Penelope Cruz (born April 28, 1974), is a Spanish actress. She gathered critical acclaim as a young actress for films such as Jamón, jamón, The Girl of Your Dreams, and Belle Époque. Penelope Cruz has also starred in several American films such as Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Blow, Vanilla Sky, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and Nine. Penelope Cruz is known for her work with the Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar in Broken Embraces, Volver and All About My Mother. Cruz has been awarded three Goya Awards, two European Film Awards, and the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2009, Penelope Cruz won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, a Goya, and a BAFTA for her role in Vicky Cristina Barcelona. She is Spain's first female Oscar winner and also becomes the sixth Hispanic person to win an Oscar after José Ferrer, Rita Moreno, Benicio del Toro (Puerto Rico), Anthony Quinn (Mexico), and fellow Spaniard Javier Bardem. Cruz was nominated for her third Academy Award in 2010 for her role as Carla Albanese in the film version of the musical Nine.