A Hollywood Star Burning Bright – Penelope Cruz in the Spotlight

Since the first appearance of Penelope Cruz in All The Pretty Horses with Matt Damon, we have been enthralled by this spanish seductress. There is something quite magical about her. And in her maturity as a successful Hollywood star, she has become bigger than life.

She has dated the most sexiest men – Tom Cruise, Matthew McConaughy – and is rumoured to be dating Orlando Bloom? Or is it Adrien Brody? You see her everywhere – billboards, tv commercials, magazine advertisement. She is the face of L’Oreal, Natural Match, Ralph Lauren, Sean John Women’s Collection.

She has great genetics that gives her that classic beauty and sexy body. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, she’s become a vegetarian. She gave up smoking, started exercising with a personal trainer, meditating, and paid more attention to her sleep quality. She is a strong advocate of promoting a healthy role model for young girls and believes that you dont have to be thin to be pretty.

She actively supports various charities. Her philanthropies include working with Mother Teresa in a leprosy clinic, helping start a foundation to support homeless girls in India, and donating her entire salary from her first hollywood movie to help fund Mother Teresa’s mission. She’s spoken out against animal cruelty and teen magazines depiction of unhealthy role models. Penelope is also one of the celebrity faces involved with Ipod’s Code Red (AIDS/HIV) project. How can you not love her?

With her upcoming movie Volver getting rave reviews and picking up two awards including Best Actress at the Cannes Festival, she is on her way to becoming Oscar Worthy. The movie is set to open in theatres across the nation, November 3rd. It is definitely going to be on my must watch list.

Penelope is the recipient of The Best Actress Award at the 10th Hollywood Film Festival on October 23rd. What will she wear?