Noel (2004)
• Don't Move (2004)
• Head in the Clouds (2004)
• Gothika (2003)
• Fanfan la tulipe (2003)
• Vanilla Sky (2001)
• Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001)
• Blow (2001)
• Woman On Top (2000)
• All the Pretty Horses (1999)
• Open Your Eyes (Abre los ojos) (1997)
• Belle Epoque (1992) Luz (aka Belle époque (France) aka The Age of Beauty)
• Jamón, jamón (1992)

Accolades

ALMA Awards

• 2002 Nominated ALMA Award Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for: Vanilla Sky (2001)
• 1999 Nominated ALMA Award Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film for: The Hi-Lo Country (1998)

Blockbuster Entertainment Awards

• 2001 Nominated Blockbuster Entertainment Award Favorite Actress - Drama/Romance for: All the Pretty Horses (2000)

Cannes Film Festival

• 2006 Won Best Actress for: Volver (2006)

David di Donatello Awards

• 2004 Won David Best Actress (Migliore Attrice Protagonista) for: Non ti muovere (2004)

European Film Awards

• 2004 Won Audience Award Best Actress for: Non ti muovere (2004)
• 2004 Nominated European Film Award Best Actress for: Non ti muovere (2004)
• 2003 Nominated Audience Award Best Actress

for: Fanfan la tulipe (2003)

• 2001 Nominated Audience Award Best Actress for: Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001)
• 1999 Nominated European Film Award Best Actress for: La Niña de tus ojos (1998)

Fotogramas de Plata

• 1999 Won Fotogramas de Plata Best Movie Actress (Mejor Actriz de Cine)

Goya Awards

• 2005 Nominated Goya Best Lead Actress (Mejor Actriz Principal) for: Non ti muovere (2004)
• 1999 Won Goya Best Lead Actress (Mejor Actriz Principal) for: La Niña de tus ojos (1998)
• 1993 Nominated Goya Best Lead Actress (Mejor Actriz Principal) for: Jamón, jamón (1992)

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)
• Also for Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001)
• and Vanilla Sky (2001).

Spanish Actors Union

• 1999 Won Award of the Spanish Actors Union Film: Lead Performance (Protagonista Cine) for: La Niña de tus ojos (1998)
• 1998 Nominated Award of the Spanish Actors Union Film: Performance in a Minor Role (Reparto Cine) for: Carne trémula (1997)
• 1993 Won Award of the Spanish Actors Union Film: Supporting Performance (Secundario Cine) for: Belle epoque (1992)
• 1993 Nominated Newcomer Award for: Jamón, jamón (1992)

External links

• Penélope Cruz Italian Forum
• Penelope Cruz Fan Site
• PenelopeFan.com - Fan Site
• Penélope Cruz at the Internet Movie Database
• Fansite: Penélope Cruz
• Photograph Album
• Penélope Cruz fan site in Spanish
• Penélope Cruz & Volver Full production notes, images and many more on Volver.