Penélope Cruz is a Spanish actress and model who has achieved international fame for her work in both Spanish and English-language films. Born in Madrid, Spain on April 28, 1974, Cruz was raised in a close-knit family with two older siblings. She began her career as a child actress at the age of 15, appearing in several Spanish television shows and films.
In 1992, Cruz made her feature film debut in the Spanish comedy Jamón Jamón. Her performance earned her critical acclaim and she soon became one of Spain's most sought-after actresses. She went on to star in several other Spanish films including Belle Epoque (1992), Open Your Eyes (1997), All About My Mother (1999), and Volver (2006).
Cruz made her American film debut in 2001 with the romantic comedy Vanilla Sky alongside Tom Cruise. She went on to appear in several other Hollywood films including Blow (2001), Gothika (2003), Sahara (2005), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) for which she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) and Zoolander 2 (2016).
In addition to acting, Cruz has also pursued a successful modeling career. She has appeared on the covers of numerous magazines including Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle, Glamour and Harper's Bazaar. In 2008 she was named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People".
Cruz is also an accomplished photographer. She has published two books of photographs titled "Penélope Cruz: Una Mirada" and "Penélope Cruz: A Photographic Journey". Her work has been exhibited at galleries around the world including Madrid's Reina Sofia Museum of Modern Art and New York City's International Center of Photography.