February 2, 2010...
Cruz is nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Award for her performance in NINE.

Penelope Cruz was born on April 28, 1974 in Madrid, Spain.

Cruz's birth name is Penélope Cruz Sánchez. The Madonna of Madrid or the Spanish enchantress Pen are nicknames for Penelope Cruz.

At 15, Penelope Cruz found 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.

In 1993 Penelope Cruz made her movie debut in LABERINTO GRIEGO, EL (The Greek Labyrinth) Penelope Cruz's third film was the Oscar-winning BELLE EPOQUE (1992), this film also garnered several Goyas, the Spanish equivalent of an Academy Award.

Cruz is able to speaks four languages: Spanish, Italian, French, and English. In 2004 Penelope Cruz learned Italian because she wanted her part in the movie NON TI MUOVERE badly. It paid off and she went on to win the Italian equivalent of the Oscars for Best Actress. Chose to donate her entire salary from THE HI-LO COUNTRY (1998) to the Mother Teresa's children's sanctuary in Calcutta after Penelope spending a week there volunteering.

After filming ALL THE PRETTY HORSES in 2000, Penelope Cruz became a vegetarian.

Penelope was ranked #23 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World" (2002).

The NGO is a non-government organisation (NGO) called Sabera Foundation, that Penelope Cruz, Nacho Cano and other Spanish entertainers, they have set up a home, a school and a clinic for homeless girls and people suffering from tuberculosis in Calcutta. A differences of opinion caused a collapse in the project and Sabera Foundation tragically no longer exists.

In 2002 Penelope Cruz was voted the 7th Sexiest Female Movie Star in the Australian Empire Magazine September.

Penelope Cruz's other notable credit include...

NINE (2009)
VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA (2008 - winner)

ELEGY (2008)

THE GOOD NIGHT (2007)

MANOLETE (2007)

VOVER (2006)

BANDIDAS (2006)

CHROMOPHOBIA (2005)

SAHARA (2005)

VANILLA SKY (2001)

BLOW (2001)

WOMAN ON TOP (2000)

TALK OF ANGELS (1998)

DON JUAN (1998)

OPEN YOUR EYES (1997)