Penélope Cruz Sánchez is a Spanish actress and model. Signed by an agent at the age of 15, she made her acting debut at 16 on television, and her feature film debut the following year in Jamón Jamón. Her subsequent roles in the 1990s and 2000s included Belle Époque, Open Your Eyes, The Hi-Lo Country, The Girl of Your Dreams, and Woman on Top. Cruz achieved international recognition for her lead roles in the 2000-2001 films Vanilla Sky, All the Pretty Horses, Captain Corelli's Mandolin, and Blow. She has since garnered numerous awards and recognitions, including an Academy Award from three nominations. Cruz has appeared in various films from a wide range of genres, including the comedy Waking Up in Reno, the thriller Gothika, the Christmas film Noel, the action-adventure films Sahara and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the romantic comedy To Rome with Love, the crime drama The Counselor, and the mystery film Murder on the Orient Express.

She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Maria Elena in the 2008 film Vicky Cristina Barcelona. She has also appeared in the films Volver, Vanilla Sky, Blow, Zoolander 2, and All the Pretty Horses.