Anna Kournikova Biogarphy

Why Is She Famous?

Aside from single-handedly making women's tennis popular again, Anna Kournikova is one of the most searched people on the internet thanks to her amazing looks. She proves that you don't need to be a star tennis player to be one of the most highly endorsed athletes, nor do you need killer tennis skills to have a deadly internet virus named after you.

Anna Kournikova Picture

Date of Birth:
7 June 1981, Moscow, USSR [now Russia]

Birth Name:
Anna Sergeyevna Kournikova

Nickname:
Murzik ("my little pet" in Russian)

Height:
5' 8" (1.73 m)

Anna kournikova image

Mailing Address:

Anna Kournikova
c/o IMG
One Earview Plaza, Suite 1300
Cleveland, OH 44114

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Anna Kournikova Biography:

Anna Kournikova (née Anya Kournikova) was born on June 7, 1981, in Moscow, Russia, to Sergei and Alla. Her father, a lecturer at the sports university in Moscow and a part-time tennis coach, and mother, did not encourage Anna to play tennis for the fame, but rather for the health benefits of the sport.

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anna's early tennis days
Anna Kournikova's talent was first discovered when she played at a weekly children's sports program at the age of 5, thanks to the racket she received from her parents for Christmas. She started to play and practice more often, in places such as Moscow's Soklniki Park and the prestigious Spartak Tennis Club, despite the fact that her family was far from wealthy.

While still in Moscow, Anna Kournikova's first tennis coach was Larissa Preobraschenskaja, from 1985 to 1989. The budding tennis player trained and practiced while studying at school. In 1992, 11-year-old Anna Kournikova moved to Florida with her mother to attend Nick Bollettieri's Tennis Academy in Bradenton. The tennis facilities made it easier for Anna Kournikova, who had to commute from the gym to the tennis court to school while in Moscow.

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anna kournikova goes pro
By the time she was 14, she had become the youngest player to win a Fed Cup match, and made sure people took notice of her when she won the European Championships and Italian Open juniors. When she turned pro in 1996, she stepped onto the scene as an ITF Junior World Champion.

Expectations were high and Anna Kournikova delivered: she reached the fourth round in her first Grand Slam tournament, the 1996 U.S. Open and the semifinals in her first Wimbledon appearance in 1997.

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1998 was a big year for the blonde beauty: Anna Kournikova became the first Russian female to be seeded at the U.S. Open since 1976, reached the top 10 of the singles rankings, and upset Martina Hingis in the quarterfinals at the 1998 German Open, becoming the ninth-youngest player to defeat a No. 1 tennis player before turning 17.

The following year, Anna Kournikova won her first Grand Slam doubles title at the 1999 Australian Open, with partner Martina Hingis. She managed to reach the fourth round in singles at all three Grand Slams, two Grand Slam doubles finals and one Grand Slam mixed doubles final.

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In 2000, Anna Kournikova and Martina Hingis continued to do damage on the courts, and ended the season with a career ranking of No. 8. She even defeated Lindsay Davenport and Nathalie Tauziat on the way to the fifth semifinal of that year in San Diego. She later moved down the rankings to No. 19 and beat Sandrine Testud before losing to Venus Williams. At the 2000 German Open in May, Anna Kournikova experienced the first in what would become a string of injuries.

anna kournikova dates enrique iglesias
She continued to make appearances in high-profile tournaments and drawing in big crowds, but not as many titles or wins unfortunately. After 2003's Australian Open, she suffered a back injury that led to her withdrawal from that year's Wimbledon games.

In 2001, she had a bit part in the Jim Carrey comedy Me, Myself & Irene as a motel manager, and the following year, she starred opposite Enrique Iglesias in the pop singer's video for "Escape." FHM's Sexiest Woman in the World also made headlines thanks to her relationships with NHL players Pavel Bure and Sergei Fedorov (who she was allegedly married to), and her on-again, off-again romance with Enrique Iglesias.

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anna kournikova makes millions with endorsements
Anna Kournikova also proved her earning power by being one of the richest women in sports, thanks to lucrative contracts with companies like Adidas, Yonex, Berlei (the famous sports bra), Omega (also the choice of Cindy Crawford and Pierce Brosnan), and Lycos (who once named Anna Kournikova the most popular athlete on the internet, moving Michael Jordan to the No. 2 spot).

By 2002, she was reportedly making $10 million a year, and she continues to be the most photographed woman in sports -- even though her ranking and stats are nothing to write Russia about.

In a feature for ELLE magazine's July 2005 issue, Anna Kournikova stated that if she were 100% fit, she would like to come back and compete again. However, in the meantime, we're just fine watching her strut her stuff in magazines and bra ads.

Anna Kournikova Tennis Picture

Trivia:

Is an only child.

Ex-tennis player.

Named one of "People" magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People of 1998.

Graduated from a Russian high school in 1997, and has attended Russian University of Physical Culture since 1997.

Anna Kournikova Tennis Photo

Dated Pavel Bure and childhood sweetheart Sergei Fedorov at the same time. Fedorov told The Hockey News that he and Kournikova had secretly married in July 2001, but were divorced shortly thereafter; Kournikova has never confirmed this.

2002: Appears in the new Enrique Iglesias video "Escape".

Her fastest serve was clocked at 111.2 mph during the Paris Indoors of 1998.

May 2002: has been voted "the sexiest woman in the world" in the magazine "FHM" (Australian version).

Has never won a major tennis tournament, as of January 2004.

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It is announced that Kournikova was voted the Sexiest Woman in the World in FHM's 100 Sexiest Girls poll for 2002, American edition. [May 2002]

Knocked out of Wimbledon in the first round. [June 2002]

Ranked 299th in the world (as of October 2003).

Has a tattoo of a sun design on her lower back, which made its "debut" at the 2003 Australian Open. Oddly, she denied having it, telling reporters that it was actually a heat patch to treat back pain.

Sold her Miami Beach condo at Portofino Tower to Sergei Fedorov for $1.63 million (December 2003).

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In February 2001, the Anna Kournikova Virus was released. Within a few hours of its distribution anti-virus vendors received thousands of reports. However, investigators were only able to list 55 incidents of infection, causing just $166,827 worth of damage. On 27 September 2001, a Dutch court gave the virus's author, Jan De Wit, the choice of 150 hours community service or 75 days in jail.

Her favorite food is Sushi.

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Voted as #9 on the Top 100 Sexiest Women 2004 in FHM [DK].

Her best ranking in tennis was number 8 in the world (2000).

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Career best Grand Slam tournament singles results: Australian Open quarterfinals in 2001, French Open 4th round in 1998 and 1999, Wimbledon semifinals in 1997, U.S. Open 4th round in 1996 and 1998.

Named #29 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2005 list.

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Ranked as #62 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement. (2005)

Measurements at 2004: 32B - 24 - 34.

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Anna Kournikova Quotes:

"I'm like a menu at an expensive restaurant, you can look at me, but you can't afford me."

"I'm beautiful, famous and gorgeous."

--- Anna Kournikova

Penelope Cruz Biography

Why Is She Famous?

Aside from having been romantically linked to some of the biggest actors in Hollywood, Penelope Cruz has appeared in a number of successful films, such as Blow (2001), Vanilla Sky (2001), Volver (2006), and The Good Night (2007). Able to jump from Spanish to English rose with ease, Penelope is the ultimate Hollywood Latin beauty, with oodles of talent to boot.

Penelope Cruz

Name : Penelope Cruz

Name At Birth : Penelope Cruz Sanchez

Date of Birth : 28 April 1974

Place of Birth : Madrid, Spain

Height : 5' 5½" (1.66 m)

Weight : 47Kg

Nickname : Pe, Madonna of Madrid

Eyes : Hazel

Hair : Brown

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Father : Eduardo Cruz (auto mechanic)

Mother : Encarna Cruz (hairdresser manager)

Sister : Monica (professional flamenco dancer)

Brother : Eduardo Jr

Education : Secondary Studies (dropped out)

National Conservatory Madrid Spain (majored in Classical Ballet)

Cristina Rota's School in Nueva York (4 years

Mailing Address:

Penelope Cruz
c/o Creative Artists Agency
2000 Avenue Of The Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067

Penelope Cruz Sexy Photo

Penelope Cruz Biography:

Penelope Cruz Sanchez was born on April 28, 1974, in Madrid, Spain. She displayed a proclivity for performance while she was still in diapers, as she would often entertain her family members by re-enacting popular TV commercials. She eventually transferred this enthusiasm to the world of dance, and she subsequently studied classical ballet for nine years at Spain’s prestigious National Conservatory. Penelope Cruz seemed well on her way towards a career as a dancer, though there did come a point at which she was unexpectedly bitten by the acting bug.

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penelope cruz appears in belle epoque
While still in her teens, Penelope Cruz embarked on a quest to establish herself as an actress -- with her professional debut coming in 1991 with a guest appearance on a French soap entitled Softly from Paris. While that appearance hardly brought her visibility, Penelope Cruz’s first film role in 1992’s Jamon, jamon brought her to the attention of movie fans across the globe. The film, which co-stars Javier Bardem and was nominated for several Goya Awards, transformed Penelope Cruz into a sex symbol virtually overnight, while her starring role in the critically-acclaimed Belle epoque (released that same year) only cemented her status as one of Spain’s most intriguing up-and-coming performers.

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penelope cruz in open your eyes
Penelope Cruz spent the next several years working steadily in a number of Spanish-language films, including 1996’s La Celestina (alongside Maribel Verdu) and 1997’s Pedro Almodovar effort Live Flesh. It wasn’t until Penelope Cruz took on a role in the mind-bending 1997 flick Open Your Eyes that she once again found herself the focus of international attention, as the movie quickly became a cult classic thanks to its peculiar storyline and shocking conclusion. A year later, Penelope Cruz made her English-language debut with a small role opposite Billy Crudup and Woody Harrelson in The Hi-Lo Country, though it wasn’t until the new millennium that she finally began establishing herself among mainstream North American audiences.

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penelope cruz in blow
2000 proved to be the defining year of Penelope Cruz’s career, as the actress’ roles in Woman on Top and All the Pretty Horses propelled her to the top of Hollywood’s A-list. Though neither film was particularly successful, Penelope Cruz’s exotic looks and palpable abilities made her a hot commodity among some of the industry’s top directors and producers. Penelope’s output in 2001 was particularly prolific, as she appeared opposite Nicolas Cage in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Johnny Depp in Blow, Gael Garcia Bernal in Don’t Tempt Me, and Tom Cruise in Vanilla Sky.

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penelope cruz in volver
Penelope Cruz’s return to Spanish-language cinema with 2006’s Volver garnered the actress some of the best reviews of her career, and she was even nominated for her first Academy Award (she ultimately lost to Helen Mirren, however). Her success with Volver lead to her roles in 2007's The Good Night alongside Gwyneth Paltrow and Simon Pegg, as well as Manolete opposite Oscar award winner, Adrien Brody.

Penelope Cruz Topless Bikini Photo

penelope cruz in elegy
2008 looked to be just as bright for Penelope Cruz as she took on the role of Consuela Castillo in Elegy along with Ben Kingsley and Dennis Hopper. Based on a novel, Elegy is a dramatic movie particularly suited to Penelope's acting prowess.

Along with her casting calls, Penelope was also ranked as No. 58 in Maxim's Hot 100 of 2007 list, and was chosen by Empire magazine as being one of the 100 Sexiest Movie Stars in the world.

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Trivia:

After filming All the Pretty Horses (2000), she became a vegetarian.

It was rumored that she donated her entire The Hi-Lo Country (1998) salary to the Mother Teresa's children's sanctuary in Calcutta after spending a week there volunteering. This was later denounced by Cruz, according to a Reuters news article in 2001.

Daughter of Eduardo (merchant) and Encarna (hairdresser).

Brother, Eduardo.

Academic curriculum: Finished 2º B.U.P. (2nd. year of secondary school). Had 4 years of dance performance with Cristina Rota, several dance courses at New York, 9 years of classic ballet at the Conservatorio Nacional and 3 years of Spanish ballet with Ángela Garrido. Also had Jazz Dance course with Raúl Caballero.

Penelope Cruz Hot Picture

Volunteered in Uganda for 2 months in 1997 with then boyfriend Faiz Ahmad.

She founded a non-government organisation (NGO) called Sabera Foundation. Together with Nacho Cano and other Spanish entertainers, they have set up a home, a school and a clinic for homeless girls and people suffering from tuberculosis in Calcutta. Two documentary programs were made for Spanish TV on this project. Unfortunately differences of opinion caused a collapse in the project and Sabera Foundation tragically no longer exists.

Dated Tom Cruise. [2001-January 2004]

She was named after the song "Penélope" by Joan Manuel Serrat.

Her sister Mónica Cruz is now a TV star in Spain. She starred in "Paso adelante, Un" (2002) as a young dancer with a famous aunt.

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Voted the 7th Sexiest Female Movie Star in the Australian Empire Magazine September 2002.

Lived with Nacho Cano, Spanish musician, part of the trio (famous in Spain) called "Mecano", a pop music group. Penelope appeared in one of the band's video-clips "la Fuerza del Destino" and that's where her romance with one of the two Cano brothers that form part of the group along with the singer Ana Torroja begun.

Best friends with actresses Goya Toledo and Salma Hayek.

Ranked #23 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World" (2002).

Likes to keep stray cats.

Learned Italian because she wanted her part in the movie Non ti muovere (2004) really badly. It paid off and she went on to win the Italian equivalent of the Oscars for Best Actress.

Speaks four languages: Spanish, Italian, French and English.

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Was accompanied by Matthew McConaughey to the Grammy Awards in 2005. The couple met on the set of Sahara (2005).

Shares her birthday with Jessica Alba & Jay Leno

Spanish citizen.

Two of her boyfriends have been named "Sexiest Man Alive" by People Magazine: Tom Cruise (in 1990) and Matthew McConaughey (in 2005).

Sister of Monica Cruz

Bigas Luna was determined to have her starring as the lead character in the torrid Edades de Lulú, Las (1990), but Penélope was only 14. They agreed that she was too young for the role and Francesca Neri was cast instead. Two years later, Luna's fixation with Cruz resulted in her breakthrough performance in Jamón, jamón (1992), her first film, famous for her somewhat erotic scenes. They eventually collaborated again in Volavérunt (1999).

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Claims that Victoria Abril's powerful performance in Pedro Almodóvar's ¡Átame! (1990) ("Tie me up, tie me down!") determined her to become an actress.

Ranked as #51 in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" special supplement. (2005)

She claims her role in Bigas Luna's Jamón, jamón (1992) psychologically scarred her for life. She was a teenager when she was cast in the film which required her to do nudity and sex scenes.

Named #72 in FHM magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" supplement. (2006).

Good friends with ex-boyfriend Tom Cruise. She was one of the first people to visit his new-born baby daughter Suri.

One of People magazines 50 Most Beautiful People in the world 2005.

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Sister of singer Eduardo Cruz and actress Mónica Cruz.

Second Spanish performer to be Oscar-nominated. The first one was Javier Bardem.

Is a fan of Indian cinema and has expressed interest in working with Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan someday.

Ranked #58 on the Maxim magazine Hot 100 of 2007 list.

Choosen by Empire Magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Movie Stars in the world (#50) 2007.

In 2006, she was earning $2 million per year representing L'Oreal cosmetics.

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Personal Quotes:

The most difficult thing in the world is to start a career known only for your looks, and then to try to become a serious actress. No one will take you seriously once you are known as the pretty woman.

I'm strong and opinionated. Those qualities brought me a lot of problems since I was a little girl in school, saying 'I don't agree' and fighting with the children. It's part of my curiosity for life.

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There's so much more I want to do. I refuse to get to 50 and wait at home for the phone to ring. In Spain, actresses work until they are old. That's my plan.

Penelope Cruz Hot

"I love Salma Hayek, we've been friends for a really long time. i admire how she has come such a long way and always remained grounded and who she is. She never compromises to follow her vision and she is loyal. Such qualities only mark the great stars".

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"I love the Italian culture, it's a beautiful culture. I love the language, the Italian people, their music, their attitudes...I just love it! Sometimes I think I'm an Italian trapped in a Spanish woman's body.

You cannot live your life looking at yourself from someone else's point of view.

--- Penelope Cruz

Paz Vega Biography

Why Is She Famous?

An A-list celebrity in Spain, Vega earned international renown after her stunning work in the sex-filled Sex and Lucia. She was later cast by Pedro Almodovar in Talk to Her and will soon make her American big-screen debut in James L. Brooks' Spanglish.

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Name :
Paz Vega

Birth Name :
Paz Campos Trigo

Date of Birth :
January 2, 1976

Place of Birth :
Sevilla, Spain

Height :
5' 8

Nationality :
Spanish

Profession :
Actor

Claim to Fame :
As Lucia in Sex and Lucia (2001)

Spouse:
Orson Salazar (2002 - present) 1 child

Mailing Address
Paz Vega
c/o Creative Artists Agency
2000 Avenue Of The Stars
Los Angeles, CA 90067

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Awards:

Phoenix Film Critics Society Award
Year : 2004
Category : Breakout of the Year - On Screen
For : Spanglish
Won

Sant Jordi Award
Year : 2002
Category : Best Spanish Actress (Mejor Actriz Española)
For : Lucía y el sexo
Won

Ondas Award
Year : 2001
Category : Best Actress (Mejor Actriz)
For : Lucía y el sexo
Won

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Trivia:

Took her surname Vega from her grandmother.

Majored in journalism, but dropped out of college after two years to pursue an acting career.

After two years at the acting school, she moved to Madrid, where she worked in bars while auditioning for every gig she heard about.

Was a television star before making it in movies.

Husband is Venezuelan. They met while vacationing on a Spanish island.

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Her stage name translated into English means 'peace meadow'.

Got an "Introducing" credit for Spanglish (2004), despite it being her 13th film.

Shares birthday with Kate Bosworth, Cuba Gooding Jr., Tia Carrere, Saint Teresa of Lisieux, and writer Isaac Asimov.

Spanish citizen.

Her father was a bullfighter.

She and her husband welcomed their first son, Orson (2 May 2007).

Paz Vega Hot Wallpaper

Paz Vega Biography:

Paz Vega was born on January 2, 1976, in Seville, the Spanish town famous for Carmen and singing barbers. The slender and athletic Paz first dreamed of being a sports star and later took interest in politics. At age 15, all it took was a day at the theater to cement her ambitions; a performance of La Casa de Bernarda Alba set her sights on acting for good.

At 16, Paz left school and patiently waited for the prestigious Centro Andaluz de Teatro acting school to accept her. After two years at the acting school and another two studying journalism, Paz moved to Madrid, where she sought fame. She changed her name to Paz Vega (her grandmother's last name) and worked in bars while auditioning for every acting job she could.

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Paz's first big jobs came on TV, where she appeared in three episodes of the Spanish series Menudo es mi padre, and in two other series, Mas que amigos and Companeros. In 1999, Paz got her first major movie role in Zapping, in which she played a hot sex-loving vixen who snagged another woman's husband. That same year, she had a minor part in Sobrevivire (I Will Survive), which got people noticing her.

Paz then returned to television with the career-making role of Laura in the series, 7 vidas. It was this role that endeared her to all of Spain. Filmmaker Mateo Gil liked Paz so much that he gave her a major part in his movie Nadie conoce a nadie (Nobody Knows Anybody, 1999). As she juggled TV and movies, she quickly learned the inner workings of the film industry.

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Movie director Julio Medem saw her potential and asked Vega to leave her TV role to dedicate herself to his new project. His film would be provocative, steamy and sensual, so he needed just the right actress. In 2001, Lucia y el sexo (Sex and Lucia) hit theaters. It told the story, in graphic and lurid detail, of an innocent girl who slowly discovers her sexuality. Paz appeared nude, acting with her whole body in a gush of sensuality. Sex and Lucia became an international hit and won Paz a Goya, Spain's biggest movie award, for Best New Actress.

With the success of Sex and Lucia, Vega was courted by the biggest names in the film industry. Spain's most important director, Pedro Almodovar, gave her a part in his award-winning film Hable con ella (Talk to Her, 2002). Soon after, she was seen in the musical romantic comedy, El otro lado de la cama (The Other Side of the Bed, 2002).

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After two more movies, including a rendition of Carmen in 2003, Paz started being coveted abroad. James L. Brooks, of The Simpsons and As Good as It Gets, signed her for his new directing project, a comedy called Spanglish, with Adam Sandler and Tea Leoni. This movie will no doubt raise her profile in the U.S. and she will hopefully be seen in more American movies. After Spanglish, Paz can be seen in 2005's Un angel en la oscuridad in the pipeline.

Paz Vega currently lives in Madrid, Spian with husband Orson Salazar.

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Paz Vega Quotes:

"I don't want to play only Latin women. I want to have roles in English."

"I am only an actress when they say, 'action' and I stop being an actress when they say, 'cut'. I am a normal person outside of acting."

Paz Vega Sexy Images

Filmography:

Novo ( 2004 )
Spanglish ( 2004 )
The Other Side of the Bed ( 2003 )
Sex and Lucia (Lucia y El Sexo) ( 2002 )
Talk to Her ( 2002 )
Solo Mia ( 2001 )
Nadie Conoce A Nadie ( 1999 )

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