Penelope Cruz Penelope Cruz is a Spanish actress who has made a smooth transition from television and movie roles in Spain to Hollywood stardom. Born in Madrid in 1974, she originally trained as a classical ballet dancer. Penelope’s younger sister is actress and dancer Monica Cruz who has been a member of a dance group run by Joaquin Cortes. Penelope is a supporter of many charities and has worked as a volunteer at the children’s sanctuary in Calcutta managed by Mother Teresa. An appearance in a music video for the Spanish synth-pop group Mecano helped launch her performing career and she then became a presenter for a Spanish program aimed at a teenage audience. In 1992, Penelope Cruz made two critically acclaimed Spanish language films. Jamon, Jamon (USA title A Tale of Ham and Passion) is a comedy drama directed by Bigas Luna. It starred Stefania Sandrelli and Anna Galiena. Belle Epoque is a romantic comedy directed by Fernando Trueba, starring Jorge Sanz and Miriam Diaz Aroca.
The Hollywood career for Penelope Cruz has included many dramatic and romantic roles. All The Pretty Horses is a modern western adapted from the poetic novel by Cormac McCarthy. Directed by Billy Bob Thornton, it stars Matt Damon and Henry Thomas. Penelope made another movie adapted from a book when she appeared in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, based on the novel by Louis de Bernieres. The story of a romance set during World War II was directed by John Madden and starred Nicolas Cage, John Hurt, and Christian Bale. Penelope Cruz played another significant role in the science fiction thriller, Vanilla Sky. In fact, this was the re-make of the original Spanish film, Abre los Ojos and Penelope played the same character in both versions. Vanilla Sky was directed by Cameron Crowe and co-starred Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. In 2005, Breck Eisner directed Penelope in an adventure comedy called Sahara. Her co-stars were Matthew McConaughey and William H. Macy. Another comedy followed when Joachim Roenning and Espen Sandberg directed Penelope in Bandidas with Salma Hayek, Steve Zahn, and Dwight Yoakam. Mexican actress Salma Hayek is a good friend of Penelope’s.
Having made films in different languages, Penelope Cruz is a true international star. She is fluent in English, Italian, and French. In addition to being extremely beautiful, she has proven herself as an able actress in both light comedy and drama. She continues to be busy with several forthcoming projects. There has been much interest in her romantic liaisons with her leading men, especially her three year relationship with Tom Cruise, which ended in 2004. She has recently split from Matthew McConaughey and has been linked by the Spanish media to Adrien Brody. YUDDY | 
