Full Name
Penélope Cruz Sanchez
Date of birth: April 28, 1974
Location: Madrid, Spain
Height: 5'6" (1.68 meters)

Education
Secondary Studies (not finished)
10 years of classical ballet
3 years of Spanish ballet
4 years of theater (Cristina Rota's School and in New York)

Penelope Cruz was born in Madrid, Spain on April 28, 1974 to Eduardo, a merchant and and Encarna, a hairdresser and was named due to the inspiration of a Joan Manuel Serrat song. Penelope also has a brother named Eduardo and sister named Mónica.

Penelope did not complet her high school studies, chosing instead to focus upon ballet and jazz. She has ten years of classic ballet and three years of Spanish ballet experience. Penelope spent four years studying theatre at Cristina Rota's school in New York

In 1992, Penelope Cruz had starring roles in Jamón Jamón and Belle Epoque, providing the beginning of her action career. Her roles have varried for playing the poor daughter of a village prostitute, to a lusty daughter of a wealthy man in pre-Franco Spain. Belle Epoque was a critical hit, winning nine Goya Awards and an Oscar for Best Foreign Film.

In 1998, Penelope starred in her first English language film. She played the Mexican-American love interest in Stephen Frears' The Hi-Lo Country. All of the money she made from this film was donated to Mother Theresa's charity.

Fan Mail
Penelope Cruz
C/O William Morris Agency
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