Penelope Cruz is stunning in slinky swimwear on holiday with baby son Leo and husband Javier Bardem

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Water baby: Cruz takes a swim with her hair flowing loose

There's nothing mumsy about Penelope Cruz, even in the dowdiest of roles the actress simmers with a unique elegance and beauty that just can't be disguised.

So it's interesting to see that the role she refers to as her 'biggest transformation yet,' that of being a mother to seven-month-old Leo, hasn't extinguished that trademark flame.

In fact, the 37-year-old has never looked more beautiful than in these shots of her relaxing with her son and husband, fellow Oscar winner, Javier Bardem, 42.


Just beautiful: Cruz looked stunning in her one-piece


Wearing a stunning white one-piece swimsuit, reminiscent of Italian pin-up Sophia Loren, the new mother left her envy-inducing tresses loose while she doted on Leo, and took a swim.

The family relocated to Southern Italy at the weekend after enjoying a trip to Roses on their native Spain's Costa Brava with Penelope's 26-year-old brother Eduardo and his girlfriend Eva Longoria.

The Desperate Housewives actress, 36 , and Penelope's younger brother have been dating since early this year, not long after Eva's divorce from ex-husband Tony Parker was finalised.

They seemed particularly happy in each other's company, with Eva throwing an arm around Eduardo as they lunched outside.


The look of love: Cruz smiles happily at Bardem as they securely place Leo into his pushchair

But Penelope and Javier, who married in July 2010 in the Bahamas, obviously wanted some time alone with their beautiful young son.

Both parents are understandably besotted and took turns to dote over their beautiful boy, later Penelope tied her hair into a loose chignon and threw on a white beach dress to tackle the little one's push chair as they returned to their lodgings.

But that wonderful hair was free again after the couple changed their clothes to take Leo on a stroll of the surrounding countryside, this time Penelope in vibrant green and Javier in blue.

The couple are based in both Madrid and Los Angeles, but Penelope has spent much time in Italy recently while she shoots a new Woody Allen film in Rome.


Look, darling!: The proud parents show Leo around the countryside


source :dailymail

Oscar Talk: Actor and Actress

I often wonder why the actor and actress categories are considered superior to the supporters, but judging by the nominees this year I’d actually support that theory. The nominees for the leading categories significantly outweigh the supporting players.

            

ACTOR

Who’d have thought that Colin Firth would be the thespian to reach here before his contemporaries like Neeson, Branagh and Fiennes – but, that’s Oscar for you. He gets an immediate second shot at gold over last year’s loss, and he’s not likely to lose.

NOMINEES: Javier Bardem in Biutiful / Jeff Bridges in True Grit / Jesse Eisenberg in The Social Network / Colin Firth in The King’s Speech / James Franco in 127 Hours Prediction: Colin Firth Alternate Javier Bardem

I should probably qualify that alternate prediction by saying that of all the feature film categories this is the one where I believe an upset is likely. Still, at this rate, if any upset were to occur it would be one of catastrophic proportions – and who better than the man who turned into (somewhat) of an upset nominee. Analysing the field, on performances, I’d say that the prize is between Eisenberg and Firth so I don’t mind that Firth has sort of swept through the season, even if some deserving men got no love (my ballot). I never actually considered Sean Penn’s Milk to be an upset, the last real “surprise” this category saw was Adrien Brodey, but parallels between he and Eisenberg are tenuous at best. It’s Colin’s race.

         

ACTRESS

Logically, I shouldn’t be getting any sort of headache with the prediction for this category because Natalie has sort of swept through the season, well the majors anyway – but I’m still not absolutely certain that she’s the indisputable winner. Hell, it’s possible that I’ll see her on stage with the winning statuette and still doubt the veracity of her frontrunner status – I’m sort of ridiculous like that. I was depending on the BAFTA to give Annette the statue, and prove my theory whereby the Annette/Natalie race would turn into a converse version of the Marion/Julie race (both win Globes, one wins SAG and the other wins BAFTA) – but alas, I was wrong. Logically, if Annette had any hope you’d expect her to take at least one major from Natalie – but other than the surprise British Critics' win (which isn’t exactly a major) she's got nothing. And she still lost the BAFTA, so there’s no proof that she has the British voting bloc behind her.

           

NOMINEES: Annette Bening in The Kids Are All Right Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole / Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone / Natalie Portman in Black Swan / Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine

Prediction: Natalie Portman Alternate: Annette Bening

So, I’m predicting Natalie – which makes me feel a little bit like a Judas because I still think that Annette can win this. I’ve never been one to have ridiculous Oscar hopes (I gave up on Cate winning for I’m Not There even before Tilda t urned into the frontrunner) but I’m just getting a feeling, heaven knows what it is. (Really, though, how ironic is it that a win for Annette would be an upset – mindboggling, some.) So, Natalie’s my prediction with Annette as my alternate. You all know what I’m hoping for, though....(my picks)

         

How ridiculous are my great expectations of an Annette win? Who wants an upset in the Actor category?

2007: Supporting Actors

This was the weakest category. There were only a few outstanding ones and then there were some valiant efforts. In the third tier here are the five men that tried to elevate their material. [Alphabetical Order]

                      

TIER THREE                   

Joe Anderson in Across the Universe

It was hard for anyone to really come out as a realistic character but at the end of the day, his ‘Hey, Jude’ is the most touching of the numbers. His war sequence too, though a little superfluous was well acted. But is he going to continue in this vein?

                      
Christian Bale in I’m Not There

Univarn tweeted the other day about the apparent demise of his career. He’s done some good work – Little Women, American Psycho, The Prestige but I’m waiting for that one tour-de-force role. I know he has the potential.

                        

James Franco in Spiderman 3

Sure it wasn’t going to win any Oscars and it wasn’t his greatest performance or anything. However it was quite good and those final scenes really were done well. I’m not sure I understand the hate for this movie.

                             

James Marsden in Enchanted

He turned an incredibly silly role into something surprisingly interesting. It’s anyone’s guess when he’s going to take off as a star. He’s in the same boat with James Franco, Emile Hirsch and Collin Farrel.

                      

Timothy Olyphant in Catch & Release

He was given the most underwritten of the roles and he manages to pull it off quite. After his good work on Deadwood shouldn’t he have a better career by now?

                               
TIER TWO

Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Wilson’s War

It was good to see him nominated, even though it was his weakest of the year. He does well with these outrageous characters and his line readings were quite effective.

                                      

Paul Rudd in Knocked Up

He brought his somewhat endearing charm to this emasculated character. His chemistry with Leslie Mann is good and he manages to bring some realism to some of Apatow’s more silly shenanigans.

                              

Mark Ruffalo in Reservation Road

The film received quite a lukewarm reception, it’s a bit underrated and his performance at least deserved to turn up at a few of the precursors. He really showcases some good chops in the last part of the film.

                              

Mark Ruffalo in Zodiac

He gave two valiant performances that year and he was ignored. He’s the perfect supporting actor; he’s constantly been turning up here and there with good performances. Hopefully next year Scorsese can work some magic on him in Shutter Island.

                   

Max Von Sydow in The Diving Bell & the Butterfly

It seemed like the ideal way to honour a fading star, like they did with Hal Holbrook in the same category, but apparently they were not as enamoured with the film as the should have been. Or maybe it was just the subtitles.

         
The Nominees

Casey Afleck in The Assassination of Jesse James

Before there was Tom Ripley there was Robert Ford. The parallels between the two stories struck me in retrospect. Casey Afleck really excelled in this performance and gave added some incredible nuances to the role. No one could have done it better.

                     

Javier Bardem in No Country for Old Men

What a scary son of a bitch he was. I never found Javier Bardem to be chilling in any way, and I wouldn’t have pegged him to pull this role off with such aplomb. It’s more than just the hair; he’s just terrifying with every word and with every moment. It’s a good performance.

                                    

Albert Finney in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

I am convinced that Award ceremonies don’t like Albert Finney as much as they pretend to. Sure they gave a nomination no one saw coming [but was deserved] for Erin Brockovich; but they ignored him for Big Fish and for this. Well they ignored anything to do with this movie, and that was just wrong.

                      

Ethan Hawke in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

Ethan’s Hank was a very complex and tortured character. His last few scenes are so incredibly well acted as the horror he feels is communicated without words. He makes some outstanding acting decisions and gives what is probably his greatest performance.

                         

Tom Wilkinson in Michael Clayton

It was the performance that I appreciated most in this dodgy film. It’s not as subtle [and perhaps not as good] as his excellent turn in In the Bedroom, but it would have been cool to see him pull off an upset. As far as I’m concerned he saved the film.

                             

So what are your thoughts on my Supporting Actor profile? Who would you have added or excluded from the fifteen? And what are your thoughts on the five nominees?