Penélope Cruz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Penélope Cruz
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Cruz in 2024
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Penélope Cruz Sánchez
28 April 1974 Alcobendas, Spain
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| Years active | 1989–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Mónica Cruz (sister) |
| Awards | Full list |
Penélope Cruz Sánchez (born April 28, 1974) is a famous Spanish actress. She has starred in many movies in both Spanish and English. For her acting, she has won many awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and three Goya Awards, which are Spain's main film awards.
Cruz started acting on television when she was 16. Her first movie was Jamón Jamón (1992). She became well-known for working with the Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar on many films. These include All About My Mother (1999), Volver (2006), and Parallel Mothers (2021).
In 2008, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona. She is the only Spanish actress to win an Oscar and get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Some of her other famous movies are Vanilla Sky (2001), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), Murder on the Orient Express (2017), and Ferrari (2023).
Besides acting, Cruz has modeled for brands like Ralph Lauren and L'Oréal. She has also designed clothes with her younger sister, Mónica Cruz. She is known for her charity work, including volunteering in Uganda and India.
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Early life
Penélope Cruz was born on April 28, 1974, in Alcobendas, a town near Madrid, Spain. Her mother, Encarna Sánchez, was a hairdresser, and her father, Eduardo Cruz, was a car mechanic. She has a sister, Mónica, who is also an actress, and a brother, Eduardo, who is a singer.
Cruz grew up in a happy home and spent a lot of time at her grandmother's apartment. Even as a child, she loved to act. She would pretend to be different characters while playing with her friends.
Before she became an actress, Cruz was a talented dancer. She studied classical ballet for nine years at Spain's National Conservatory. She said that ballet taught her discipline, which helped her in her acting career.
When she was a teenager, she saw the movie Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! by director Pedro Almodóvar and knew she wanted to be an actress. She tried to get an agent but was told she was too young. She didn't give up and kept trying. At age 15, she won an audition at a talent agency, beating over 300 other girls.
Career
1989–1997: Starting Out
Cruz's career began in 1989 when she appeared in a music video for the Spanish pop group Mecano. Soon after, she hosted a TV talk show for teenagers. Her first movie role was in the 1992 film Jamón, jamón. The movie got good reviews and brought her a lot of attention in Spain. For her performance, she was nominated for a Goya Award for Best Actress.
That same year, she was in the movie Belle Époque, which won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. This showed that she was a versatile actress who could play different types of roles.
From 1993 to 1996, Cruz acted in ten Spanish and Italian films. She moved to New York for two years to study ballet and improve her English. In 1997, she starred in the science-fiction movie Open Your Eyes. The movie was later remade in Hollywood as Vanilla Sky, with Cruz playing the same role.
1998–2005: Hollywood Breakthrough
In 1998, Cruz appeared in her first American movie, The Hi-Lo Country. That same year, she won a Goya Award for Best Actress for her role in the Spanish film The Girl of Your Dreams. In 1999, she worked with director Pedro Almodóvar again in All About My Mother, which was a big success around the world.
The year 2001 was a major turning point for her. She starred in two big Hollywood movies: Blow with Johnny Depp and Vanilla Sky with Tom Cruise. These films made her famous in the United States. Critics praised her performances, and she became a well-known star.
Over the next few years, she appeared in several other films. In 2004, she starred in the Italian movie Don't Move. She learned Italian for the role and won Italy's top film award, the David di Donatello, for her performance. In 2005, she co-starred in the action-adventure movie Sahara.
2006–2009: Worldwide Recognition
In 2006, Cruz starred in Pedro Almodóvar's film Volver. Her performance as a strong, working-class mother was highly praised by critics. She won the Best Actress award at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, which she shared with her co-stars. She also received her first Academy Award nomination, becoming the first Spanish actress to be nominated for that award.
In 2008, Cruz starred in Woody Allen's movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona. She played María Elena, a passionate and emotional artist. Her performance was a huge hit with critics and audiences. For this role, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also won a BAFTA Award and a Goya Award.
The following year, she starred in the musical film Nine. She played Carla, the mistress of the main character. For her performance, she was nominated for another Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award.
2010–present: An Established Star
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In 2011, Cruz joined the cast of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, playing Angelica, a pirate and former love interest of Captain Jack Sparrow. The movie was a massive box office success, earning over $1 billion worldwide. That same year, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
She continued to work in both American and European films. In 2017, she played a missionary in the mystery film Murder on the Orient Express. In 2018, she played fashion designer Donatella Versace in the TV series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Her performance earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.
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In 2021, she reunited with director Pedro Almodóvar for the film Parallel Mothers. Critics loved her performance, and she won the Best Actress award at the Venice International Film Festival. She also received her fourth Academy Award nomination. More recently, she played Laura Ferrari, the wife of car maker Enzo Ferrari, in the 2023 movie Ferrari.
Charity Work
Cruz is dedicated to helping others and has donated her time and money to many charities. She has volunteered in countries like Uganda and India. A trip to India, where she worked with Mother Teresa, inspired her to help start a foundation for homeless girls.
She has also supported the fight against AIDS and has appeared in ads for PETA to protest the use of fur in fashion.
Personal life
Cruz is married to Spanish actor Javier Bardem. They first met in 1992 on the set of Jamón jamón but started dating in 2007. They married in July 2010. The couple has two children: a son, Leo, born in 2011, and a daughter, Luna, born in 2013.
Before her marriage, Cruz was in a relationship with actor Tom Cruise from 2001 to 2004.
Cruz owns a clothing store in Madrid. She has also designed jewelry and handbags with her sister, Mónica. Her friends call her "Pe".
Awards and Recognition
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has recognized Cruz for these performances:
- 79th Academy Awards: Best Actress, nomination, for Volver (2006)
- 81st Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress, win, for Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
- 82nd Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress, nomination, for Nine (2009)
- 94th Academy Awards: Best Actress, nomination, for Parallel Mothers (2021)
She has also won many other awards, including a BAFTA Award, a Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress, and a Volpi Cup for Best Actress from the Venice Film Festival.
Images for kids
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Cruz at the 2017 Goya Awards
See also
In Spanish: Penélope Cruz para niños
