Penelope Cruz is the semi-ubiquitous former squeeze of Tom Cruise, but don’t hold either of those things against her. The Spanish actress has been in some real doozies on this side of the pond — Sahara in particular comes to mind — but it’s her work with Spanish art-house filmmaker Pedro Almodovar that made her a star. (If you haven’t seen any of his films, we suggest you start with All About My Mother. You’ll be pleasantly surprised.) The 33-year-old cutie stars in the upcoming Gwyneth Paltrow vehicle The Good Night, so expect adult drama. That twisted little slice of celluloid is about a man’s midlife crisis, and the woman who helps foster it. Cruz plays the fantasy female, and it’s easy to understand why. Between her L’Oreal appearances and the ads she’s in with her sister for Spanish clothing label Mango (think H&M . . . only, you know, not Spanish, not Swedish), she’s plastered her pretty little face everywhere. And when she’s even inducing normally respectable guys like Bono to hold hands, you know something’s up. Just check her out in this week’s gallery. You’ll be happy you did.

Related Content
Penelope Cruz Actor Info