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Spanish actress PENELOPE CRUZ is going out of her way to keep her new romance with JOSH HARTNETT out of prying eyes after enjoying public affairs with TOM CRUISE and MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY.

The VOLVER star and her actor beau fled from trendy Los Angeles restaurant El Coyote on March 21 after learning all private rooms were taken.

Cruz and Hartnett then showed up at another top restaurant, The Little Door, where they asked for the restaurant’s secluded Blue Room, according to In Touch magazine.

A waiter tells the publication the couple left through separate doors, but “before they went, they kissed goodbye,” adding “they were touchy-feely all night, holding hands and kissing… They were cute.”

(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.

VOLVER star PENELOPE CRUZ has sparked reports she is secretly a Scientologist after regularly spending time at the religion’s Celebrity Centre in Los Angeles.

The Spanish actress split from devout Scientologist TOM CRUISE in 2004 after a three-year relationship, but has apparently retained an interest in the controversial religion.

According to American publication Us Weekly, the 32-year-old was a regular visitor at the Scientology Celebrity Centre in the two weeks leading up to the Academy Awards.

A source explains, “She spent several afternoons there. When she’s in Los Angeles, she goes often.”

(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.

PEDRO ALMODOVAR’s VOLVER picked up five honours at the Goya Awards in Madrid, Spain last night, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress for PENELOPE CRUZ.

The movie, which had received 14 nominations, also won Best Original Soundtrack for ALBERTO IGLESIAS.

On collecting her Best Actress award, Cruz said, “This award is very important, very special for me. I am going to try not to cry because I’m a disaster, and these 30 seconds are not going to be enough.”

PAN’S LABYRINTH, which is nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at next month’s Oscars, collected the most awards – seven in total, including Best Original Screenplay for Mexican writer/director GUILLERMO DEL TORO.

Del Toro said, “My relationship with Spain as a filmmaker is one of profound admiration and respect… that began with the hand of Pedro (Almodovar).”

Elsewhere, JUAN DIEGO won Best Actor for VETE DE MI, while STEPHEN FREAR’s THE QUEEN won Best European film.

The full list of winners is:
Best Picture – VOLVER
Best Actress – PENELOPE CRUZ in VOLVER
Best Actor – JUAN DIEGO in VETE DE MI
Best Director – PEDRO ALMODOVAR for VOLVER
Best Original Screenplay – GUILLERMO DEL TORO for PAN’S LABYRINTH
Best Adapted Screenplay – LLUIS ARCARAZO for SALVADOR
Best First-Time Director – DANIEL SANCHEZ AREVALO for DARKBLUEALMOSTBLACK
Best European Film – THE QUEEN
Best Foreign Spanish-Language Film – LAS MANOS by ALEJANDRO DORIA (Argentina)
Best Supporting Actress – CARMEN MAURA in VOLVER
Best Supporting Actor – ANTONIO DE LA TORRE in DARKBLUEALMOSTBLACK
Best Breakthrough Performance, Actor – QUIM GUTIERREZ in DARKBLUEALMOSTBLACK
Best Breakthrough Performance, Actress – IVANA BAQUERO in PAN’S LABYRINTH
Best Animated Feature – THE HAIRY TOOTH FAIRY by JUAN PABLO BUSCARENI
Best Art Direction – BENJAMIN FERNANDEZ for ALATRISTE
Best Cinematography – GUILLERMO NAVARRO for PAN’S LABYRINTH
Best Line Production – CRISTINA ZUMARRAGA for ALATRISTE
Best Documentary Short – CASTANUELA 70, EL TEATRO PROHIBIDO by MANUEL CALVO and OLGA MARGALLO
Best Animated Short Film – EL VIAJE DE SAID by COKE RIOBOO
Best Live-Action Short Film – A CIEGAS by SALVADOR GOMEZ CUENCA
Best Visual Effects – DAVID MARTI, MONTSE RIBE, REYES ABADES, EVERET BURRELL, EDUARD IRASTORZA and EMILIO RUIZ for PAN’S LABYRINTH
Best Costume Design – FRANCESCA SARTORI for ALATRISTE
Best Documentary Feature – CINEASTAS EN ACCION by CARLOS BENPAR
Best Film Editing – BERNAT VILLAPLANA for PAN’S LABYRINTH
Best Sound – MIGUEL POLO and MARTIN HERNANDEZ for PAN’S LABYRINTH
Best Original Score – ALBERTO IGLESIAS for VOLVER
Best Original Song – TIEMPO PEQUENO by BEBE and LUCIO GODOY, from THE EDUCATION OF A FAIRY
Best Make-Up And Hair Design – JOSE QUETGLAS and BLANCA SANCHEZ for PAN’S LABYRINTH
Lifetime Achievement Award – TEDDY VILLALBA.

(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.

PENELOPE CRUZ celebrated her Oscar nomination last night by hitting Hollywood with best pal SALMA HAYEK, who was upset she wasn’t allowed to read the Spaniard’s name out.

Hayek joined SID GANIS, the President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, at the nominations announcement yesterday morning, and when she spotted her friend’s name on the card, she begged to be able to read it out.

After yelping, “Yes,” when Ganis read out her friend’s name, the FRIDA star told reporters, “I wanted to say her name. I fought for it, but they wouldn’t let me.”

As soon as an emotional Cruz saw the video footage of her friend at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, where the nominations were read out, she excused herself in the middle of an interview with US TV show EXTRA to call Hayek.

As cameras rolled yesterday, Cruz could be heard saying, “You’re coming out with me tonight. To dinner. To celebrate.”

(c) 2007 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.