Penélope Cruz Sánchez, nicknamed simply Pe, is a Spanish actress. She was born April 28, 1974 in Madrid and named after a song by Joan Manuel Serrat. Her parents are Eduardo, a retailer, and Encarna, a hairdresser. Cruz was a dancer as a child and young teen. She completed 2º B.U.P. (2nd year of secondary school), but dropped school at the age of 15 after she beat more than 300 other girls at a talent agency audition. She received nine years of classic ballet training at the Conservatorio Nacional in Madrid, four years of dance performance with several dance courses at the Cristina Rota School in New York, and three years of Spanish Ballet with Ángela Garrido. She also had Jazz Dance courses with Raúl Caballero.
She first achieved fame when she appeared in the video clip La fuerza del destino for the Spanish synth-pop group Mecano. She then started a relationship with Nacho Cano, a member of the group, which lasted for several years.
She was a TV presenter for the teen-oriented program La Quinta Marcha, in collaboration with Jesús Vázquez.
Cruz's first major films were Jamón, Jamón and the more widely known (in the US) Belle Epoque, a film which won an Academy Award for Foreign Language Film.
She also appeared with Matt Damon in All the Pretty Horses.
In 1999, she appeared in Pedro Almodóvar's Todo sobre mi madre which won an Academy Award for Foreign Language Film.
In early 2001, she appeared in the film Vanilla Sky with Tom Cruise, which sparked a three-year relationship with the actor.
Her younger sister Mónica Cruz closely resembles her, a similarity exploited for some Spanish TV ads. In the 2000s, Mónica left her dancing career and achieved fame on her own in the youth-oriented TV series Un Paso Adelante.
In 2005, Cruz appeared on Punk'd, MTV's Version of Candid Camera. Cruz called Ashton Kutcher and told him that they have to get her Bandidas co-star Salma Hayek. So, with Ashton Kutcher's help, Cruz Punk'd Hayek for the mess that they made in the restroom.
Penelope Cruz: Accolades
ALMA Awards
2002 Nominated ALMA Award Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for: Vanilla Sky (2001)
1999 Nominated ALMA Award Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film for: The Hi-Lo Country (1998)
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
2001 Nominated Blockbuster Entertainment Award Favorite Actress - Drama/Romance for: All the Pretty Horses (2000)
David di Donatello Awards
2004 Won David Best Actress (Migliore Attrice Protagonista) for: Non ti muovere (2004)
European Film Awards
2004 Won Audience Award Best Actress for: Non ti muovere (2004)
2004 Nominated European Film Award Best Actress for: Non ti muovere (2004)
2003 Nominated Audience Award Best Actress for: Fanfan la tulipe (2003)
2001 Nominated Audience Award Best Actress for: Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001)
1999 Nominated European Film Award Best Actress for: Niña de tus ojos, La (1998)
Fotogramas de Plata
1999 Won Fotogramas de Plata Best Movie Actress (Mejor Actriz de Cine)
Goya Awards
2005 Nominated Goya Best Lead Actress (Mejor Actriz Principal) for: Non ti muovere (2004)
1999 Won Goya Best Lead Actress (Mejor Actriz Principal) for: Niña de tus ojos, La (1998)
1993 Nominated Goya Best Lead Actress (Mejor Actriz Principal) for: Jamón, jamón (1992)
Imagen Foundation Awards
2003 - Creative Achievement Award
MTV Movie Awards
2002 Nominated MTV Movie Award Breakthrough Female Performance for: Blow (2001)
Ondas Awards
1993 Won Film Award Best Acting (Mejor Interpretación) Tied with Javier Bardem (No award category given officially).
Peñíscola Comedy Film Festival
1995 Won Best Actress for: Todo es mentira (1994)
Razzie Awards
2002 Nominated Razzie Award Worst Actress for: Blow (2001), Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001) and Vanilla Sky (2001).
Spanish Actors Union
1999 Won Award of the Spanish Actors Union Film: Lead Performance (Protagonista Cine) for: Niña de tus ojos, La (1998)
1998 Nominated Award of the Spanish Actors Union Film: Performance in a Minor Role (Reparto Cine) for: Carne trémula (1997)
1993 Won Award of the Spanish Actors Union Film: Supporting Performance (Secundario Cine) for: Belle epoque (1992)
1993 Nominated Newcomer Award for: Jamón, jamón (1992)
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