Penelope Cruz Honored with Star on The Hollywood Walk Of Fame

Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, President/CEO Leron Gubler and guest speakers actor Johnny Depp, director Rob Marshall and husband Javier Bardem helped Penelope Cruz unveil the 2,436th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Motion Picture Category at 6834 Hollywood Boulevard in front of The El Capitan Theatre on Friday, April 1, 2011.

In anticipation of the release of her new film, "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" in theaters May 20, 2011, Penelope Cruz received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, April 1, at 11:30 am. in front of the El Capitan Theatre, 6834 Hollywood Boulevard. An Academy Award® winner Penelope Cruz has proven herself to be one of the most versatile actresses by playing a variety of compelling characters, and most recently, becoming the first actress from Spain to be nominated and to win an Oscar®.
First introduced to American audiences in the Spanish films "Jamon, Jamon" and "Belle Epoque," in 1998 she starred in her first English language film, "The Hi-Lo Country" for director Stephen Frears opposite Woody Harrelson, Patricia Arquette and Billy Crudup. In 1999, Cruz won the Best Actress award at the 13th Annual Goya Awards given by the Spanish Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for her role in Fernando Trueba's "The Girl of Your Dreams."
Cruz appeared in Billy Bob Thornton's "All the Pretty Horses," Fina Torres' "Woman on Top," Alejandro Amenabar's "Open Your Eyes," and Maria Ripoli's "Twice Upon a Yesterday". Cruz co-starred in Pedro Almodovar's "Live Flesh" and the critically acclaimed "All About My Mother," which was awarded the Golden Globe® and Oscar® for Best Foreign Film. Cruz worked opposite Johnny Depp in "Blow" for director Ted Demme, "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" opposite Nicolas Cage, opposite Tom Cruise in Cameron Crowe's thriller "Vanilla Sky." In 2006, Cruz starred in "Volver," which again teamed her with director and dear friend Pedro Almodovar. Critically-acclaimed for her role as Raimunda, she won the Best Actress awards at the European Film Awards, the Spanish Goya Awards, the Cannes Film Festival, and received both Golden Globe® and Oscar® nominations. Her recent credits include "Elegy" opposite Sir Ben Kingsley and Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" opposite Javier Bardem and Scarlet Johansson. Cruz won an Oscar®, a BAFTA, a New York Film Critics Circle and a National Board of Review award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."
In 2009, Cruz and Almodovar were back in action for the fourth time with "Broken Embraces," for which she again received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Lena. Also that year, she teamed up with "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" director Rob Marshall for the first time and starred alongside Daniel Day Lewis, Nicole Kidman and Marion Cotillard in the film version of the musical "Nine." Her standout portrayal of Carla garnered Screen Actors Guild®, Golden Globe® and Academy Award® nominations. Her third Oscar® nomination made history as it marked only the third time in Oscar history where the winner of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress was nominated for the same award again in the following year.
Cruz is involved in Worldwide (RED) campaign lead by Bono and Bobby Shiver, Artists for Peace and Justice in Haiti (APJ), UNICEF The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). She had the honor of working with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity; volunteering in a leprosy clinic in India and she also worked with the Dalai Lama for the House of Tibet in Spain.

ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME -- www.walkOfFame.com
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an internationally-recognized Hollywood icon. With approximately 24 star ceremonies annually broadcast around the world, the constant reinforcement provided to the public has made the Walk of Fame a top visitor attraction. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce continues to administer the Walk of Fame as the representative of the City of Los Angeles. The Walk of Fame is a tribute to all of those who worked diligently to develop the concept and to maintain this world-class tourist attraction.

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Recorded by Marlene Panoyan, Director of Communications, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce on March 21, 2011 using a Flip Video camcorder. This clip is not available for reproduction in any other form or media. Additional permission is needed for any use. Contact Hollywood Chamber of Commerce at info@hollywoodchamber.net or call 323-469-8311. For more information, visit www.HollywoodChamber.net. To purchase a copy of this or other Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Ceremonies, please contact info@hollywoodchamber.net.