Penélope Cruz Sánchez was born on April 28, 1974, in Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain. Her mother, Encarna Sánchez, was a hairdresser, and her father, Eduardo Cruz, was a mechanic and retailer. She has two siblings: Mónica Cruz, also an actress, and Eduardo Cruz, a musician.
Cruz began studying ballet at the age of four. She transitioned to acting in her teens, attending Cristina Rota’s acting school in New York City. Her film debut was in 1992 with the movie Jamón, Jamón, which garnered her significant attention and a Goya Award nomination.
Cruz achieved international recognition in the late 1990s and early 2000s with roles in films such as Open Your Eyes (1997), The Hi-Lo Country (1998), and All About My Mother (1999), directed by Pedro Almodóvar. Her collaboration with Almodóvar has been a recurring theme in her career, leading to some of her most acclaimed performances.
Cruz has starred in a wide range of films across various genres and languages. Some of her most popular and critically acclaimed movies include: