First major films: Jamón Jamón and Belle Epoque.
Most recent released film: Nine.
Films awaiting release: Cameo in Sex in the City 2.
Significant acting awards to date:
- Oscars: Winner of Best Supporting Actress for Vicky Cristina Barcelona and three nominations to date (Best Actress for Volver, Best Supporting Actress for both Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Nine).
- Goyas (Spanish Academy Awards): Winner of three Goya’s (Best Actress for The Girl of Your Dreams and Volver; Best Supporting Actress for Vicky Cristina Barcelona).
Cruz in latest film 'Nine'
With her third Oscar nomination announced at the beginning of February, Penelope Cruz is now acknowledged as a great actress on the world stage. But it hasn’t always been this way. Until recent years, Penelope lived an extremely schizophrenic cinematic life being feted in Spain for her talent yet appearing in lacklustre Hollywood movies as the token eye candy. From the dreadful Woman on Top to the Oscars via many excellent Spanish films and three Goyas (Spanish Academy awards), we take a look at Cruz’s cinematic CV.
Early Work in Spanish Cinema
Cruz in her début role in 'Jamón Jamón'
Cruz’s first significant breakthrough was in the starring role of Jamón Jamón (A Tale of Ham and Passion) in 1992. A number of films followed including her acclaimed performance in Belle Époque which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1994.
However two things happened in 1997 which were to catapult her to stardom within her native country. Firstly, she had her big break in Spanish director Alejandro Amenabar’s film Abre los Ojos (Open your eyes). Then, following her small role as a prostitute giving birth on a bus in Pedro Almodóvar’s Live Flesh (Carne Trémula) in 1997, she became his muse and in the years that followed appeared in many of his films.
Her most notable role in the Almodovar oeuvre prior to her foray into Hollywood is arguably All About my Mother (Todo Sobre Mi Madre) for which the director won an Oscar for the Best Foreign Language Film in 1999. Cruz was feted for her performance in the movie and this, her second appearance in an Oscar winning movie, allowed her to launch her career in Hollywood.
Hollywood Calling!
Despite the burgeoning industry acclaim, Cruz was still relatively unknown to the public outside of Spain. Her Hollywood career began with a role in Hi-Lo Country, followed a role in the questionable Woman on Top (I know, this is the second time I’ve mentioned it, but it really is that bad). However, 2000 was to signal the start of Cruz’s upward trajectory in Hollywood. With parts in All the Pretty Horses, Blow, and Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, her star was on the rise. This was inevitably accelerated following her performance in Vanilla Sky – the English language remake of Abre los Ojos – when it came to light that she was dating co-star Tom Cruise.
Regrettably, this relationship with the recently divorced Cruise seemed to stunt her progress in Hollywood as an actress, thrusting her into a relentless tabloid furore – Cruise divorces Kidman, begins dating Cruz during proceedings, Cruz begins appearing in People magazine’s annual Most Beautiful People list, Cruise and Cruz break up…
CV schizophrenia sets in
Yet despite this, her European cinema career was still flourishing as she returned to Europe to learn Italian and star in Italian film Non ti muovere (Don’t Move) in 2004. This was another resounding European success for which she won both the David di Donatello (equivalent of Academy Award in Italy) and European Film Award for Best Actress. Yet, following this success, Cruz returned to Hollywood and starred alongside Matthew McConaughey in Sahara. She also began dating McConaughey and seemed to cement her place in the public eye as eye candy in English language films and hot girlfriend to her leading men.
Worldwide Acclaim
Thankfully, following a break up from McConaughey, Cruz returned to her roots and appeared in 2006’s Volver, reigniting the partnership with Almodóvar. The movie was a resounding success worldwide and Cruz was the first Spanish actress to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress. Unfortunately she lost out to Judi Dench but did win a Goya for the role in Spain.
This Oscar nomination finally signalled Cruz’s entry into the Hollywood big-time.
Cruz with her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'
She filmed Vicky Cristina Barcelona with Woody Allen (acting her American counterparts in the film off the screen) and took home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2009, not to mention Javier Bardem. Her Hollywood status was cemented with a third Oscar nomination for the 2010 Oscars in the Best Supporting Actress category once more, for her role as Daniel Day Lewis’ Italian mistress in Nine.
Her chances of winning are uncertain, given that she lost out on a Golden Globe for the role, but Cruz is now a star both in Hollywood and Spain, something the Spanish will never forget about their beloved ‘Pe’.
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