W Magazine, August 2008 : Penelope Cruz

On facing her fears: “I try not to run away from things because I’m scared of them. When you feel you have to say something to someone, and your heart starts going fast because it could be controversial, I always vote for saying it. With time, you get more at peace with it. I used to get very upset about it, and very angry at myself. But now, when it comes, I just send it away.”

On the gossip: “I think it’s disgusting. It’s dangerous and nasty, and bad for our society in so many ways. And it’s getting worse every day. It affects me directly, but I really believe that this culture of gossip affects our society on a much deeper level, on an ethical level. It’s what kids see and hear every day, and it will affect future generations in ways that we cannot even imagine.”

On future plans: “Right now I feel ready to do one movie every year or two. One that I really feel 100 percent excited about. And then dedicate the other time to other things. Living, you know, life.”

On reviews: “I try not to go on the Internet and read about myself. It’s a guaranteed way to get angry for no reason. You start looking at yourself from the outside, from the wrong place. And everything is out of proportion. The good things, the bad things - everything.”

On the celebrity entertainment shows in Spain: “In Spain these TV shows are on for maybe 17 hours a day. They are very cheap to make because they just have somebody running after people in the street with a camera, provoking them, insulting them. They’re just waiting for more and more drama, you know? Unless they have a dead body in front of them, it’s not enough. I mean, it is just beyond crazy and completely unacceptable.”

On adopting children: “It’s something that I’ve thought about a lot. But I don’t know. I feel like I still have a lot of time.”

On exposing her private life: “I never talk about my private life to journalists. Never. I have a total right to protect it and I never mess with that.”

On rumored boyfriend Javier Bardem: “I think he’s the best actor alive. I think he has an amazing talent.”

On staying at the Sunset Marquis Hotel when she first moved to L.A.: “Many times I would pick up the phone and realize there was no one to call, because I didn’t have any friends. I cannot even look at those rooms now. I have a weird physical reaction. Everything comes back from those years.”