Ever since her explosive feature debut at the age of 18, Penélope Cruz has boasted a screen presence that is nothing short of exhilarating. The Madrid native’s innate glamour certainly helps, but it’s also her ability to keep us guessing that enthralls audiences. She can go from fiery to startlingly vulnerable in seconds; dart effortlessly between Spanish, Italian, French, and English-language projects; and craft characters with precision and nuance, a skill which has so far earned her an Oscar, a BAFTA, and three Goya Awards.
As she celebrates her 50th birthday, we revisit her 10 most memorable performances to date.
Jamón Jamón (1992)
The actor burst onto the scene as a fresh-faced teen who falls for the heir to an underwear empire (Jordi Mollà) in Bigas Luna’s surreal romp. When his disapproving mother hires a ham delivery driver (Cruz’s future husband, Javier Bardem) to seduce her, hilarity ensues.
Belle Époque (1992)
On the eve of the Spanish Civil War, a deserter meets a painter and proceeds to romance each of his four daughters in Fernando Trueba’s surprisingly sweet satire. Cruz is enchanting as the youngest, a naïve country girl with whom he finally settles down.
The Girl of Your Dreams (1998)
Reuniting with Trueba for this sweeping period piece following a Spanish film crew in Nazi Germany, Cruz plays an Andalusian siren who catches the eye of Joseph Goebbels. She’s fierce yet fearful, charming critics and securing her first Goya Award in the process.
Volver (2006)
Raimunda, the endlessly resourceful heroine of Pedro Almodóvar’s glorious melodrama, remains one of Cruz’s most complex creations—a resilient, compassionate, and outspoken matriarch who must protect her daughter when she stabs her abusive father to death.
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
A force of nature is the best way to describe María Elena, the chain-smoking, volatile, vampish ex-wife of Javier Bardem’s sultry Juan Antonio in this sun-soaked rom-com. Despite her limited screen time, Cruz steals the show and snagged a best-supporting-actress Oscar.
Broken Embraces (2009)
As the charismatic, chameleonic Lena, an aspiring actress who flees her possessive lover to begin a new life with a revered auteur in Almodóvar’s atmospheric noir, Cruz radiates star power. When the plot hurtles towards tragedy, you hope against hope that she survives.
Nine (2009)
Rob Marshall’s Fellini-esque musical leaves much to be desired, but it is worth watching for Cruz’s sizzling performance as Carla, the bewitching and later anguished mistress of Daniel Day-Lewis’s eccentric Italian director—not to mention her Sophia Loren-worthy wardrobe.
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (2018)
With a platinum-blonde wig, chunky gold jewelry, oversized sunglasses, and skin-tight leather dresses, the actor transforms into Donatella Versace as she attempts to process the death of her beloved brother in the nine-part thriller. She manages to be both steely and touchingly sensitive.
Parallel Mothers (2021)
In Almodóvar’s 2021 soap opera, the delightfully twisty tale of two women who meet in a maternity ward, Cruz’s turn as a photographer who begins to doubt her child’s parentage is her best yet. From her initial insouciance to the glimmers of discontent and the heart-wrenching climax, she’s masterful.
Ferrari (2023)
Michael Mann’s blistering, full-throttle biopic about the life of Enzo Ferrari, the racing enthusiast who built an automotive empire, as embodied by Adam Driver, wouldn’t be the same without Cruz’s heartbreaking powerhouse of a performance as the mogul’s estranged wife, Laura. Still grieving the loss of their young son and grappling with her husband’s infidelities, she’s a tornado of rage and sorrow—and the one who holds the key to their future. It’s impossible to take your eyes off her.
