Penelope Cruz Biography (3)

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Penelope Cruz has proven herself to be one of the most versatile young actresses by playing a variety of compelling characters. First introduced to American audiences in the Spanish films Jamón, Jamón and Belle Époque, she moves seamlessly between Spanish and English speaking roles. In 1998, she starred in her first English language film, Hi-Lo Country for director Stephen Frears, and in 1999, Cruz won the Best Actress award from the Spanish Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for her role in Fernando Trueba's The Girl of Your Dreams.

Confirming her status as Spain's hottest international actress, Cruz landed the coveted role opposite Matt Damon in the film adaptation of All the Pretty Horses, directed by Billy Bob Thornton. Next, she portrayed Isabella in Woman on Top for Fox Searchlight. Other film credits include her starring role in the thriller Open Your Eyes, Twice Upon a Yesterday, Pedro Almovodar's Live Flesh, Talk of Angels and Don Juan. Additionally, Cruz co-starred in Pedro Almovodar's critically acclaimed All About My Mother which was awarded the Golden Globe and Oscar for Best Foreign Film.

Cruz then went on to play Johnny Depp's wife in Blow; in 2001 she starred opposite Nicolas Cage and Christian Bale in Captain Corelli's Mandolin; and Cruz also recently starred in Vanilla Sky opposite Tom Cruise. She can also be seen in Fanfan la tulipe which opened the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. She recently completed work on director John Duigan's romantic drama Head in the Clouds, starring opposite Charlize Theron and Stuart Townsend, and an Italian film, Don't Move.

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