Penélope Cruz
One of the most dynamic and versatile actresses to explode onto Hollywood, Penélope Cruz has gained much press coverage and fame for her exotic beauty, charisma onscreen, and muse-like relationship with famed Spanish director Pedro Almdódovar. Penélope may be most familiar to Johnny Depp fans for her role in Blow, as Johnny’s character’s luscious, exotic, full-figured girlfriend after he rises to notoriety and riches as a drug dealer. Within the US, she was at first best known for her roles in movies like Blow and Vanilla Sky, in which she played exotic eye candy, but she has since then proven her salt as an actress, particularly in the cinema of her native Spain.
Her long-standing relationship with Pedro Almdódovar is of particular interest to fans of her acting, she has appeared in three of his films, and is planning a fourth one, their three collaborations, Volver, All About My Mother, and Live Flesh have all been critically acclaimed both within and outside of Spain for its explosive originality and deep focus on emotions and relationships; Their work together is reminiscent of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton’s long-standing collaboration. After the Almdódovar movie Volver hit theaters, Cruz became more renowned for her acting ability, and gained credibility as an actress for her role as the world-weary, secret-ridden Raimunda. Cruz has since then appeared in various magazines, and has been nominated for an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and BAFTA Award, being the first Spanish actress to be nominated for an Academy Award. Underneath all that beauty, there lies a potent, formidable actress.
© 2008 Lydia Encyclopedia
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