Penélope Cruz reveals long‑time medical hobby while promoting new film The Invite

Spanish actress Penélope Cruz said she has studied medicine and anatomy for the past 12 years as a personal hobby, describing how she read thick endocrine textbooks nightly and recalled playing doctor with her grandmother’s insulin needles as a child. She emphasized that the interest is a source of happiness and not a career change.

Cruz is also promoting the upcoming A24 release The Invite, in which she plays Pina, a Spanish neighbour whose dinner party spirals into emotional chaos. The film, a remake of the Spanish movie Sentimental, premiered at Sundance and received praise for Cruz’s blend of comedy and drama. Scheduled for a July 2026 release, the project highlights her role as a cultural bridge between Spanish and American independent cinema.