Anecdotes

Speaks three languages: Spanish, Italian and English. Despite common misconception, she can't speak French. She hired a dialect coach to help her in the French film Fanfan la Tulipe (2003) and learned her lines phonetically. She also needs the help of a translator when she is promoting a film on French television.

Her sister, Mónica Cruz, was used as her body double during the filming of Pirates des Caraïbes: La Fontaine de jouvence (2011) on account of her pregnancy.

Married long-term partner Javier Bardem at a friend's house in the Bahamas in a small ceremony with just family members present.

Was seven months pregnant with her son Leo when she completed filming on Pirates des Caraïbes: La Fontaine de jouvence (2011).

She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on April 1, 2011. She was awarded by Rob Marshall, accompanied by her husband Javier Bardem, and her Pirates des Caraïbes: La Fontaine de jouvence (2011) co-star Johnny Depp.

Second Spanish performer to win an Oscar for acting. The first was Javier Bardem.

Learned Italian because she wanted her role in the movie À corps perdus (2004) really badly. This paid off and she went on to win the Italian equivalent of the Oscars for Best Actress.

Second Spanish performer to be Oscar-nominated. The first one was Javier Bardem.

Has been in a relationship with Javier Bardem since they began filming Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) together in July 2007.

Best friends with actresses Goya Toledo and Salma Hayek.

Good friends with ex-boyfriend Tom Cruise. She was one of the first people to visit his newborn baby daughter Suri.

Greatly admires Johnny Depp. She worked with him on Blow (2001), Pirates des Caraïbes: La Fontaine de jouvence (2011) and Le Crime de l'Orient-Express (2017).

Likes to keep stray cats.

After filming De si jolis chevaux (2000), she became a vegetarian.

She claims her role in Bigas Luna's Jambon, jambon (1992) psychologically scarred her for life. She was a teenager when she was cast in the film which required her to do nudity and sex scenes.

Gave birth to her first child at age 36, a son Leonardo Encinas Cruz on January 22, 2011. Child's father is her husband, Javier Bardem.

Two of her ex-boyfriends have been named "Sexiest Man Alive" by People magazine: Tom Cruise (in 1990) and Matthew McConaughey (in 2005).

She is the only actress who has won acting awards from the five main European Film Academies: three Goyas (the Spanish "Oscar"), one David di Donatello (the Italian "Oscar"), one Bafta (the British "Oscar") one Cesar (the French "Oscar") and two Felix (the European "Oscar") as well as from the USA Motion Picture Academy (one "Oscar").

Gave birth to her second child at age 39, a daughter Luna Encinas Cruz on July 22, 2013. Child's father is her husband, Javier Bardem.

Was originally cast as Justine in Melancholia (2011), but dropped out before filming began in order to pursue Pirates des Caraïbes: La Fontaine de jouvence (2011). As a result, Kirsten Dunst was cast instead.

Was in a relationship with Matt Damon (June-December 2000).

Was accompanied by Matthew McConaughey to the Grammy Awards in 2005. The couple met on the set of Sahara (2005).

Is a huge fan of Indian cinema and has expressed interest in working with Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan someday.

Was in a relationship with Tom Cruise (July 2001-January 2004).

She is the only person to win an acting Oscar (Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)) and appear in two Oscar-winning Best Foreign Language Films (Tout sur ma mère (1999) and Belle Epoque).

Claims that Victoria Abril's powerful performance in Pedro Almodóvar's Attache-moi! (1989) made her want to become an actress.

Was the 133rd actress to receive an Academy Award; she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) at The 81st Annual Academy Awards (2009) on February 22, 2009.

In 2006, she was earning $2 million per year representing L'Oreal cosmetics.

She was named after the song "Penélope" by Joan Manuel Serrat.

Her role-model is Academy Award winner Meryl Streep.

Met Javier Bardem for the first time on the set of Jambon, jambon (1992), but they wouldn't become a couple until working together in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008). They also worked together on En chair et en os (1997), but didn't share any on-screen time.

Academic curriculum: Finished 2º B.U.P. (second year of secondary school). Had four years of dance performance with Cristina Rota, several dance courses at New York, nine years of classic ballet at the Conservatorio Nacional and three years of Spanish ballet with Ángela Garrido. Also had Jazz Dance course with Raúl Caballero.

Resided with Nacho Cano, Spanish musician, part of the trio (famous in Spain) called "Mecano", a pop music group. Penelope appeared in one of the band's video-clips "la Fuerza del Destino".

She founded a non-government organisation (NGO) called Sabera Foundation. Together with Nacho Cano and other Spanish entertainers, they have set up a home, a school and a clinic for homeless girls and people suffering from tuberculosis in Calcutta. Two documentary programs were made for Spanish TV on this project. Unfortunately, differences of opinion caused a collapse in the project and Sabera Foundation tragically no longer exists.

Bigas Luna was determined to have her starring as the lead character in the torrid Les vies de Loulou (1990), but Penélope was only age 14. They agreed that she was too young for the role and Francesca Neri was cast instead. Two years later, Luna's fixation with Cruz resulted in her breakthrough performance in Jambon, jambon (1992), her first film, famous for her somewhat erotic scenes. They eventually collaborated again in Volavérunt (1999).

Half-sister of Salma Cruz Moreno (born February 24, 2012) via her father Eduardo Cruz and his second wife, Carmen Moreno.

She spoke Italian in the film Per amore, solo per amore (1993), then again in the film Mi fugue mi raisin (1994).

She and husband Javier Bardem are huge fans of Glee (2009).

Named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World (2005).

Older sister of singer Eduardo Cruz (born 1986) and actress Mónica Cruz (born March 16, 1977).

She was the visual inspiration for the illustrations of super-villain Power Ring/Jessica Cruz, eventually turned in the first Green Lantern's woman from planet Earth (created in 2014). Cruz was 40 years old at the point. It matches with the same year that Penelope Cruz was named Esquire magazine's Sexiest Woman Alive.

She was included in FHM magazine's list of '100 Sexiest Women in the World' in 2002 (#48), 2003 (#79), 2004 (#75), 2005 (#51) and 2006 (#72); Stuff magazine's '102 Sexiest Women in the World' in 2002 (#23); Maxim magazine's Hot 100 Women in 2000 (#15), 2006 (#81), 2007 (#58), 2008 (#82), 2009 (#30) and 2016 (#82); and was named Esquire magazine's 'Sexiest Woman Alive' in 2014.

Launched the new clothing line which she created with her younger sister, Mónica Cruz, in Spain. (juillet 2007)

It was rumored that she donated her entire The Hi-Lo Country (1998) salary to the Mother Teresa's children's sanctuary in Calcutta after spending a week there volunteering. This was later denied by Cruz, according to a Reuters news article in 2001.

Her Oscar nomination for Madres paralelas (2021) coincided with husband Javier Bardem's nomination for Being the Ricardos (2021), a first for the couple. Neither took home the statuette.

Daughter of Eduardo Cruz (a merchant) and Encarna Sánchez (a hairdresser).

Her sister Mónica Cruz is now a television star in Spain. She starred in Un, Dos, Tres (2002) as a young dancer with a famous aunt.

Voted the 7th Sexiest Female Movie Star in the Australian Empire magazine. (septembre 2002)

Aunt of Antonella Cruz Sánchez (born May 14, 2013), via sister Mónica Cruz.

Daughter-in-law of Pilar Bardem.