Biography of Penelope Cruz | Spanish actress.

(Penélope Cruz Sánchez; Alcobendas, Madrid, 1974) Spanish actress. It is without doubt the Spanish actress with more screening in Hollywood. After beating as one of the most active and listed on the national scene, with a score of films behind him, two of them with Oscar (Belle Époque, 1992;) All about my mother, 1999) and a prize Goya for best actress protagonist (the girl of your dreams, 1998) under his belt, embarked on the conquest of the Mecca of cinema and today boasts a series of works that link it to the stars of Hollywood.

Penelope Cruz

Penélope Cruz is the eldest daughter of the marriage formed by Eduardo Cruz, commercial agent, and Encarna Sánchez, hairdresser; It has two brothers: Monica, which has formed part of the Corps de ballet of Joaquín cuts, and Eduardo. She also studied dance since childhood, and at age sixteen was chosen to dance in the video clip of the destin forceor, MECANO, and started a relationship with Nacho Cano, a member of the group.

It then gave its first steps as a youth model, but that first contact with cameras encouraged her to stand for a casting organised by Katrina Bayonas, his subsequent artistic agent, and was selected among 300 applicants. In 1991 he began working in cinema as secondary in the Greek labyrinth, Rafael Alcázar. On television, he participated in the series urban Chroniclesby Ricardo Palacios, and she and he, by Jaime Chávarri. He was also host of the fifth gear, the private channel Tele 5, which exploded its teenager sexy music.

Bigas Luna knew then that I had the "Lolita" steppe perfect for Jamón, Jamón (1992), and from that moment began early and dizzying ascent that led her to heights that then not even dreamed. Fernando Trueba called it interpreted a teenage girl of fourteen years called light at Belle Epoque (1992), a comedy of high level which was able to give the candor and tenderness that needed his character with surprising freshness and naturalness. In these first works Penelope was defining its position before the creative work. Gentle woman, who wanted spiritual tranquility that he provided the Buddhism, confirmed that she was not willing to frivolity and above anything else he wanted to demonstrate its know-how based on delivery, sacrifice and perseverance.

The numerous awards received Belle Epoque and the Oscar for best foreign film opened the doors of international film. He began working in Italy in for love, only for love (1992), Giovanni Veronesi, a successful role, and in the rebel (1993), by Aurelio Grimaldi. In the United Kingdom shot broken passions (1996), Nick Hamm. Spanish Cinema attracted your attention for a few years, while the stories that came to his hands were strong enough to be able to demonstrate their artistic quality. Fernando Colomo, Álvaro Fernández Armero, Azucena Rodríguez and Gerardo Vera was offered many roles of apparent weakness. If proved little consolidated the character of Lucia in everything is a lie (1994), much more questionable was the Melibea of La Celestina (1996).

Manuel Gómez Pereira gave her the role of the young Diana in love can seriously damage your health (1996) in which highlighted its perfect combination with Gabino Diego. It was adjusted to the featured character in Open the eyes (1997), Alejandro Amenábar, and a year later was surprised with his magnificent rendition of Macarena Granada at the girl of your dreams (1998), by Fernando Trueba, for which he received a Goya of the Spanish Academy.

Penélope Cruz in two Almodóvar films:
All about my mother (1999) and back (2006)

In 1998 he participated in two films that marked his career. One of the protagonists of the multi-award winning history of Pedro Almodóvar was all about my mother and put his first foot in the U.S. industry to participate in The Hi - Lo Country, by Stephen Frears film, in a role of low impact. However, the step that gave was enough for chained a series of works in productions directed, among others, by Billy Bob Thornton (All the Pretty Horses, 1999), Ted Demme (Blow, 1999) and John Madden (Captain Corell's Mandolin, 2000), next to Matt Damon, Johnny Depp and Nicolas Cage.

Repeated character for Vanilla Sky, the American remake made by Cameron Crowe film Amenábar opens eyes, and during the filming coincided with Tom Cruise, with whom he began a romantic relationship. In the heyday of the American stage, he temporarily returned to Spain to get to Agustín Díaz Yanes orders in without news of God.

In 2004 awarded the David Di Donatello, the most important Italian cinema, for his portrayal of an unfortunate girl from the suburbs of Rome in don't move, of Sergio Castellito. This interpretation was also awarded the Jameson audience award at the annual awards of the European film awards, held in Barcelona.

In 2006 highlighted its role protagonist in the new film by Almodovar, return, a history of apparitions and subsidiaries ties which was a huge box office and critical success, and which won two awards at the Cannes Film Festival: best screenplay for Almodovar and best actress for its six actresses (Penélope Cruz, Lola Duenas Carmen Maura, Blanca Portillo, Chus Lampreave and Yohana Cobo). By this same film he won the prize for best actress female protagonist in the XXI Edition of the Goya Awards, and was nominated for best actress in the 79ª Edition of the Hollywood Oscar, award which however failed to gain.

His definitive consecration among the stars of Hollywood came to him from the hand of the veteran filmmaker Woody Allen, who entrusted him with a role in his film Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008). Filmed in the city of the title, Penelope embodied the ex-wife of a Bohemian painter (Javier Bardem), who is romantically involved with her husband despite the adventures of this with two young American (Scarlett Johansson and Rebecca Hall). His portrayal of a female character whose passion rubs the mental imbalance won unanimous praise and earned him an Oscar for best actress; It is the first Spanish actress to get it.

Extracted from the website: Biografías y Vidas