hellomagazine.com

PENELOPE GOES GRECIAN GLAM FOR 'VOLVER' SCREENING

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3 NOVEMBER 2006

She is a regular feature on the world's most beautiful lists, but Penelope Cruz achieved goddess status this week when she stepped out in a stunning Greek-style gown. The Spanish beauty was in Hollywood for a screening of her acclaimed movie Volver.

All eyes were on the stunning 31-year-old who, with her hair swept into a Audrey Hepburn-esque do, opted for a draped asymmetrical dress accessorised with diamond earrings and bangles. Single-girl-about-town Pen, who has been recently linked to Orlando Bloom, might have been without an escort on the red carpet but she had plenty of friends to make up for the absence of a leading man.

Hitch star Eva Mendes and Mexican actress Salma Hayek both put in an appearance at LA's Cinerama Dome. The Frida stunner was understandably playing it safe on the jewellery front after her assistant recently left $50,000 worth of rented jewels in the back seat of a taxi. Fortunately Lorenzo Borhese from American reality TV show The Bachelor spotted the package with Salma's name on and handed it in.

Volver, filmed in Penelope's native language by Spanish director Pedro Almodovar, has been garnering Oscar buzz for its leading lady since triumphing at the Cannes Film Festival in May. If she does walk away with the coveted Academy award for best actress she would be the first actress in a foreign-language film to scoop the honour since Sophia Loren in 1961. Last month she won the Hollywood actress of the year gong.