Name : Penelope Cruz
Birth name : Penélope Cruz Sánchez
Nickname :Madonna of Madrid Pen
Date of birth (location): 28 April 1974 ,Madrid, Spain
Height : 5' 5?" (1.66 m)
Mini biography: Known outside her native country as the "Spanish enchantress", Penélope Cruz Sánchez was born in Madrid to Eduardo (a retailer) and Encarna (a hairdresser). As a toddler, she was already a compulsive performer, re-enacting TV commercials for her family's amusement, but she decided to focus her energies on dance. After studying classical ballet for nine years at Spain's National Conservatory, she continued her training under a series of prominent dancers. At 15, however, she heeded her true calling when she bested more than 300 other girls at a talent agency audition. The resulting contract landed her several roles in Spanish TV shows and music videos, which in turn paved the way for a career on the big screen. Cruz made her movie debut in Laberinto griego, El (1993) (The Greek Labyrinth), then appeared briefly in the Timothy Dalton thriller Framed (1992) (TV). Her third film was the Oscar-winning Belle epoque (1992), in which she played one of four sisters vying for the love of a handsome army deserter. The film also garnered several Goyas, the Spanish equivalent of the Academy Awards. Her resume continued to grow by three or four films each year, and soon Cruz was a leading lady of Spanish cinema.

Carne trémula (1997) (Live Flesh) offered her the chance to work with renowned Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar (who would later be her ticket to international fame), and the same year she was the lead actress in the thriller/drama/mystery/sci-fi film Abre los ojos (1997), a huge hit in Spain that earned eight Goyas (though none for Cruz). Her luck finally changed in 1998, when the movie-industry comedy Ni?a de tus ojos, La (1998) won her a Best Actress Goya. Cruz made a few more forays into English-language film, but her first big international hit was Almodóvar's Todo sobre mi madre (1999) (All About My Mother), in which she played an unchaste but well-meaning nun. As the film was showered with awards and accolades, Cruz suddenly found herself in demand on both sides of the Atlantic. Her next big project was Woman on Top (2000), an American comedy about a chef with bewitching culinary skills and a severe case of motion sickness. While in the US, she also signed up to star opposite Johnny Depp in the drug-trafficking drama Blow (2001) and opposite Matt Damon (her rumored paramour) in Billy Bob Thornton's All the Pretty Horses (2000).

Cruz says she's wary of being typecast as a beautiful young damsel, but it's hard to imagine disguising her wide-eyed charms and generous nature (she once donated an entire paycheck to Mother Teresa's children's sanctuary). Fortunately, with Cameron Crowe's Vanilla Sky (2001) (a remake of Abre los ojos (1997)) and a John Madden collaboration looming in her future, Damsel Penelope isn't likely to disappear just yet.

Actress - filmography
(In Production) (2000s) (1990s)
The Loop (2006) (pre-production) .
Manolete (2006) (pre-production) .
The Good Night (2006) (filming) .... Anna .
Volver (2006) (completed) .... Raimunda.
Bandidas (2006) .... Maria .
Chromophobia (2005) .... Gloria .
Sahara (2005) .... Eva Rojas .
Noel (2004) .... Nina Vasquez .
Head in the Clouds (2004) .... Mia .
Non ti muovere (2004) .... Italia
... aka Don't Move (USA)
... aka No te muevas (Spain) .
Gothika (2003) .... Chloe Sava .
Fanfan la tulipe (2003) .... Adeline La Franchise .
Masked and Anonymous (2003) .... Pagan Lace .
Waking Up in Reno (2002) .... Brenda (Spanish Woman) .
Vanilla Sky (2001) .... Sofia Serrano .
Sin noticias de Dios (2001) .... Carmen Ramos
... aka Bendito infierno (Mexico) (Spain)
... aka Don't Tempt Me (USA)
... aka Nessuna notizia da Dio (Italy)
... aka No News from God (USA)
... aka Sans nouvelles de Dieu (France)
... aka Without News of God (USA) .
Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001) .... Pelagia
... aka Capitaine Corelli (France) .
Blow (2001) .... Mirtha Jung .
All the Pretty Horses (2000) .... Alejandra de la Rocha .
Woman on Top (2000) .... Isabella Oliveira.
Volavérunt (1999) .... Pepita Tudó
... aka Volavérunt (France)
... aka Volavérunt: La maja desnuda (Spain) .
Todo sobre mi madre (1999) .... Sister María Rosa Sanz
... aka All About My Mother (Europe: English title) (USA)
... aka Tout sur ma mère (France) .
The Hi-Lo Country (1998) .... Josepha O'Neil
... aka Hi-Lo Country - Im Land der letzten Cowboys (Germany: TV title) .
Ni?a de tus ojos, La (1998) .... Macarena Granada
... aka The Girl of Your Dreams .
Talk of Angels (1998) .... Pilar .
The Man with Rain in His Shoes (1998) .... Louise
... aka If Only... (Australia) (France) (UK)
... aka Lieber gestern als nie (Germany)
... aka Lluvia en los zapatos (Spain)
... aka Twice Upon a Yesterday (USA) .
Don Juan (1998) .... Mathurine
... aka Don Juan (Spain)
Abre los ojos (1997) .... Sofía
... aka Apri gli occhi (Italy)
... aka Open Your Eyes (USA)
... aka Ouvre les yeux (France) .
Carne trémula (1997) (as Penelope Cruz) .... Isabel Plaza Caballero
... aka En chair et en os (France)
... aka Live Flesh (USA) .
Hj?rne af paradis, Et (1997) .... Do?a Helena
... aka A Corner of Paradise (USA)
... aka Doft av paradiset, En (Sweden)
... aka Rincón en el paraíso, Un (Costa Rica) .
Amor perjudica seriamente la salud, El (1996) .... Diana (30 a?os más joven)/Invitada a la Cena
... aka Amour nuit gravement à la santé, L' (France)
... aka Love Can Seriously Damage Your Health
... aka Love Causes Serious Harm to Your Health .
Más que amor, frenesí (1996)
... aka Not Love, Just Frenzy .
Celestina, La (1996) .... Melibea .
Brujas (1996/I) .... Patricia .
Efecto mariposa, El (1995) (uncredited) .... Party guest
... aka Effet papillon, L' (France)
... aka The Butterfly Effect .
Entre rojas (1995) .... Lucía .
Todo es mentira (1994) .... Lucía
... aka It's All Lies
... aka Life's a Bitch .
Alegre ma non troppo (1994) .... Salomé
Ribelle, La (1993) .... Enza
... aka The Rebel .
Laberinto griego, El (1993) .... Elise
... aka The Greek Labyrinth .
Per amore, solo per amore (1993) .... Mary
... aka For Love, Only for Love .
Belle epoque (1992) .... Luz
... aka Belle époque (France)
... aka The Age of Beauty .
Framed (1992) (TV) (as Penelope Cruz Sánchez) .... Lola Del Moreno
Jamón, jamón (1992) .... La hija de puta
... aka A Tale of Ham and Passion (USA: video title)
... aka Ham Ham
... aka Salami, Salami .
Mecano - Los vídeos (1992) (V) (uncredited) .... (segment "La fuerza del destino") .
"Série rose"
... aka Erotisches zur Nacht
... aka Softly from Paris (USA: video title)
- Elle et lui (1990) TV Episode .... Daphné/Javotte/Juliette.
Miscellaneous Crew - filmography
Sin vergüenza (2001) (thanks)
... aka No Shame (International: English title) .

Herself - filmography
(In Production) (2000s) (1990s) .
In Search of Ted Demme (2005) (pre-production) .... Herself.
"Corazón de..."
- Episode dated 11 January 2006 (2006) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 18 October 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 27 July 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself .
"Magacine"
- Episode dated 14 October 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself .
"Ahora"
- Episode dated 2 July 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself .
"Eigo de shabera-night"
- Episode dated 25 May 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself - Interivewee .
"Henry's Film Corner"
- Episode #1.5 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself .
"Caiga quien caiga"
- Episode dated 15 April 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself .
"Live with Regis and Kathie Lee"
... aka Live with Regis (USA: new title)
... aka Live with Regis & Kelly (USA: new title)
- Episode dated 4 April 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself .
"Show de Cristina, El"
... aka Cristina (USA: Spanish title: promotional title)
- Episode dated 4 April 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself .
"Late Night with Conan O'Brien"
- Episode dated 31 March 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 22 October 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Herself .
"HARDtalk Extra"
- Episode dated 25 March 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself .
"Friday Night with Jonathan Ross"
- Episode #8.1 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself .
"Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show"
- Episode dated 9 March 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself .
"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno"
- Episode dated 8 March 2005 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 12 November 2003 (2003) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 7 December 2001 (2001) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 13 August 2001 (2001) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 28 March 2001 (2001) TV Episode .... Herself .
"Punk'd"
- Episode #4.1 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode #2.5 (2003) TV Episode .... Herself .
The 77th Annual Academy Awards (2005) (TV) .... Herself - Co-presenter: Best Sound, Best Sound Editing .
The 47th Annual Grammy Awards (2005) (TV) .... Presenter - Rock Album .
XIX premios Goya (2005) (TV) .... Herself - Presenter: Best Picture & Nominee: Best Lead Actress .
The 2004 European Film Awards (2004) (TV) .... Herself .
"The View"
- Episode dated 10 November 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Herself .
"Mirada crítica, La"
- Episode dated 17 September 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Herself .
"Lo + plus"
- Episode dated 14 September 2004 (2004) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 11 November 1998 (1998) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 10 January 1997 (1997) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 14 December 1995 (1995) TV Episode .... Herself .
"On ne peut pas plaire à tout le monde"
... aka O.N.P.P. (France: short title)
... aka ONPP vu de la loge (France: summer title)
... aka ONPP vu de la plage (France: summer title)
... aka ONPP vu du bocal (France: summer title)
... aka ONPP vu du désert (France: summer title)
- Episode dated 16 May 2003 (2003) TV Episode .... Herself .
Women on Top: Hollywood and Power (2003) (TV) .... Herself .
Once Upon a Time in Utah, Sundance (2003) (TV) .... Herself .
XVII premios Goya (2003) (TV) .... Herself - Presenter: Best Film .
'Masked & Anonymous' Exposed (2003) (V) .... Herself .
Hitting It Hard (2002) (V) .... Herself .
Prelude to a Dream (2002) (V) .... Herself .
Paul McCartney Back in the U.S. (2002) (TV) .... Herself (thanks) .
All About Desire: The Passionate Cinema of Pedro Almodovar (2001) (TV) (also archive footage) .... Herself
... aka All About Desire (UK: short title) .
"The Rosie O'Donnell Show"
- Episode dated 10 December 2001 (2001) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 15 December 2000 (2000) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode dated 22 September 2000 (2000) TV Episode .... Herself .
America: A Tribute to Heroes (2001) (TV) .... Herself .
The 73rd Annual Academy Awards (2001) (TV) (uncredited) .... Herself - Presenter: Best Costume Design .
Italian Soldiers (2001) .... Herself
... aka Spaghetti Requiem (USA) .
2000 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards (2000) (TV) .... Herself .
The 72nd Annual Academy Awards (2000) (TV) .... Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Foreign Language Film .
"Gran ilusión, La"
- El amor perjudica seriamente la salud (2000) TV Episode .... Herself
- Jamón, jamón (1999) TV Episode .... Herself.
XIII premios Goya (1999) (TV) .... Herself - Winner: Best Lead Actress .
XII premios Goya (1998) (TV) .... Herself - Presenter: Best Lead Actor .
Memoria de 'Carne trémula' (1997) (V) .... Herself .
X premios Goya (1996) (TV) .... Herself - Presenter: Best Lead Actor .
VII premios Goya (1993) (TV) .... Herself - Nominee: Best Actress
"De tú a tú" .
- Episode dated 3 December 1992 (1992) TV Episode .... Herself .
VI premios Goya (1992) (TV) .... Herself - Presenter: Best New Director .
"Quinta marcha, La" (1990) TV Series .... Herself - Host (1990).

Archive Footage
XX premios Goya (2006) (TV) .
Mecano - Grandes éxitos (2005) (V) .
"Cinema mil"
- Episode #1.11 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode #1.10 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode #1.9 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
- Episode #1.7 (2005) TV Episode (uncredited) .... Herself
- Episode #1.4 (2005) TV Episode .... Herself
(2 more) .
"Celebrities Uncensored"
- Episode #2.5 (2004) TV Episode .... Herself .
Sex at 24 Frames Per Second (2003) (V) (uncredited) .... Herself .
"Love Chain"
- Tom Cruise (2003) TV Episode .... Herself .