Penelope Cruz Sanchez

Penelope Cruz Sanchez was the daughter of Eduardo Cruz (a retailer) and Encarna Sanchez (a hairdresser). As a young child, she was an obsessive performer and would re-enact commercials on television for the enjoyment of her family. But, she decided to dedicate her time to dancing. She continued her training with a variety of highly-regarded dancers following her nine years studying classical ballet at Spain's National Conservatory. At 15, however she followed her calling when she bested over 300 other dancers at an audition by a talent agency. The resulting contract landed her roles in a variety of Spanish TV shows and music videos. This in turn opened the door to a successful career on the big screen. Cruz made her debut film in 1993's The Greek Labyrinth (The Greek Labyrinth). She also briefly made an appearance in Framed (1992) in a Timothy Dalton thriller. The third film she starred in, Belle Epoque (1992) was an Oscar-winning movie in which she played one the four sisters that were competing to win the love of the handsome deserter soldier. It also received several Goyas in Spain that is the Spanish equivalent of the Academy Awards. She continued adding films to her resume, increasing by three or four each year. Soon Cruz was the most sought-after actress in Spanish cinema. Live Flesh (1997) (Live Flesh) offered her the chance to work with renowned Spanish director Pedro Almodovar (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 Open Your Eyes (1997), a huge hit in Spain that earned eight Goyas (though none for Cruz). In 1998, her fortunes changed when she took home an award for the Best Actress Goya for the industry-related movie comedy La Nina De Tus Ojos (1998). Cruz made several more trips to films in English, but All About My Mother (1999) was her first major international success. She played a non-challenging yet well-meaning nun. Cruz was suddenly in high demand across the Atlantic as well as the west coast. The film garnered numerous awards and accolades. Her next major project was Woman on Top (2000), an American comedy about a chef who has a dazzling culinary talent as well as a severe case motion sickness. In the US,