Penelope Cruz graces the cover of the latest Esquire U.K. issue, where she delves into various revealing aspects of her life.
The talented Spanish actress recently sat down with the men's magazine to discuss her upcoming role as Donatella Versace in the highly anticipated series, The Assassination of Gianni Versace on FX Network.
During the interview, the Oscar-winning actress opened up about her very first n^de scene in the iconic 1992 film Jamón Jamón directed by Pedro Almodóvar.
At the tender age of 18, Cruz faced this challenging scene with apprehension, fearing it might harm her career.
Reflecting on that moment, the now 43-year-old actress recalled, “Of course I was not looking forward to those scenes but I did it.
Everyone was really respectful, aware of the fact that I was 18.
I remember the last day of filming, I was crying, saying: ‘What if I never shoot a movie again?
The feeling was devastating.'”
In a twist of fate, Cruz shared these intimate scenes with her future husband, Javier Bardem, with whom she shares two children, Leo, 6, and Luna, 4.
One memorable scene involved a youthful 23-year-old Bardem engaging in a steamy encounter with the young actress on a pool table at a local bar, following a n^ked bullfighting scene under the moonlight.
As highlighted in Esquire U.K., Bardem previously acknowledged the undeniable chemistry between them, stating, “There was obvious chemistry between us.
I mean, it's all there on film; it's like a document of our passion.
One day we're going to have to show the kids — imagine!
‘Mummy, Daddy, what did you do in the movies together?' Well, my children, you should celebrate this movie as you're here because of it.”
The power couple, known for their on-screen charisma, also collaborated in Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona in 2008 and recently reunited for Loving Pablo, a film based on the romantic escapades of the infamous Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar.
Following her remarkable debut, Cruz has solidified her status as a screen siren through roles in films like To Rome with Love and Blow.
She has also gained critical acclaim for her performances in Nine, Volver, and Vicky Cristina Barcelona, for which she clinched an Academy Award.
In her latest portrayal of Donatella Versace, Cruz admitted to the challenges of mastering the Italian designer's accent.
She confessed to the magazine, “It's a lot of dialogue, in my second language, but with [Donatella's] accent, which is Italian….I speak Italian.
But still, it was a big challenge.” The recently released trailer for The Assassination of Gianni Versace offers a glimpse of Cruz as a platinum
