Penélope Cruz is a gorgeous Spanish-born actress who has achieved a substantial amount of success in several US films. Born on April 28, 1974 in Madrid, Spain, Cruz was named in memory of a Joan Manuel Serrat song. Though she didn't finish high school, Cruz chose to pursue ballet and jazz (she had 10 and 4 years of experience in those, respectively). She attended a theater school in New York.
In 1992, Cruz's acting career took off when she starred in Jamón Jamón as a daughter of a prostitute and in Belle Epoque as one of four daughters of a wealthy man in pre-Franco Spain. Belle Epoque won 9 Goya awards and propelled Cruz to international fame. After starring in La Celestina and Alegre Ma Non Troppo, her film Abre Los Ojos made it to the Sundance Film Festival in 1997. Later that year, she also appeared in Carne Tremula.
Cruz's first English movie role was in 1998's The High-Lo Country. She donated her entire earnings from the film to Mother Theresa's charity. The movies Twice Upon a Yesterday and Todo Sobre Mi Madre followed, the latter winning the Oscar for best foreign film. Cruz has also starred in All the Pretty Horses, Blow, and Woman on Top.
Filmography:
Some names are translated (in fact, a lot of them appear to be). Filmography credit: http://www.hello.to/penelope_cruz/
Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001)
All the Pretty Horses (2000)
Blow (2000)
Volavérunt (1999)
Todo sobre mi madre (1999)
Woman on Top (1999)
Hi-Lo Country, The (1998)
Niña de tus ojos, La (1998)
Talk of Angels (1998)
Twice Upon a Yesterday (1998)
Don Juan (1998)
Nada en la nevera (1998)
Abre los ojos (1997)
Carne trémula (1997)
Corner of Paradise, A (1997)
Not Love, Just Frenzy (1996) (uncredited)
Celestina, La (1996)
Brujas (1996)
Love Can Seriously Damage Your Health (1996)
Alegre ma non troppo (1994)
Entre rojas (1994)
Life's a Bitch (1994)
Framed (1993) (TV)
For Love, Only for Love (1993)
Rebel, The (1993)
Age of Beauty, The (1992)
Ham Ham (1992)
Laberinto griego, El (1991)
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