High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Penélope Cruz Sánchez (born April 28, 1974), 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.