Penelope was born April 28, 1974, in Madrid, Spain. Penelope is a star actress and an international celebrity. Raised in Madrid, Penelope is the daughter of an auto mechanic and a hairdresser, and the elder sister of her brother Eduardo and sister Monica. Eduardo is a soccer player, and Mónica is a flamingo dancer. Penelope was always fond of the arts, particularly ballet and jazz. She studied classical ballet for nine years. Additionally, she spent four years under the direction of Cristina Rota and three years learning Spanish ballet from Ángela Garrido. In 1991, Penelope made her debut in "El Laberinto Griego", and worked steadily in Spanish cinema for the next seven years.

Professionally educated in Spain at the National Conservatory in Madrid, Penelope majored in classical ballet. She has been well recognized in Spain since the early '90s, but the fetchingly sexy actress has in recent years only started to make a splash on this side of the earth. People magazine declared her one of their "50 most beautiful folks of 2000". "She can actually stop traffic", claims producer Alan Poul. "When you see her in motion, you can't help but stare."

Her big break came at the age of 17, when she was cast in "Jamon, Jamon" (Ham, Ham in English) and "Belle Epoque". Set in pre-Franco Spain, Penelope portrayed one of four daughters of a wealthy man.

Penelope filmed "La Niña de Tus Ojos", in a role that would earn her a 1999 Best Actress Goya. Next, she appeared in a Hollywood feature, "The Hi-Lo Country". Her role in the film "All About Mother" by Pedro Almodovar that brought her to the attention of Hollywood. She won the roles in "Women on Top" and "All the Pretty Horses", which are sure to win the hearts of audiences. She has already captivated the producers and directors with her dark eyes and impossibly sultry figure.

Penelope, now a worthy starlet, completely disposed of her first official Hollywood paycheck in a very unique manner. Unlike any starlet, she donated her earnings to Mother Theresa's children's sanctuary in Calcutta, India. This sexy brunette celebrity is hardly sitting around waiting for offers to pour in. Penelope confessed to Vanity Fair, "Not everybody can do what they want to do and still eat. I'm very lucky", adding, "And it's getting better and better".

Penelope supports a organization called the Sabera Foundation. Together with Nacho Cano and other Spanish entertainers, they have set up a home, a school and a clinic for homeless girls and people suffering from tuberculosis in Calcutta. Two documentary programs have already been made for Spanish TV on this project and one is being prepared in English for the US market.

Penelope has been romantically linked to former co-stars Matt Damon and Nicolas Cage, but is presently involved with her "Vanilla Sky" co-star, Tom Cruise.