Penelope Cruz: Meryl Streep made me want to try something crazy

Actress Penelope Cruz says Meryl Streep and Billy Wilder inspired her to get into showbiz and try "something crazy".

"Most of them (films which inspired her) were from Pedro, and then many movies from Meryl Streep or Billy Wilder, also Anna Magnani - the names that made me want to try something crazy because I didn't know anybody that had a job in this industry," said Cruz while talking about her inspirations which pushed her into the industry.

"I didn't even have a movie theatre near where I lived so I was watching everything in a beta max that my father bought and that's how I became a big cinephile," she added.

The actress will next be seen in Spanish drama "Pain & Glory", which will release in India on January 31. The film is being brought to India by PVR Pictures.

"Pain & Glory", directed by Pedro AlmodAvar, follows the life of a film director who reflects upon his choices in the past whilst his reality comes crashing down around him. It also stars Antonio Banderas, Asier Etxeandia, Julieta Serrano and Leonardo Sbaraglia amongst others.

Talking about her relationship AlmodAvar, she said: "We know each other so well, we look at each other we know what the other one is thinking. It's very hard to lie to each other. We're very close, one of my best friends and my favourite director in the world. He is somebody that I really admire and love"

In "Pain & Glory", the actress says she plays the role of Jacinta Mallo.

"The character is based on his mother... That was really beautiful to me because I really care about him and I know how much he cared about this woman and even if it is a smaller character in the film, I felt like it was important for me to do it because it's her and I met her and she was really, really loving. She loved Pedro so much and I feel Pedro's personality comes a lot from the way she was. She was very peculiar, very interesting."