Penelope Cruz becomes a force of nature in Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Most actors are somewhat excited about working with Woody Allen. However, Penelope Cruz admits that her interest in working with the famed writer/director was a little greater than most actors.

Cruz was hired by Woody Allen to costar with Javier Bardem and Scarlett Johansson in Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and plays the ex-wife of an artist who has fallen in love with another woman. The movie opens August 15.

She says that when she first arrived in New York City from Spain aged 19 she joined an almost cult-like group of Spaniards who met regularly to discuss Allen’s many films.

“We were obsessed with Woody’s movies and so we would get together to have long dinners in which we would examine his films,” Cruz says. “We are all fanatics when it comes to Woody so when he hired me I called all of them and it was a big celebration. I have seen all of his movies many many times.”

Since she came to the movie after years analyzing Allen’s films, it’s hardly surprising that Cruz found even more things of interest while working closely with him. She says that a theory she had while watching his films was played out in the making of Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

“He doesn’t waste any energy when he is making a movie,” she says. “He is so precise and specific and any time he talks about anything it is a treasure and I have to go and look for a pen to write it down.

“He doesn’t rehearse but he sets a rhythm on the set. So now I understand why all his characters feel like they are running out of time. I had felt that in his movies everyone is in a rush and something major was about to happen all the time. Now I think he creates that on purpose.

“He shoots it all in five weeks and it goes fast and so you don’t know what is happening. In one day you will do five scenes. So I think that he wants you to be in this state of movement because it forces you to be in present time. You are in a state of emergency all the time. So the characters appear to be running out of time as a result.”

Cruz could see that in the script her character was a force of nature. Even though she had been an Allen fan for many years, she thought he might be taking the character too far over the top and decided to tell Allen how she felt. She says that when he assured her it would look right she did what she was told.

“I was worried and I would say to him ”˜She hasn’t slept and she has all these nightmares. Why don’t I do this scene with no energy just in case I am being too loud or too big or too extroverted,’” Cruz says. “He is very respectful and he listens to the actors but he also knows what he needs from us at each moment. He said ”˜She equals chaos all the time.’ I said ”˜Are you sure?’ and he said ”˜Believe me. There are people like that. I have met them.’”