Penélope Cruz Trivia | 70 facts about the famous actress

Penélope Cruz is a famous Spanish actress. She has received various accolades, including an Academy Award and a British Academy Film Award.

Let’s find out more about her!

1. Her sister, Mónica Cruz, was used as her body double during the filming of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) on account of her pregnancy.
2. Speaks three languages: Spanish, Italian and English. Despite common misconception, she can’t speak French.
3. 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.
4. Second Spanish performer to win an Oscar for acting. The first was Javier Bardem.
5. Married long-term partner Javier Bardem.
6. They got married a friend’s house in the Bahamas in a small ceremony with just family members present.
7. Learned Italian because she wanted her role in the movie Non ti muovere (2004) really badly.
8. This paid off and she went on to win the Italian equivalent of the Oscars for Best Actress.
9. Was seven months pregnant with her son Leo when she completed filming on Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011).
10. Has been in a relationship with Javier Bardem since they began filming Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) together in July 2007.
11. She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on April 1, 2011.
12. She was awarded by Rob Marshall, accompanied by her husband Javier Bardem, and her Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides co-star Johnny Depp.
13. Best friends with actresses Goya Toledo and Salma Hayek.
14. After filming All The Pretty Horses (2000), she became a vegetarian.
15. Good friends with ex-boyfriend Tom Cruise.
16. She was one of the first people to visit his newborn baby daughter Suri.
17. She claims her role in Bigas Luna’s Jamon Jamon (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.
18. 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.
19. Likes to keep stray cats.
20. Two of her ex-boyfriends have been named “Sexiest Man Alive” by People magazine: Tom Cruise (in 1990) and Matthew McConaughey (in 2005).
21. Is a huge fan of Indian cinema.
22. She has expressed interest in working with Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan someday.
23. Greatly admires Johnny Depp. She worked with him on Blow (2001), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Murder on the Orient Express (2017).
24. 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.
25. Was in a relationship with Matt Damon (June-December 2000).
26. Was originally cast as Justine in Melancholia (2011), but dropped out before filming began in order to pursue Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011). As a result, Kirsten Dunst was cast instead.
27. 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”).
28. Bigas Luna was determined to have her starring as the lead character in the torrid Las edades de Lulú (1990), but Penélope was only age 14. They agreed that she was too young for the role and Francesca Neri was cast instead.
29. Two years later, Luna’s fixation with Cruz resulted in her breakthrough performance in Jamon Jamon (1992), her first film, famous for her somewhat erotic scenes. They eventually collaborated again in Volavérunt (1999).
30. Was accompanied by Matthew McConaughey to the Grammy Awards in 2005. The couple met on the set of Sahar (2005).
31. Her role-model is Academy Award winner Meryl Streep.
32. In 2006, she was earning $2 million per year representing L’Oreal cosmetics.
33. She was named after the song “Penélope” by Joan Manuel Serrat.
34. Claims that Victoria Abril’s powerful performance in Pedro Almodóvar’s Atame (1989) made her want to become an actress.
35. Finished 2º B.U.P. (second year of secondary school).
36. 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.
37. She founded a non-government organisation (NGO) called Sabera Foundation.
38. 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.
39. Met Javier Bardem for the first time on the set of Jamon Jamon (1992), but they wouldn’t become a couple until working together in Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008). They also worked together on Carne tremula (1997), but didn’t share any on-screen time.
40. She is the only person to win an acting Oscar (Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)) and appear in two Oscar-winning Best Foreign Language Films ( Todo sobre mi madre (1999) and Belle Epoque).
41. She spoke Italian in the film Per amore, solo per amore (1993), then again in the film Alegre ma non troppo (1994).
42. Was the 133rd actress to receive an Academy Award
43. She and husband Javier Bardem are huge fans of Glee (2009).
44. Half-sister of Salma Cruz Moreno (born February 24, 2012) via her father Eduardo Cruz and his second wife, Carmen Moreno.
45. 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”.
46. Was named Esquire magazine’s Sexiest Woman Alive (2014).
47. 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.
48. Returned to work six months after giving birth to her son Leo to begin filming To Rome With Love (2012).
49. 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.
50. Older sister of singer Eduardo Cruz (born 1986) and actress Mónica Cruz (born March 16, 1977).
51. Sister-in-law of Carlos Bardem and María Bardem.
52. One of People magazine’s 50 Most Beautiful People in the World (2005).
53. Her sister Mónica Cruz is now a television star in Spain. She starred in Un paso adelante (2002) as a young dancer with a famous aunt.
54. Aunt of Antonella Cruz Sánchez (born May 14, 2013), via sister Mónica Cruz.
55. Launched the new clothing line which she created with her younger sister, Mónica Cruz, in Spain. (July 2007)
56. Daughter-in-law of Pilar Bardem.
57. Voted the 7th Sexiest Female Movie Star in the Australian Empire magazine. (September 2002)
58. Daughter of Eduardo Cruz (a merchant) and Encarna Sánchez (a hairdresser).
59. Returned to work 11 months after giving birth to her daughter Luna to begin filming Ma ma (2015).
60. Ranked #23 in Stuff magazine’s “102 Sexiest Women in the World” (2002).
61. Ranked #82 on Maxim magazine’s Hot 100 Women of 2008 list.
62. Thanked her Oscar to the Academy, Woody Allen, Pedro Almodóvar, Bigas Luna, Fernando Trueba, Harvey Weinstein, Robert Garlock, and to her parents and her brother and sister.
63. Ranked #58 on Maxim magazine’s Hot 100 Women of 2007 list.
64. Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Movie Stars in the World (#50) (2007).
65. Ranked #51 in FHM magazine’s “100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005” special supplement.
66. Named #72 in FHM magazine’s “100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006” supplement.
67. Her Oscar nomination for Parallel Mothers (2021) coincided with husband Javier Bardem’s nomination for Being the Ricardos (2021), a first for the couple. Neither took home the statuette.
68. Her husband Javier Bardem is the son of famous director Juan Antonio Bardem and first cousin to his son, actor-director Miguel Bardem.
69. Born at 7:00 AM (MEDT).
70. Her full name is Penélope Cruz Sánchez.