Penelope Cruz
Penelope Cruz
Penélope Cruz Sánchez, known professionally as Penélope Cruz, is a Spanish actress and model. Signed by an agent at age 15, she made her acting debut at 16 on television and her feature film debut the following year in Jamón, jamónto critical acclaim. Her subsequent roles in the 1990s and 2000s included Open Your Eyes, The Hi-Lo Country, The Girl of Your Dreamsand Woman on Top. Cruz achieved recognition for her lead roles in the 2001 films Vanilla Sky, All the...
NationalitySpanish
ProfessionMovie Actress
Date of Birth28 April 1974
CityAlcobendas, Spain
CountrySpain
It doesn't happen every day, but many nights my dreams are like a movie. I don't see normal movement - I see things in very complicated shots. That's why I do remember many of them.
The thing that really makes me happy is the real work and rehearsing and creating the character and the process of making the movie. Hollywood's not real.
When I was 16 or 17, when I started, I never even considered not doing a project. I just wanted to work.
There is a part of your brain that has to stop when you're acting. You have to be in the moment and dare to fly. Words can't be on your mind.
It's a good thing to be old. Because when you get older, that means you haven't died yet, right? And when I do get older, I want to have the grace to be proud of it, not to lie about it or try to fight it.
There's a lot of work that goes into it - if you think about how many collections a year that Karl Lagerfeld has to do, with Chanel and all the other things he does - you can't do that unless you are working 18 hours a day. It's really a lot of hard, hard work.
Making a living out of acting sounded like science-fiction when I was growing up. I didn't know anyone around me who lived from anything related to art.
I only drive in movies. I know that's very weird to hear for an American. I have a weird relationship with it. I know how to drive, but I never went to take the test.
I breastfed my son for 13 months, and I plan to do at least the same with my daughter. That's an amazing thing for babies, but it's also really good for the mother because it regulates your body again after pregnancy.
I don't play comedy as comedy. That would be the biggest trap. I think about the characters and their situations. Then you don't have to worry where the laugh is going to be. But comedy is harder than drama.
I try to eat healthily, but I love fried food and bad things. Give me a plate of bread, some oil and salt and I'm happy. But you can't eat like this all the time.
I was raised Catholic, but then I discovered Buddhism, and I used to have a boyfriend who was a Scientologist, and they are all good religions that help people. As far as I'm concerned, you can have all three religions at once and it's okay!
I love Salma Hayek; we've been friends for a really long time. I admire how she has come such a long way and always remained grounded and who she is. She never compromises to follow her vision, and she is loyal. Such qualities only mark the great stars.
I love ballet, and it's a little boring for me to go to the gym because I'm used to the dancing discipline - it's really hard but much more fun.