Penélope Cruz has been a Hollywood mainstay for nearly three decades, beginning her rise through the American film world in the late 1990s.
However, the actress, who turns 51 today, made her first appearances on screen as early as 1989, and made her film debut at the age of 18 in 1992.
Penélope's very first film role came in the Spanish romantic tragicomedy Jamón, jamón, directed by the late Spanish filmmaker Bigas Luna.
© Alamy Stock PhotoJamón, jamón
The film centers around a beautiful teenager named Silvia (Penélope) who becomes tangled in a complicated web of affairs stemming from her relationship with a wealthy heir, his parents, her brothel owner mother, and a handsome aspiring bullfighter.
At times an absurdist and surreal comedy, the film not only served as a breakout for Penélope, but also for its two young leading men, Jordi Mollà and none other than Javier Bardem. And it's clear to see that neither of them have aged a bit since.
© Alamy Stock PhotoMeeting Javier
Nearly two decades before their 2010 marriage, Penélope made her film debut opposite the man who would become her husband. The son of actress Pilar Bardem, the now 56-year-old Javier was given his first leading turn in Jamón, jamón. The film involved several steamy scenes between the actors, who carry out an affair to spite Silvia's lover.
The film was a commercial success, most notably through international video rentals, and went to number one in the box office in both Spain and Italy.
© Alamy Stock PhotoEarly success
While it received relatively positive reviews at the time, it is reviewed much more fondly in retrospect. Jamón, jamón was screened at the 49th International Venice Film Festival in September 1992, receiving a Silver Lion award for its director.
At the 7th Goya Awards in 1993, the film received six nominations, including Best Actress for Penélope and Best Actor for Javier. It lost a majority of its prizes to Belle Époque, which also happened to star Penélope.
© Getty ImagesRise to stardom
Playing the chaste Luz in the latter film cemented the actress' stardom early on in her film career, with the 1992 comedy-drama winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1993.
Despite working together at the very start of their careers, the couple simply established a friendship that would last for years. While Javier kept his romantic life private, Penélope memorably dated her Vanilla Sky co-star Tom Cruise for three years between 2001 and 2004.
© Getty ImagesMarriage and parenting
The pair reconnected when working on Woody Allen's 2008 dramedy Vicky Cristina Barcelona, playing a pair of ex spouses who still hold a passionate but destructive love for each other.
Their work on the film in 2007 brought them back together and they began dating soon after, becoming an official couple by the time they each won their Oscars, Javier for No Country for Old Men in 2008, and Penélope for Vicky Cristina Barcelona the following year.
They tied the knot in July 2010 in the Bahamas and now divide their time between Hollywood and their home in Spain, where they raise their kids Leo, 14, and Luna, 11.
