Penelope Cruz: The Spanish Enchantress

Penelope Cruz Sanchez was born on April 28, 1978 in Madrid, Spain to Eduardo and Encarna. Her father was a retailer, while her mother was a hairdresser. She has a brother, Eduardo and a sister, Monica. Although Cruz is now known as a "Spanish Enchantress" and the "Madonna of Madrid" outside of her native country, she grew up with the nickname "Pe".

At a very early age Cruz was a compulsive performer. She would reenact television commercials for her families entertainment. Although she was a natural born actress, she focused her energies on dance. She studied classical ballet for nine years at Spain's National Conservatory. She then continued training under a series of prominent dancers.

When Cruz was fifteen years old she heeded her true calling of acting. She out-performed 300 other girls during a talent agency audition. The results landed her several roles in Spanish Television shows and music videos. These roles paved the way for her career on the big screen.

Penelope Cruz made her movie debut in 1991 with the Spanish film El Laberinto Griego (The Greek Labyrinth). She then appeared briefly in Framed, a 1992 Timothy Dalton thriller. Her third film was Oscar winning, Belle e`poque in 1992. In this film she played one of four sisters who were vying for the love of a handsome Army deserter. She received several Goyas for this film. Goyas are the Spanish equivalent of the Academy Awards.

It wasn't long before Cruz became the leading lady of Spanish cinema. Her resume continued to grow as she did three to four films a year. In 1997 Cruz worked with renowned Spanish director Pedro Almodlvar for the film Carne Tremula (Live Flesh). Pedro Almodlvar became Cruz's ticket to international fame. The same year Cruz became the lead actress in Abre Los Ojos, which was a huge hit in Spain. The film earned eight Goyas although Cruz did not receive any. In 1998, her luck changed when she won a Goya for best actress for the film, La Nila de tus Ojos.