(Re)discover Penélope Cruz in five films

The Spanish actress, planetary star, is on the bill of Official competition, comedy in which she gives the reply to Antonio Banderas. Why not revisit the most notable productions of the filmography of the one who celebrated her 48th birthday last April?

Jamon, jamon (1992)

The one who has the nickname “Pe” appears for the first time on the screen in Jamon, jamon by Bigas Luna and gives the reply to… Javier Bardem. Even though she is only 17 years old, she is noticed to the point of being nominated for the Goya awards, the Spanish equivalent of the Oscars, in the category of best actress. She then goes on with a good number of Spanish productions, and it is finally for In the fleshreleased in 1997, which she shot for the first time under the direction of Pedro Almodóvar… while reuniting with Javier Bardem, now her husband.

Vanilla Sky (2001)

Was it Almodóvar who opened the doors of international industry to him? Because we see her the following year in The Hi-Lo Country by Stephen Frears and Don Juan by Jacques Weber. But it was in 2001 that she made a sensational entry into Hollywood. Cartel by Ted Demme with Johnny Depp, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by John Madden with Nicolas Cage, then Vanilla Sky Cameron Crowe with Tom Cruise – she will also be in a relationship with the actor for three years – make her a planetary star.

Volover (2006)

She pursues an international career and we see her in Fanfan the Tulip alongside Vincent Perez or even in Gothika by Mathieu Kassovitz with Halle Berry and shot in Montreal. Penélope Cruz reunites with Pedro Almodóvar for the third time with Volover. The film opens the Cannes Film Festival, wins the Palme d’Or, the six actresses of the film are awarded the Interpretation Prize and, a few months later, the Spaniard will be nominated for the Oscars, a first for an actress from her nationality. She does not win the statuette, but is now part of the Hollywood gratin.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

Woody Allen is looking for Penélope Cruz to play Maria Elena, a mentally unstable woman, in Vicky Cristina Barcelona. The critical and popular success of the film – the feature film will garner US$96.4 million at the box office – once again propelled Penélope Cruz to center stage and established her reputation. Because she accumulates awards, Goya, BAFTA and Oscar fall into her hands. She then lets herself be tempted by the dubbing of the animated film G-Forcethen by the musical New for which she trains for three months to be able to dance.

The 355 (2022)

The years following his Oscar are full, all the filmmakers are tearing it up. It thus appears in the credits of blockbusters such as Sex in New York 2, Pirates of the Caribbean: Fountain of Youth, Zoolander 2finds Woody Allen for Rome my love... and even agrees to shoot an advertisement for Nintendo, in which she turns into Mario. She also plays alongside Javier Bardem, who became her husband, in Escobar and makes a detour via television in Donatella Versace to American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. At the request of Jessica Chastain, producer of The 355, she takes part in this all-female action film. Is this what made him want to go behind the camera? Because, in addition to playing the main role ofOn the Fringea feature film by Spaniard Juan Diego Botto which will be released in the fall, she is also a producer.