Penélope Cruz

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.

Related Topics:
Spanish - Actress - April 28 - 1974 - Madrid - Joan Manuel Serrat - Conservatorio Nacional - Cristina Rota School - New York - Spanish Ballet - Ángela Garrido - Jazz Dance - Raúl Caballero

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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.

Related Topics:
La fuerza del destino - Mecano - Nacho Cano

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She was a TV presenter for the teen-oriented program La Quinta Marcha, in collaboration with Jesús Vázquez.

Related Topics:
La Quinta Marcha - Jesús Vázquez

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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.

Related Topics:
Jamón, Jamón - US - Belle Epoque - Academy Award for Foreign Language Film

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She also appeared with Matt Damon in All the Pretty Horses.

Related Topics:
Matt Damon - All the Pretty Horses

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In 1999, she appeared in Pedro Almodóvar's Todo sobre mi madre which won an Academy Award for Foreign Language Film.

Related Topics:
Pedro Almodóvar - Todo sobre mi madre - Academy Award for Foreign Language Film

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In early 2001, she appeared in the film Vanilla Sky with Tom Cruise, which sparked a three-year relationship with the actor.

Related Topics:
2001 - Vanilla Sky - Tom Cruise

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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.

Related Topics:
Mónica Cruz - 2000 - Un Paso Adelante

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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 restaurant restroom.

Related Topics:
2005 - Punk'd - MTV - Candid Camera - Ashton Kutcher - Salma Hayek

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