Question 1

True or false: She once worked as a waitress in Madrid before her big break in film.

Accepted Answer

False. Cruz started acting at 15 and won a talent agency competition at 16. She never worked in food service.

Question 2

True or false: Penélope Cruz is allergic to horses, which made filming a riding scene difficult.

Accepted Answer

False. She actually loves horses and has ridden them in several films. No known allergy exists.

Question 3

True or false: Penélope Cruz trained as a classical pianist before she ever acted.

Accepted Answer

False. She studied ballet for nine years at Spain's National Conservatory, not piano. She did learn flamenco and jazz dance.

Question 4

True or false: Penélope Cruz speaks four languages fluently: Spanish, English, French, and Italian.

Accepted Answer

True. She is fluent in Spanish and English, proficient in Italian, and speaks conversational French. She learned Italian for a role.

Question 5

True or false: Cruz has a tattoo of the word 'Carpe Diem' on her inner wrist.

Accepted Answer

False. She has never gotten a tattoo. She once said she's afraid of needles and prefers temporary body art for roles.

Question 6

True or false: Penélope Cruz was the first Spanish actress to win an Academy Award.

Accepted Answer

True. She won Best Supporting Actress for 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona' in 2009, the first Oscar for a Spanish-born actress.

Question 7

True or false: Cruz turned down a role in 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy to stay in Europe.

Accepted Answer

True. She was offered the part of Galadriel but declined due to the lengthy New Zealand shoot, which Cate Blanchett then took.

Question 8

True or false: Penélope Cruz is the only actress to have won both an Oscar and a BAFTA for the same foreign language film.

Accepted Answer

True. She won both for 'Volver' (2006) — a Spanish film. Her Oscar was for 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona,' but this fact is about 'Volver.'

Penélope Cruz Trivia Questions