Born in Madrid on 28 April 1974, Penelope originally trained as a classical dancer. Her first break came with an appearance in a music video for the Spanish synth-pop group Mecano. She was later a TV presenter for the teen-oriented program La Quinta Marcha. Cruz's first major film was the skintastic erotic drama Jamón, Jamón. In early 2001, she appeared in the film Vanilla Sky with Tom Cruise, which sparked a three-year romantic relationship with the actor. Vanilla Sky was the Hollywood remake of Abre Los Ojos ("Open Your Eyes"). Cruz played the same character in both movies, but the Spanish version included the treat of her luscious breasts.
