Starburst: Thugs Smash Penelope Cruz’s Walk Of Fame Star
Spanish superstar,Penelope Cruz’s star on Madrid’s Walk of Fame has been completely destroyed by vandals.
The Oscar winning 48 year old Spanish actress’s star was smashed to pieces on Calle Martin de los Heros in central Madrid in the early hours of Sunday, 12th June.
Images show the slab completely destroyed with no sign of Cruz’s name left on the monument.
A worker of the nearby Ocho y Medio bookstore said the star had appeared untouched at around 2am when they saw it last.
It’s not the first time one of the 26 stars on Madrid’s Walk of Fame has suffered an attack.
The slab in honour of actress Carmen Maura was stolen some years ago.
And others awarded to director Luis Garcia Berlanga and Hollywood actor Javier Bardem, Cruz’s husband, have been partially damaged.
Last week, Cruz was awarded Spain’s 2022 National Film Award from the Ministry of Culture and Sport in recognition of her successes in 2021 alongside an “exceptional career” in film that began in 1992.
The jury announced the award as a recognition for the Madrid-born star, who is an “iconic actress whose brilliant legacy enriches Spain’s cultural heritage”.
“Committed to her craft, she seeks excellence in her work, allowing her to create some of the most unforgettable characters in the history of our cinema,” the read jury citation.
Madrid’s Walk of Fame was opened in June 2011 with 25 stars in total and plans to add new names each year.
However, in the 11 years since the inauguration, only one other star has been added, for actor Luis Escobar, and local residents often complain about the poor condition of some of the monuments.
