After a couple of years of floundering in the business post-Gothika (2003), Spanish beauty Penelope Cruz had seemingly given up on acting in Hollywood. Struggling with being fully comfortable performing in the English-language, she went back to her native country and worked with the legendary Pedro Almodovar on the excellent Volver and almost overnight, we were reminded just how powerful an actress she could be. She was Oscar nominated for that movie and it kicked off a second-wind in Cruz. A stunning performance opposite Ben Kingsley in the underseen Phillip Roth adaptation Elegy soon followed (for my money her best English language performance where she no longer seemed awkward) before another legend of cinema in Woody Allen came calling. The result of their collaboration was Vicky Cristina Barcelona where in a supporting performance of such power and charisma, she stole the show from her co-stars and it would give Cruz a much deserving Oscar win. The movie also happens to Allen's best picture in quite some years. With the success of that picture it was only a matter of time before Allen/Cruz would work together again and I'm happy to say that time is coming soon. Penelope Cruz told EW yesterday that she will star in Allen's Rome set drama, his next picture after Midnight in Paris, which is now in the can and will indeed open in Cannes a month from now.
I know , but the thing is that I have to ask the director what I can say and what I cannot say, she said. Because hes very secretive. Itsits a movie with Woody Allen. But I really cannot say anything about the story or the characters.
Of course, this secrecy is to be expected from Allen. Usually the first time we get full details about the plot of his movies are when we see a trailer for them, as was the case with his new movie and certainly we don't know it's title until at least one cast member is secured. Though we do know something about this Italian set picture and that's Woody Allen himself will be making an appearance, albeit in just a small role. Filming is set to take place in the summer and clearly Allen is gearing up pre-production and thinking about nailing down his cast.