Penelope praises Pedro

By LIZ SMITH

Cruz

Johansson

IN THE MIDDLE of last year's holidays I met a "celebrity" who isn't known for misbehavior. This gorgeous woman managed to have two huge public romances with major American male stars -- Tom Cruise and Matthew McConaughey -- without making too many waves. And when she and they said bye-bye; well, the breakups also happened with a maximum of dignity and no horrid true confessions. We tabloid fans never knew much about what these guys and Penelope Cruz felt. And she refuses to talk about her former lovers. So who is this paragon of virtue, high ambition and professional intent? Penelope glided into the nearly deserted St. Regis Hotel dining room on a December afternoon and we sat down to chat about her performance in "Volver" - another of those Pedro Almodovar classics that has her up for Oscar consideration. In spite of her refusal to discuss romantic liaisons, Ms. Cruz is not guarded. She is upfront and appealingly human, but I was expecting a kind of Sophia Loren-Anna Magnani character because especially in "Volver," this is how she comes off. It is Almodovar at the peak of his form and Ms. Cruz assaying his obsession with the women of his native Spain. Penelope is petite, looking younger than her 32 years. It hardly seems possible that she is the mature soul on screen, the take charge hot mama with excellent intentions and determination to improve the lot of everyone. "Volver" means to return and it's about going back to one's roots, to one's home village, to a culture where women obsessively clean, dust and polish the gravestones of the departed. I EMBRACED the women in this film and Penelope was enthusiastic: "You want these characters to be happy. Pedro never judges his women. They deserve him. He is brilliant, one of the funniest people in the world and part of my family. He knows me so well. Better than I know myself. When I was 13 I saw one of Pedro's films 'Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down.' I became obsessed. This was the beginning of a dream for me. Pedro called me when I was 17 and so nervous but he inspired me. Now I have done 35 films and I have had other fine directors who gave me many opportunities. Good ones are unique." Do you hide your private emotions, I asked? "No. I am not good at hiding in life. I think all of us want to be happy. Today I am happy because I ran into two of my favorite most admired actors -- Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange."

HOW DOES she live? "I am either in L.A. or in Madrid or in the villages, wherever my family is. I have my dogs in Spain and my cats in L.A. They don't get along. I have created my own rhythm. I am not attached to Hollywood. I am there one month, then I leave." Is she a victim of the international paparazzi? "I have been followed in my own country since I was 17. It's the same everywhere. You learn to deal with it. This morning I was followed in Manhattan but said to myself, I'm still meeting my mother for dinner and do what I am going to do. "Sometimes here I can really walk around unnoticed. People will, however, always make up stories about your private life. Deal with it." I ask two questions that cause her to bristle slightly. She was reported saying that if you are pretty people never take you seriously. "I never said that. I love to correct my histories. Reporters do that with women. And, also you asked about my having no higher education. I was already working at 18 and studying dance and theater at drama school. I studied French and then English, which is the hardest of all. I have never stopped studying. I am a perfectionist. I will always be learning and doing something in the arts and go on acting. I need this as I need food. I am always growing. The Oscar? "Oh, don't even mention that," she laughs. "My hope someday is to do a musical, like Nicole Kidman in 'Moulin Rouge.' She was so great. I could use all my dancing." Maybe Penelope will dance up to the stage on Oscar night.

Scarlett Johansson was everywhere in 2006. She was said to be miscast in Woody Allen's murder thriller "Match Point." She was said to be miscast by Brian De Palma in his flawed film "The Black Dahlia." She was kind of stuck in Chris Nolan's magician thriller "The Prestige." But don't cry for Scarlett. She has six films in the works for 2007. She's crying all the way to the banks of the world.

DORIS DAY may never get her honorary due from Oscar. But she's still a hot ticket anyway. On bookshelves is Tom Santopietro's smart and sensitive tribute, "Considering Doris Day," as well as "Que Sera, Sera: The Magic of Doris Day Through Television" by Pierre Patrick and Garry McGee. David A. Kaufman is still working on his massive bio of the star. Doris fans have sent me a DVD, "Doris Day: It's Magic," and a CD with two of her albums, "Day by Day" and "Day by Night." The more the Academy insists on ignoring Doris Day, the more her reputation is burnished and newly appreciated.

AN IDOL of young fans is Stacy London, who knocks 'em dead on TLC's "What Not to Wear." Faith in Stacy seems not to be misplaced; she is charming in person and sincere in her good works. Starting her fifth season on this popular show, Stacy is working also with "The Today Show." She is promoting TLC's charity initiative, Give and Learn. She has added the Step Up Network -- a women's effort to promote education and fight domestic abuse.

Stacy is a charity whirlwind. Her other interest is California's group Inspiring Divas, promoting self-esteem. She'll conduct their spring seminar.

(Email Liz Smith at [e-mail])