Penélope Cruz Sánchez better known as Penélope Cruz, is a Spanish actress. She gathered critical acclaim as a young actress for films such as Jamón, jamón, The Girl of Your Dreams, and
Belle Époque. She has also starred in several American films such as Blow, Vanilla Sky,Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and Nine. She is perhaps best known for her work with acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, in Broken Embraces, Volver and All About My Mother. Cruz has been awarded three Goyas, two European Film Awards, and the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2009, she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, a Goya, and a BAFTA for her role in Vicky Cristina Barcelona. She is Spain's first female Oscar winner and also becomes the sixth Hispanic person to win an Oscar after José Ferrer, Rita Moreno, Benicio Del Toro (Puerto Rico), Anthony Quinn (Mexico), and fellow Spaniard Javier Bardem.
