Life renommierten Agentin die Tür ein. „Ich war sehr extravertiert als Kind“, sagt sie, „als ich noch in der Highschool war, ging ich ins Ballett und machte ein paar Castings. Meine Agentin hat mich dreimal weggeschickt, weil ich noch ein kleines Mädchen war. Aber ich habe nicht aufgegeben und bin nach all den Jahren immer noch bei ihr.“ Sie spielte zunächst ein paar Rollen im Kinderfernsehen, bevor ihr 1992 der Durchbruch mit dem Kultfilm „Jamon Jamon“ gelang. Der Rest ist Filmgeschichte und der Oscar für ihre Rolle der Elena Maria in Woody Allens „Vicky Cristina Barcelona“ war nur die logische Konsequenz. ZU SCHÖN, UM WAHR ZU SEIN In „To Rome With Love“ gab es nun ein Wiedersehen mit dem Regie-Altmeister. Cruz spielt eine Prostituierte an der Seite von Jesse Eisenberg und Ellen Page und sie schwärmt von der inspirierenden Arbeit mit Woody Allen: „Er bringt mich einfach zum Lachen“, sagt sie, „‚Vicky Cristina Barcelona‘ war schon eine großartige Erfahrung. Es ist ein Privileg, einmal mit Woody Allen gearbeitet zu haben. Ich habe ihn schon als Kind verehrt und alle seine Filme gesehen. Einfach nur in seiner Nähe zu sein und Zeit mit ihm zu verbringen, ist etwas Besonderes. Außerdem habe ich natürlich einen Oscar für den Film be - kommen.“ Sie kann auch heute noch ihren Erfolg kaum fassen. „Ich hätte mir das nie träumen lassen“, sagt sie, „ich wollte einfach nur als Schauspielerin oder Tänzerin arbeiten. Jede Nacht habe ich darum gebetet, dass ich einen Job kriege, der nicht langweilig ist, sondern mich inspiriert. Ich wollte einfach nur jeden Tag aufstehen und meine Zeit mit einer Arbeit verbringen, die ich mag. Das war mein Wunsch. Aber dass letztlich so viel mehr daraus geworden ist, hätte ich mir nie gedacht. Das schien einfach unmöglich.“ – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 34 AQ She is the Oscar-winning actress who is adored by filmgoers and dreamed by legions of male admirers. But it is a sad day for both as actress Penélope Cruz admits she'll be cutting down on her movie work now that she's a mum. The 37-year-old – who is set to appear in Woody Allen's To Rome With Love later this year as a hooker – is blissfully happy with film star husband Javier Bardem, 43, and their son, 17-month-old Leonardo. Penélope says she is content to put her career on the back burner as she concentrates on her family. "Maybe I'll make one movie a year, perhaps two," she says, "but it's not going to be more than that because I have other priorities." RAISING MY FAMILY Cruz divides her time between Madrid, where she lives, and Los Angeles for work. But she says that though she loves Hollywood, she doesn't want to settle there. "I have so many memories of LA," she says. "Some of them are good, some not so good. I have lived beautiful moments there, but it is not the place I want to raise my kids." Born in 1974 in Madrid, Penélope initially trained as a ballerina. But she grew to love acting and began knocking on the door of a leading agent at the age of 15. "I was an extrovert as a kid," she admits. THE EARLY YEARS "When I was in high school, I was in ballet and I was doing castings. I looked for an agent and she sent me away three times because I was a little girl. But I kept coming back and I'm still with her after all these years." Penélope won roles on children's TV, but it was her film debut in 1992's Jamón, Jamón that made people sit up and take notice. She won an Academy Award for her performance in Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona and they will be reunited in To Rome With Love. Today, Penélope also appears in a new documentary which looks at the legendary director's work. To Rome With Love co-stars Jesse Eisenberg and Ellen Page, and Cruz admits she is really inspired by working with Allen. FILM FAIRY TALE "He makes me laugh so much," Penélope admits. "Vicky Cristina Barcelona was a great experience, along with the privilege of working with Woody, whom I first admired as a little girl. I've seen all his movies, so just to be around him, to spend time with him and work with him was very special. And, of course, the film also gave me an Oscar." Cruz says she finds it hard to believe the success she has achieved. "I didn't imagine any of this," she stresses. "I just wanted to work as an actress or a dancer. And every night, I was praying, please, to have a job that was not boring – a job that was in - spiring, to wake up every day and to be able to go and spend my hours of that day doing a job that I liked. That was my wish. So when much, much more happened that didn't even cross my mind then, it just didn't seem possible." TO ROME WITH LOVE: Penélope Cruz spielt in Woody Allens neuer romantischer Komödie an der Seite von Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni, Ornella Muti, Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page und dem Meister persönlich. Der Streifen ist als eine Art modernes Decamerone angelegt und soll im Herbst in die heimischen Kinos kommen. – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – TO ROME WITH LOVE: Penélope Cruz stars in Woody Allens latest romantic comedy alongside Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni, Ornella Muti, Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page and the grand master himself. The movie is a modern interpretation of the classic “Decameron” and will hit the theatres this fall.
Foto/Photo: ddp images/AP/Paul White Stilikone, Mutter und Oscar-Preisträgerin: Vor ihr war nur ein Spanier je für einen Oscar nominiert – ihr Gatte Javier Bardem. – – – – – – Style icon, mom and Academy Award winning actress: Penélope Cruz was the second Spanish performer ever to be nominated for an Oscar. The first was her husband Javier Bardem. AQ 35
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