The Spanish Enchantress

Keeping up with the great tradition of European actresses, Penelope Cruz has a mystique that is difficult to define. ‘The Spanish enchantress, as she's been dubbed, is off center beauty enhanced by the force of her character and the sense of hidden depths she projects. 
She's traveled so far-from suburban Madrid, where she was born to a beautician mother and mechanic father, to the red carpets of Cannes and LA, wearing vintage couture and dripping in jewels. 
The Spanish star talks candidly about being an incurable worrier, her maternal instinct and why she hates celebrity gossip.

Q: You've worked with some of the great directors and now you have an Oscar on your mantelpiece. Why so much fear and self-doubt in the face of all this success?

A: It's in my nature. Every time I make a film, I feel like it's my first time. I'm not joking. Every film, during the first week, I always think they could fire me.

Q: An added obstacle for you has been that English isn't your first language.
A: I learned English when I was 18, so it was kind of late. I'm starting to feel a little more relaxed with it, but it takes time. When I'm not performing in Spanish feel tense. It's like torture sometimes, trying to get rid of my accent.

Q: Are you past the stage of having to audition for roles now?
A: I've had to audition for most of the films that I've done. Sometimes lately just get given the script. But I had to audition four times for the musical Nine. You go into the room and fight with everybody else. That's what (being) an actor is about. You should never be afraid to have to prove yourself again and again.

Q: What's the essential attraction of acting for you?
A: I'm a passionate person. There's this incredible pleasure that comes from digging deep inside and being able to become the character you're playing. I love the emotional intensity you need to find within yourself.

Q: Speaking of observing, how do you deal with the goldfish-bowl nature of celebrity?
A: There is too much gossip being reported on TV and in the press. It's dangerous, nasty, bad for our society in so many ways – and it's getting worse. I really believe that this culture of gossip affects our society on a deep level. It's what children see and hear every day.

Q: What's the downside to being so focused and drive?
A: I'm very disciplined for work but I have to be even more disciplined to enjoy holidays. My family always check to see where my Black Berry is and take it away from me. They get angry with me, and my friends do, too-they don't let me take it do dinner. It can be an addiction.

Q: You told your parents you wanted to be an actress at the age of 13. Were you extroverted as a child?
A: Yes. I even looked for an agent (at that time). She sent me away three times because I was a little girl, but I kept coming back.

Q: Does marriage appeal to you?
A: I don't know if I believe in marriage. I believe in family, love and children.