Penelope Cruz Sanchez

Penelope Cruz Sanchez was the daughter of Eduardo Cruz (a retailer) and Encarna Sanchez (a hairdresser). When she was a toddler she was an obsessive performer, and would reenact commercials on TV for the entertainment of her family. However, she decided to dedicate her time to dancing. After nine years of classical ballet instruction in Spain's National Conservatory she was able to continue her training under the direction of a variety of prominent dancers. At the age of 15 she followed her calling when she bested more than 300 other girls in an audition by a talent agency. The contract she received landed her roles in Spanish television shows , as well as music videos. This opened up opportunities for a successful career in the world of film. Cruz was first seen in a movie with The Greek Labyrinth (1993). (The Greek Labyrinth). Following that she was briefly featured in Framed (1992) by Timothy Dalton. The Oscar-winning Belle Epoque (1992) was her third film. In the film, she played one of four sisters who were competing for the affection of a handsome deserter from the Army. The film also earned many Goyas, the Spanish equivalent of the Academy Awards. She continued to add more films to her portfolio, growing by three to four per year. Soon Cruz became the most prominent 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 luck changed when she was awarded the award for Best Actress Goya for her role in the film industry comedy La Nina De Tus Ojos (1998). Cruz made several more trips to English-language films, however All About My Mother (1999) was her first major international success. She played a unchaste however well-meaning nun. Cruz was in hot demand throughout the Atlantic as well as the west coast, as the film was awarded numerous awards and accolades. The American comedy Woman on Top (2001) was her next major film, tells the story of an American chef with incredible culinary skills as well as severe motion sickness. In the US,