She may be an in-demand, Oscar-nominated actress now, but there was a time when Penélope Cruz probably thought it would be better to simply leave Hollywood and volver to her homeland.
The Spanish siren reveals in the August issue of W magazine that when she was working on her first English-speaking film, 1998's The Hi-Lo Country, there was definitely more lows than highs.
"Many times I would pick up the phone and realize there was no one to call, because I didn't have any friends," says Cruz about her early days in the States.
During those emotionally tough times, and in between acting gigs, she stayed at L.A.'s Sunset Marquis hotel with two stray cats.
"I cannot even look at those rooms now. I have a weird physical reaction. Everything comes back from those years."
Of course, the actress did eventually acquire many friends along the way, most notably, the ones she became romantically involved with, like Tom Cruise and Matthew McConaughey.
Currently, she's rumored to be linked to her friend Javier Bardem, with whom she costars in the upcoming Woody Allen vehicle, Vicky Cristina Barcelona.
But all the notoriously press-shy actress would say of her alleged beau is, “I think he’s the best actor alive. I think he has an amazing talent.”
It's no confirmation of love but not too shabby as far as endorsements go.