Penelope Cruz was born in Madrid, Spain. Since early childhood she's been charming the audience starring in various TV commercials. She's also practised classical ballet for nine years at Spain's National Conservatory. Cruz was 15 when she showed up at an audition, which eventually changed her whole life. Penelope starred in several Spanish TV shows, which helped her become a movie star. Cruz made her debut on the screen in 1991 in the film The Greek Labyrinth, and, in 1992, she starred in a TV film by Timothy Dalton called Framed. Her third movie Belle Epoque won Penelope an Oscar as well as its Spanish equivalent � Goyas. From then on, she's been starring in three or four films a year, and has become Spanish cinema's leading actress. In 1997 Penelope starred in Pedro Almodovar's Live Flesh as well as in Abre los ojos, which was very successful in Spain winning no less than 8 Goyas. In 1998 Cruz won the Goya award for Best Actress for the film Ni�a de tus ojos. Having appeared in several English-language films, Penelope starred in Almod�var's much acclaimed hit All About My Mother in 1999, which made her one of the most sought-for actresses on both sides of the Atlantic. A role in the American comedy Woman on Top followed in 2000. In 2001 Cruz partnered with Johnny Depp in the drama Blow.
Penelope supports a organization called the Sabera Foundation.Tthey have set up a home, a school and a clinic for homeless girls and people suffering from tuberculosis in Calcutta . Two documentary programs have already been made for Spanish TV on this project and one is being prepared in English for the US market