Pedro Almodรณvar asked me to watch italian films again as homework to look at the energy of all those women from the Italian neo-realist films. A lot of them had those characters that represented motherhood. For some reason, in the '50s in Italy, the mother figure was very important - and my character needed to have that energy.
Penelope CruzI just try not to label myself in any way. I just have an allergy to labels in general. I can tell you that I am surrounded by very strong women and that I really appreciate that, but I'd rather not label myself.
Penelope CruzThe discipline that ballet requires is obsessive. And only the ones who dedicate their whole lives are able to make it. Your toenails fall off and you peel them away and then you're asked to dance again and keep smiling. I wanted to become a professional ballet dancer.
Penelope CruzI still feel like I have so much to learn. I love that feeling, that next time I go to set, I will be terrified again. I don't want it to be any other way.
Penelope CruzI want to have babies one day but not right now. When I do it I want to do it really well. I want it to be my best project in life.
Penelope CruzIt's fun for women to be in a Western. And I had to learn how to handle the guns. I would walk around with the fake guns. It takes a lot of practice to twirl them around - but I can do a lot of crazy things now from movies. I can gallop a camel! Give me a camel, I know how to start it and stop it!
Penelope Cruz