Editorial Staff
Who is Penélope Cruz?
enélope Cruz Sánchez is known for her roles as an actress, fashion designer, and model in Spain. Prolific in Spanish and English-language films, she has received various accolades, including an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award, in addition to nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and four Golden Globe Awards.
At 16, Cruz started acting on television, and she made her feature film debut in Jamón Jamón (1992) the following year. Belle Époque appeared in 1992; Open Your Eyes in 1997; Don Juan in 1998; The Hi-Lo Country in 1999; The Girl of Your Dreams in 2000; and Woman on Top in 2000 were among her subsequent roles.
Other notable films include Vanilla Sky (2001), Blow (2001), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), The Counselor (2013), Murder on the Orient Express (2017), Everybody Knows (2018), Official Competition (2022), L’immensità (2022) and Ferrari (2023). The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (18) was one of her miniseries that led to her Primetime Emmy Award nomination for playing Donatella Versace.
| Real Name/Full Name | Penélope Cruz Sánchez |
| Date Of Birth | 28 April 1974 |
| Age | 51 years old |
| Birthplace | Municipality of Alcobendas, Spain. |
| Nationality | Spanish. |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Zodiac sign | Taurus. |
| Father Name | Eduardo Cruz. |
| Mother Name | Encarna Sánchez. |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Eye Color | Hazel |
| Height | 5 feet 4 inch |
| Weight | 54 kg |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Spouse | Javier Bardem (M: 2010) |
| Childen | Leo Encinas Cruz, and Luna Encinas Cruz. |
| Siblings | Mónica Cruz, and Eduardo Cruz Jr. |
| Profession | Actress, Model, and Philanthropist. |
| Net worth | $75 Million. |
Early Life
On April 28, 1974, Penélope Cruz was born in Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain, and she is currently 51 years old. Her father is Eduardo Cruz, who is a retailer and car mechanic, and Encarna Sánchez, who specializes in hairdressing and personal management. Her siblings, Mónica and Eduardo, who have also pursued creative careers, were the ones she grew up with.
During her nine years of classical ballet studies at Spain’s National Conservatory, she attended several dance and performance programs in Madrid. Cruz further honed her skills at the Cristina Rota School of Drama, where she focused on acting. Her future career was shaped by these formative experiences.
Personal Life
In July 2010, Penélope Cruz got married to Spanish actor Javier Bardem in an intimate ceremony in the Bahamas. The couple, whom they have been romantically linked to since 2007, first got to know each other while working on the 1992 film Jamón Jamón. Leo Encinas Cruz, born in 2011, and Luna Encinas Cruz, born in 2013 are their children
Career
She faced rejection multiple times during her entry into cinema, which wasn’t a positive experience. She steadfastly pursued her goal to secure herself a position, never giving up. In 1989, she auditioned at a talent agency. With over 300 girls competing for the role, she emerged victorious, impressing the judges with her fresh talent, unmatched sense of presence, and exceptional acting skills.
For Mecano’s music video, ‘La Fuerza del Destino’, she made her first appearance in front of the camera. As a result, she was frequently showcased on television during the 1990s decade. She was the presenter of the teenage talk show, ‘La Quinta Marcha’. In addition, she had a part in an episode of an erotic French TV series called ‘Série Rose’. In 1992, she made her first appearance on the big screen in the feature film ‘Jamon, Jamon’. Silvia, the female protagonist, was played by her. There was a positive response to the film. Her daring nudity in the film earned her both praise for her talent and recognition as a major sex symbol overnight.
In 1997, she collaborated with Pedro Almodovar, a director who is internationally renowned, on the film ‘Carne Tremula’. Her portrayal of Isabel Plaza Caballero earned her critical recognition worldwide and established a precedent for many more films from the Almodovar camp to be produced by her. 1997 will see her offering ‘Love Can Seriously Damage Your Health’, ‘Live Flesh’, and ‘Open Your Eyes’. She was given the role in Stephen Frears’ western film, ‘The Hi-Lo Country’, in the following year, but it was a huge disappointment at the box office.
She appeared in movies including ‘Don Juan’ and ‘The Girl of Your Dreams’ in 1998. Her performance of Macrena Granada’s character with complete perfection earned her immense critical and commercial recognition in the latter film. Peter Almodóvar directed a film that featured her in 1999, ‘All About My Mother’.
Cameron Crowe’s ‘Vanilla Sky’, a remake of the Spanish film ‘Open Your Eyes’, was released in 2001. Her first crossover success was a result of the film being a major box office blockbuster. In ‘Blow’, she was paired with acting genius and stalwart Johnny Depp, taking the success story of ‘Vanilla Sky’ to an even greater extent.
Her career struggled from 2002 to 2004 due to the failure of her movies. The series, which started with ‘Waking Up in Reno’, then continued with ‘Gothika’, ‘Fanfan la Tulipe’, ‘Noel’, and ‘Head in the Clouds’ (2004), each one failed to live up to expectations. The only saving grace was Sergio Castellitto’s melodrama ‘Don’t Move’. Along with Salma Hayek, she was a part of the western comedy film, ‘Bandidas’ in 2006. Following this, she appeared in ‘Volver’, a film produced by Almodóvar’s studio. Numerous awards and recognitions were bestowed upon her for this.
She appeared in the movie ‘Sex and the City 2’ in 2010, which was a sequel to the 2008 film ‘Sex and the City’. She played a role in the fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean film series the following year. She has recently released Woody Allen’s 2012 films ‘To Rome with Love’ and ‘A Matador’s Mistress’, which were available on demand through cable, satellite, telco, and online. According to reports, she is collaborating with Sergio Castellitto on his war novel Venuto al Mondo.
Filmography
Movies
- 1992 Jamón, jamón
- 1992 Belle époque
- 1993 For Love, Only for Love
- 1993 The Greek Labyrinth
- 1993 The Rebel
- 1994 Alegre ma non troppo
- 1994 Todo es mentira
- 1995 Entre rojas
- 1996 La Celestina
- 1996 Brujas
- 1996 Not Love, Just Frenzy
- 1997 Love Can Seriously Damage Your Health
- 1997 Open Your Eyes
- 1997 Live Flesh
- 1997 Et hjørne af paradis
- 1998 The Girl of Your Dreams
- 1998 Talk of Angels
- 1998 The Hi-Lo Country
- 1998 Don Juan
- 1999 All About My Mother
- 1999 The Man with Rain in His Shoes
- 1999 Volavérunt
- 2000 All the Pretty Horses
- 2000 Woman on Top
- 2001 Blow
- 2001 Don’t Tempt Me
- 2001 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin
- 2001 Vanilla Sky
- 2002 Waking Up in Reno
- 2003 Fanfan la Tulipe
- 2003 Masked and Anonymous
- 2003 Gothika
- 2004 Head in the Clouds
- 2004 Noel
- 2004 Don’t Move
- 2005 Sahara
- 2005 Chromophobia
- 2006 Bandidas
- 2006 Volver
- 2007 Manolete
- 2007 The Good Night
- 2008 Elegy
- 2008 Vicky Cristina Barcelona
- 2009 G-Force (Voice)
- 2009 Broken Embraces
- 2009 Nine
- 2010 Sex and the City 2
- 2011 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
- 2012 To Rome with Love
- 2012 Twice Born
- 2013 I’m So Excited!
- 2013 The Counselor
- 2014 The Boxtrolls (Voice)
- 2015 Ma Ma
- 2016 Zoolander 2
- 2016 Grimsby
- 2016 The Queen of Spain
- 2017 Loving Pablo
- 2017 Murder on the Orient Express
- 2018 Everybody Knows
- 2019 Pain and Glory
- 2019 Wasp Network
- 2021 Parallel Mothers
- 2021 Official Competition
- 2022 The 355
- 2022 L’immensità
- 2022 On the Fringe
- 2023 Ferrari
TV Series
- 1991 Softly from Paris (TV Series)
- 1992 Framed (TV Series)
- 2018 The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (TV Series)
- 2020 Home Movie: The Princess Bride (TV Series)
Net Worth
According to the net worth of celebrities, Penelope Cruz will have a net worth of $75 million in 2025. In addition to her acting career, she also makes a considerable amount of money through endorsement deals.
